Just the Ticket for Dance

(12/23/2011)

The ubiquitous parking attendants in Bali’s capital city of Denpasar are apparently men of many parts.

In addition to their daily task of guiding vehicles in and out of tight spaces and collecting the Rp. 2,000 (US$0.22) parking fee, many of the attendants posses lesser-known skills as accomplished stage performers.

The employees of PD Parkir Kota Denpasar have, in fact, launched their own compact disc (CD) showcasing their consummate skills as traditional musicians and dancers.

Kompas.com reports that the CD collection is being reproduced to keep pace with commercial demand and for presentation as a souvenir to Denpasar visitors. 

Nyoman Sudhiantara, the Director of PD Parkir Kota Denpasar, proclaimed: “This is our pride. Maybe they are known only as parking attendants. However, don't be wrong, our parking personnel are people of real ability.”

To cultivate the obvious large reservoir of talent, PD Parkir Kota Denpasar supports the traditional arts efforts of their staff, encouraging freedom and full creativity in their increasingly frequent stage performances.

A recent performance saw 50 of the 800 men employed as parking attendants perform on stage to an enthusiastic reception from an appreciative audience. The appearance included the traditional Catur Bragatu dance and modern dance creations choreographed by Denpasar’s talented “tukang parkir.”