Can We Dance While Seeing the Screen? Liveness in Three Dangdut Performances During the Covid-19

Abstract

This paper deals with the concept of liveness and digital performance during Covid-19 through Dangdut performance. This paper originated because after the spread of the Covid-19 virus in March 2020, Dangdut could not be performed in its regular stages and several performances cancelled. Covid-19 impacted many kinds of performances, but Dangdut is highlighted because the performance stimulates the audience to respond by dancing on the stage and giving tips to the singer (sawer). The live performance creates ambiance, intimacy, and interactivity among the singers, musicians, and audiences. In short, liveness is essential in Dangdut performance. How do musicians sustain live, staged performances of Dangdut during Covid-19? What efforts did the musicians make? How does digital technology assist in the production of liveness for Dangdut? This paper will discuss what has been done by Dangdut actors in media streaming. To articulate the phenomenon, I referred to a debate about the liveness of live performance and live streaming from a performance studies perspective. This paper discusses how performers such as Ndarboy Genk, Guyon Waton, Denny Caknan, and OM Wawes tried to solve the liveness problem. These performances have the intention to enlighten the experience of the liveness in digital performance. These performances proved the resilience of Dangdut agents during the Covid-19. This paper will enrich the point of view of performance studies and popular music studies.