dangdut

The word "dangdut" is thought to have originated from the dang-dang-dut-dut sound that comes from the Indian drum tabla which gives the music its heartbeat.

Recently Uploaded Slideshows lauralochore 2009

The ruling Golkar party recruited dangdut singers to bounce along on the campaign trail.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

By twinning catharsis and escapism, dangdut performers broaden the music's appeal.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

But for more hedonistic readers, some extra surfing and shimmying are required to truly discover the joie de dangdut.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

My advice: Skip right to the tracks by purring songstress Itje Tresnawati and dangdut queen Elvy Sukaesih.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

Mr. Weintraub examines how the authoritarian Suharto regime tried to co-opt the popularity of dangdut.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

As Mr. Weintraub explains, dangdut serves as a "forum for celebrating eroticized female dance and power, which has long been an important part of Indonesia's cultural history."

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

When Suharto's fall in 1998 was followed by a trend toward decentralization, dangdut sang a similar tune.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

And he's no slouch when it comes to analyzing lyrics: Mr. Weintraub scrutinizes no less than 307 songs by dangdut icon Rhoma Irama.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010

Such are the risks of undertaking a scholarly treatise on dangdut — pronounced dahng-DOOT — a song-and-dance art form notable for the sensuality of its stars.

How Indonesia Gets Its Groove On Margot Cohen 2010