Street dangdut performances are arguably the heartbeat of the Indonesian entertainment scene, particularly for the average Indonesian. And despite the country’s conservative bent, it is commonly accepted that part of the populist appeal of dangdut is female singers wearing revealing clothing on-stage.
But that is no longer the case in Tangerang, where the police have announced that they will forcibly shut down any sensual dangdut street performances.
“We have received complaints from locals for three months. So we’re warning [street dangdut performers] that since the people who watch their shows are not only adults but children too, if [dangdut singers still wear inappropriate clothing] we will forcibly end their show,” said Tangerang Metro Police Chief Grand Commissioner Asep Edi Suheri, as quoted by Okezone today.
The police said their ban on skimpy performance apparel particularly applies to dangdut singers who perform at weddings, which are usually attended by people of all ages.
Furthermore, in what must be music to the ears of people who can’t sleep until 3 am or beyond because of impromptu late night street dangdut performances in their neighborhood, Asep said that those who want to set up dangdut stages on the street must file a noise permit with the police, which only allows shows to go on until 10 pm.
While protecting children is always used as a justification for these kinds of rules, they can also lead to unintended consequences. For example, perhaps more singers will be forced to come up with dangerous gimmicks to draw in the crowds, such as the one employed by Irma Bule, the street dangdut performer who tragically died after getting bitten by one of the king cobras she was dancing with on stage.
