Saung Budaya is an Indonesian Dance Group based in New York City. It was founded by Amalia Suryani in 2006 with intentions to introduce Indonesian culture through music and dances. The group has presented an array of traditional and contemporary art and culture from Indonesia. In this tenth year, through a show titled “GONG: Spirits of the Archipelago”, Saung Budaya is proud to present eight newly choreographed traditional dances from Papua, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, in addition to contemporary dances accompanied by a live music ensemble from Indonesia. The title GONG, is based on the South East Asian metal percussion instrument that is hit with a mallet. Though Indonesia’s various islands have different cultures, stories, and souls, the one constant in all things music is the sound of the Gong. Its distinct sound is quite deep and subtle however it is a sound that is familiar to the people of Indonesia. Its significance in daily life is to bring communities together for a start of a celebration; in music and dance, it is the constant sound for tempo and movement. Like the Gong, Saung Budaya has a similar role within the Indonesian American community. This production will showcase the different stories of these islands through the subtle yet important sounds of the Gong and how it unifies Indonesian people and its various cultures.