FABIAN PERI

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Dancer/Performer/Freestyler

From Jakarta, Indonesia

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In 2007, I was dabbling with YouTube and came across a Uniqlo ad called “Uniqlo mixplay”. It had dancers wearing different colored hoodies doing robot/animation moves. Since then, I was drawn to street dance from popping to breaking. My dance journey continued by watching TV shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew. This obsession kept growing and I pretty much could not go a day without feeding my eye with something dance-related. My street dance era shifted when I watched “Center Stage” and “Billy Elliot”. Ballet quickly became my next fantasy and soon a dream.

Arguably, I’ve been dancing my whole life in my room, trying to imitate the moves of people I see through my screen. But I didn’t hit the stage until 2016 for my highschool graduation, for a lyrical hiphop routine. Now, my formal studio experience reaches a little over four years ranging from different styles of dance.

From 2016, I pursued my studies at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. Day one, I immediately searched for dance classes. Hiphop was the first in my list but then a modern dance open lesson flyer caught my attention. After a few lessons, I was torn. I could not place my heart in any of these two styles. It lies somewhere in the intersection. Later in my first year of University, I watched a performance from dancers of Codarts Rotterdam, a prestigious art school in Europe. That night marked a turning point in my perception of dance and human capabilities. Later in my second year, I became a board member of the modern dance association and helped teach creative lessons to beginners.

To list all those who have inspired me would create a list long enough to connect the Earth and the moon. Thus, calling myself a dancer would not do justice to those who spent years honing their skills and laying out foundations and creations to inspire others. I am, however, on my way there.