Not many artists are willing to be involved in raising children with disabilities, Broto Wijayanto is one of those artists. The man who was born in Demak, February 11, 1976 began his involvement with deaf people in 2004 when he was asked to direct a show Letter to God in collaboration with deaf artist from Japan Mariko Takamura. He accepted the invitation from the MATAHARIKU Social Voluntary community, the deaf people wanted to feel how it was to be on stage. The incident occurred on December 28 2004 which was later enshrined as the birthday of the inclusive Deaf Art Community.
The Deaf Art Community (DAC) consists of deaf and mute children who initially focused on developing their own abilities and facilitating the deaf-speech in the world of performing arts. The results of developing these abilities are pantomime, magic, freestyle hip hop dance, capuera martial arts, and playing jimbe percussion. Broto Wijayanto started the group with the help of volunteers from Psychology UGM and ISI Yogyakarta students. Initially there were 40 members consisting of volunteers from Psychology UGM and ISI Yogyakarta students as well as deaf and mute people from Yogyakarta. The theater artist who graduated from ISI persistently accompanies them like a father to his children. Broto Wijayanto found the longing on the children's faces, the longing for the world of children that was almost gone, the longing for the world of imagination that could not be fully fulfilled. DAC is more like a big family that helps each other and fills in the gaps. Broto, who also teaches in the theater class Art For Children - Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, often invites the deaf children he assists to be involved. Her teaching skills were obtained through her long experience teaching at a theater majoring in SMKI as a non-permanent teacher. There is no doubt about Broto's resilience on stage, but raising children with disabilities certainly requires special skills. Patience is the key. He also had to learn sign language, even giving sign language classes for free.
Many repertoires have been staged in various cities such as Semarang, Surabaya, Makasar, Bali. Even to be invited to Switzerland. Theatrical art is truly a vehicle for therapy for deaf-mute children to revive their self-confidence. Through research with UGM Psychology students, Broto succeeded in creating the pantomime method as a means of learning emotional expression for deaf-speech-deaf children. Since 2016 he has been involved as a creative team for MOEKTI Art Therapy, one of the DIY Culture service programs at special schools throughout DIY.
Apart from caring for DAC's children, Broto is also involved in Art Therapy works such as Shoes for Alissa (2004), a charity performance for children with blood cancer, Timun Mas (2006-2007), a performance played with children who were victims of the earthquake. in the village of Bakulan, Trirenggo, Bantul. In 2005, he was involved in making an educational film The Inquisitiveness with UGM Psychology students.
Since 2007 Broto has been involved with the Gandrik Theater in many of his performances, among others: Termite Representative Council (2007) Sidang Susila (2008) Tot's Family (2009) Panda! (2010) Gundala Gawat (2013) Hakim Sarmin (2017) to Retired (2017). Broto also helped with the Wayang Bocor show and had performed around the USA: New York, North Caroline, Los Angeles (2017)
Broto's journey to accompany deaf and speech impaired children, raised the confidence of its senior members who later established an independent organization, in 2017 DAC was disbanded and replaced by an organization initiated by the disabled themselves, an inclusive arts organization/group named Ba(WA) which was taken from the word Shadow Puppet. The Ba(WA) group which develops the art of playing puppets of their own creation, often combines performances with pantomime and other abilities. In 2016, Broto Wijayanto received a CNN Indonesia award for his dedication to the deaf-speech community in Yogyakarta.
During the pandemic, activities have decreased a lot, participating in several online show facilitation programs from the Department of Culture, which are limited to participating in virtual meetings.
Ba(WA) based at KASULI (Deaf Milk Cafe) Jl. Langenarjan Lor 16A Panembahan, Kraton Yogyakarta - Indonesia.
Works with Deaf Art Community:
Letter to God
Pantomime performance in collaboration with Japanese deaf artist - Mariko Takamura, at the Auditorium of PPPG Seni Yogyakarta, 28 December 2004
Performance Capoeira & Pantomime
Performance Capoeira SCTV KARNAVAL 2005 Alun-alun Lor Yogyakarta, 14-17 July 2005
DISTORTION or HELP ME
Deaf Performance Art Launching "Kamar Seni" at Entang Wiharsa Art Gallery at Entang Wiharso Gallery Kalasan, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 28 July 2005.
Young Bara
Pantomime & Capoeira Performance at UPN INAGURATION 2005, 2005
Colossal performance of YOGYAARYA PRADIPTA 249th Anniversary of the City of Yogyakarta at the Mandala Krida Stadium, Yogyakarta, 7 October 2005
Performance of GOLONG GILIG TRAJU MANGGALA 250th Anniversary Yogyakarta City, 2006
Theater and Music creations "From One World to Another World" with HOUSE OF SIGN, Omah Panggung and Solindo Strudara "VIRGINE LASITIER" at LIP (French Indonesian Institute), January 27, 2006
Mime "Sculpture Painting" 100 Years of AFFANDI's death in TOGAMAS (14 May 2006) Mime "Yogya Atmosphere, Yogyakarta Community"
Together with UGM "Animal Day" in Gembira Loka, 4 October 2006
Pantomime at UNY with Matahariku and PLB Students, April 3, 2008.
Pantomime "Disabled Motor Club", at Parangtritis beach, 6 April 2008.
TEATHER SILENT MEMORIES FEAT NICK PALFREYMAN at P4TK Arts and Culture at the 2008 INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL.
JOGJA JAVA CARNIVAL, in the performance of LAMPIONS, 25 October 2008
ULTAH SMKI Collaboration from SMM, SMKI, and Deaf Art Community, 10 November 2008
Improvisational pantomime "OPEN HOUSE HIMA UNY PLB" 2008
Solo Performance "We Are Also Children of Adam and Eve" at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, 8 August 2010
JOGJA JAVA CARNIVAL, in the performance of GOLONG GILIG, 2010
Performance I WANT TO BE A BUTTERFLY, at SAVE THE CHILDREN III NAFAS Theater Studio, State University of Malang, 13 May 2011
Solo Performance I WANT TO BE A BUTTERFLY at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, 28 December 2011
Solo Performance I WANT TO BE A BUTTERFLY (colour of life) at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, 28 December 2012