Indonesian maids realize their dancing dreams in Hong Kong

A group of Indonesian domestic workers, led by Widyawati Alexandria Palupi, who grew up in a family with a dancing culture in Malang in east Java, have realized their dreams to dance after starting work in Hong Kong.

Palupi, the founder of Alexa Dancer, a dancing team, has gained a lot of experience by performing with her team many times in Hong Kong over the last couple of years.

On April 30, the team performed Mambri Dance – a traditional hunting dance in Papua – for Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who was in Hong Kong for a two-day visit, at the Asia-World Expo near the international airport on Lantau Island.

Read: Indonesian President Widodo meets compatriots in HK visit

They practise their dances three times a month, usually at Victory Park in Causeway Bay on a Sunday, and perform once a month on average. They are often invited by the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong to perform for different official events.

Members of Alexa Dancer told Asia Times in an interview that they had no chance to dance in the past when they were in Indonesia as they were busy working on farms or in factories. They said they have learnt a lot about dancing from Palupi since coming to Hong Kong.

They hope to continue to work and dance here, and are keen to test themselves by developing different styles, such as hip hop, in their performance. Some of the group have also learnt singing and sang at some events.