Stadium Revisited: Body, Dance, Space and Subjectivity

The closedown of Tanamur - once the Jakarta's institution for nightlife - despite its survival of passing its 30th birthday, leaves Stadium arguably the only one worthed taking over the crown for being the next, enduring Jakarta institution. At least, for now. But as the city changes so rapidly, so does everything. A recent revisit was a brief moment of reflection - of such a space that tells so much about another world of Jakarta through dancing bodies that throng it on most nights.

It was the Thursday before the Good Friday. The Easter weekend. I was brazenly gatecrashing to someone's birthday. It was of a stranger, an unknown film director who works for this production house notorious for releasing bad (but blockbuster) soap operas and a full-fledged 'entertaining' film happened to be written by a friend. He (this scriptwriter friend) dragged me off to the hell-hole, luring me with a free-flow of alcohol night-promise.

I soon felt the outlandish tackiness as I was stepping onto its front door, with few guards sitting on a stool, scooping my heavy working bag for non-Stadium mineral water or whatever. Its once familiar greenish tiles and walls now saturated my view, its front alley leading to the stair/elevator. All the rituals: briskily walking up to the front of elevator, getting in, pushing the no. 4 button, and getting ready.

The cover charge is now Rp 30,000 for weekdays. It was full but not body-to-body packed Friday night. The film director booked a sofa on the right balcony, accompanied by a girl, who pushily shoveled pills to our mouths - despite our seemingly feeble (but meant it) NO. "It's only a half, it's for baby," she persuaded in her chirpy voice. Her ponytails swinging in the dark. I soon grabbed my friend's hand, and dragged him ond floor down to the main stage. The 'usual' place for the kings and the queens.

Well, the place has lots its magic. It seems. It's now just another tacky, big dancing hall in downtown Kota -with less attitude. Guys in dark shades, still prowling for their preys. Girls in skimpy clad, also in dark hues, playing the game along. But the city has changed - as always. News of tsunami, prices hikes, constant deadlock in reform and progress. Regression. The bodies - dancing as they still are - intoxicated with bad quality essence. Even the flying dragon lost its charm - no matter how much lighted with the red laser beam.

Close of an era? Stadium needs a reinvention, otherwise, it's more fun to jump into the darkness next door - the incredulous Moonlight. The cheapest gay bar in town offers probably the least pretentious drag show so far. I hopped by accident with a throng of Viet Namese dancers in mid June, and it was pulsed not only by crazy, signature humours of the two quirky MC ladyboys, but also loads of attitude onstage... towards self, and at last, life.