ratu - Premiere
As part of Tanztage Berlin 2026
Dance
Hochzeitssaal
Javanese, Indonesian with English surtitles
Ca. 45 min.
Born and raised in Indonesia as a royal court dancer in the classical Surakarta tradition, Naniek K. moved to Berlin in 1978, where she built a career as a fashion model. ratu by jee chan is an intimate portrait of this magnetic performer, now 81 years old – an intergenerational exploration of tradition, gender, social agency, and embodied memory.
While honoring her extraordinary life story, the work questions how tradition persists and transforms within diasporas. Ritual meets the runway in a performance driven by sound artists Rose & Zach, who provocatively style Javanese gamelan with electronic synths.
Concept, choreography, installation, performance: jee chan
Choreography, performance: Naniek K.
Sound, performance: Rosemainy Buang, Zachary Chan
Light design: Gretchen Blegen
Dramaturgical support: Nima Séne
Outside eye: Jette Büchsenschütz
Production assistance: Hardistya Putri
A production by jee chan in co-production with Sophiensæle. Funded by the National Arts Council, Singapore. The performances as part of Tanztage Berlin 2026 are supported by the Goethe-Institut. The 35th Tanztage Berlin is a production of Sophiensæle. Funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. With the kind support of Tanzfabrik Berlin e.V., Theaterhaus Berlin, and HZT Berlin. Media partners: Berlin Art Link, Missy Magazine, Rausgegangen, Siegessäule, taz.
Derzeit online keine Tickets, ggf. Restkarten ab 2 Stunden vor Beginn der ersten Veranstaltung des Tages an der Abendkasse./Currently no tickets online, remaining tickets may be available at the box office from 2 hours before the start of the first event of the day.
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
