FAREWELL FUTURE WELCOME WORLD

A co-production by LeineRoebana and Black Pencil

Following the internationally acclaimed performances Ghost Track and LIGHT, LeineRoebana now presents the final part of their Indonesia trilogy: Farewell Future Welcome World. In a time when much seems to be going wrong, we leave no stone unturned in our effort to stay hopeful. Inspired by the personal memories of Harijono Roebana, this performance intertwines Indonesian and contemporary dance and music with curiosity—a quest for self-understanding and shared humanity in a complex world.

Music ensemble Black Pencil, gamelan ensemble Kyai Fatahillah, and composer Iwan Gunawan join forces with LeineRoebana to look beyond the concept of cultural identity as something to be defended, instead exploring the shared roots of wonder and creativity.

Composer Iwan Gunawan continuously searches for new playing techniques, compositional methods, and sound worlds for the gamelan. In 2022, this exploration led to Topeng Masquerade, a project with an unprecedented sound palette. A collaboration between Iwan Gunawan, Black Pencil, and Kyai Fatahillah, the piece premiered at the November Music Festival 2022.

Special Introduction: audience welcome 30 minutes before the show

Before the performance begins, LeineRoebana and Black Pencil invite the audience to a special introduction on stage, offering the chance to meet the dancers, musicians, and choreographers. Thirty minutes before curtain time, the theater doors open for what has become a much-loved tradition: the audience welcome!

During this informal gathering, the artists share unique experiences from the creative process and talk about their sources of inspiration. There is also an opportunity to ask questions, while dancers and musicians warm up and prepare for the performance.

The show begins immediately after the audience welcome.

Reviewer Fritz de Jong wrote about the audience welcome in Theaterkrant:
“Introductions to dance performances don’t always add much to the viewing experience. But the introductions by LeineRoebana are almost always worthwhile. If only because of the casual onstage conversations choreographers Andrea Leine and Harijono Roebana have with their dancers and musicians, combined with stretching exercises, vocal warm-ups, and the relaxed rehearsal of movement phrases. In a very natural way, you are drawn into the atmosphere of the performance.”

Harijono Roebana met zijn vader op de kade.jpg

ABOUT LEINEROEBANA

LeineRoebana, the dance company led by choreographers Andrea Leine and Harijono Roebana, holds a unique position in both the Dutch and international dance scenes through its distinctive and unconventional dance language and working methods. The company is known for its thrilling physical dance idiom and the central role of live music in its performances. LeineRoebana’s productions consistently surprise with their striking fusions of contemporary dance, text, design, and an array of diverse musical soundscapes.

Driven by curiosity, LeineRoebana actively seeks dialogue with other cultures, subcultures, various sectors of society, and different artistic disciplines—believing that openness and vulnerability are the engines of innovation. In their layered productions, music holds an equal place alongside dance, with both dancers and musicians moving the performance forward.

LeineRoebana has collaborated with composers such as Tan Dun, Iwan Gunawan, and Kate Moore, and with musicians including violinist Liza Ferschtman, guitarist Wiek Hijmans, lutenist David Mackor, and soprano Elisabeth Hetherington. In addition to theater productions, LeineRoebana creates performances for unique locations, such as LOST INTIMACY in a former industrial building or monastery, and for festivals including Wonderfeel, Terug naar Het Begin, and Oerol.

In 2023, choreographers Andrea Leine and Harijono Roebana were awarded the Prijs van Verdienste (Merit Award) from Dansersfonds '79—founded by the renowned ballet couple Alexandra Radius and Han Ebbelaar—for their contributions to Dutch dance. From the jury report:
“Impressive performances that are always entirely their own and often reveal a surprising interaction between dance and a wide range of musical styles.”

With Light, LeineRoebana proves that it navigates powerfully against the tide of negativity surrounding cultural coexistence. This has nothing to do with naivety, as some politicians might have us believe. It is, in fact, proof that openness and exchange can allow new things to flourish—without anyone needing to leave anything behind. ★★★★ Theaterkrant, Marcelle Schots

Dance and music drive each other forward. Gripping.
★★★★ de Volkskrant, Mirjam van der Linden