Gandrung Sewu 2026 to be staged at night with 1,300 dancers
For the first time, the mass dance will use a glow-in-the-dark concept at Pantai Boom Marina in Banyuwangi.
The Gandrung Sewu 2026 festival in Banyuwangi was held for the first time at night on Saturday (24/10), bringing together 1,300 dancers at Pantai Boom Marina. The annual mass dance performance carried the theme “Kembang Dermo” and used a glow-in-the-dark concept.
The change in format is intended to help revitalize and promote local-culture arts rooted in the Osing community’s local wisdom to tourists. In ANTARA photos and videos, the dancers appeared in mass formations along the shoreline with a glowing effect in the dark, unlike previous editions, which were usually held during the day or in the late afternoon.
Gandrung Sewu is Banyuwangi’s annual cultural event featuring a mass dance performance as a showcase for local arts.