Bali, Indonesia - November 27, 2025

This November, Bali became the creative hub for Sonic Moves, a groundbreaking initiative exploring collaboration between digital music and inclusive dance in Indonesia. For four days from 23 to 26 November 2025, artists transformed the Malajah Room at UID Bali Campus into an experimental studio where movement, sound, and accessibility converged.

The residency brought together an exceptional group of collaborators: UK-based music producer and sound designer LNA; We Are Epic’s lead dance artist Lauren Russel; key inclusive dance leader from Malang Arif Onelegz; Indonesian dancer and co-director of the inclusive dance company (Nalitari), Tiara Brahmani; and several other inclusive dancers from across Indonesia. Together, they explored new creative methods and developed a collaborative piece that highlights the power of inclusion and the universality of movement.

On Thursday, 27 November 2025, the team presented the results of their residency in a special showcase attended by British Council, United In Diversity, Denpasar City Social Services (with Head of Department I Gusti Laxmy Saraswati present), and YPK Bali. Featuring three contemporary segments, the performance celebrated inclusive artistic collaboration and demonstrated how movement serves as a shared language across abilities and cultures.

The artists use copper/brass plate and the dotted screen forms audio and visual patterns for an accessible, interactive performance interface. The plate functions as a highly sensitive sensor and controller. Instead of needing to use a traditional instrument with complex inputs, the artist uses their own touch, pressure, or proximity to the plate. This immediate interaction triggers and modulates their own sound design in real time.

Simultaneously, the dotted patterns on the screen are the visual representation of this sound. They synergize by changing, moving, or transforming based on the exact sounds the artist is performing via the plate. This setup helps disabled artists by providing a responsive, direct-mapping tool where their unique physical movement is instantly translated into self-composed sounds and visuals, giving them complete and expressive control over their own audio-visual performance.

About We Are Epic

Founded in 2018 and funded by the British Council, We Are Epic is one of Indonesia’s leading inclusive arts initiatives committed to addressing the lack of inclusion and representation of dancers with disabilities. Through research, We Are Epic has identified at least 137 dancers with disabilities in Indonesia, emphasizing the need for greater visibility and equitable opportunities in prestigious artistic platforms.

Their works includes projects such as the 2021 program Count Me In, which, like Sonic Moves, champions the participation of disabled artists. By fostering collaboration, providing access to tools and training, and building community, We Are Epic continues to reshape perceptions of disability in the arts.

United In Diversity (UID), as host of Sonic Moves, expressed deep appreciation for the project’s mission. UID President Tantowi Yahya stated: “For us, inclusion is not just a program. Inclusion is the face of our humanity. It is how we ensure that every child of the nation, including persons with disabilities, feels accepted, valued, and given the space to thrive.”

Sonic Moves marks another milestone in Indonesia’s inclusive arts movement, showing how creativity, technology, and collaboration can open new doors for artists of all abilities.

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