What began as dance activities at a children’s reading centre in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, has led Ana Syafitri Daulay to bring traditional dances from her region to international stages in Türkiye. The Dance Education student at Universitas Negeri Medan was one of member from Sanggar Seni Sopo Daganak (Sanipoda) who performed at two international cultural festivals in Türkiye in October 2026.
Ana’s journey began more than 10 years ago, when she was still in primary school and took part in activities at the Children’s Reading Centre developed by Agincourt Resources. Today, together with Sanggar Sanipoda, an arts group that grew out of the company’s community arts development programme, she stands before an audience of around 5,000 people from across the world.
“At first, I simply enjoyed learning to dance with my friends. I never imagined that an activity I started in primary school would take me overseas to perform,” Ana said.
On 25 October 2026, Sanipoda performed at Pesta Rakyat Budaya (PERAYA), organised by the Istanbul Indonesian Students Association at Istanbul University. Wearing fabrics produced by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) supported by Agincourt Resources, the dancers presented The Majesty of Nusantara, Tortor Hata Sopisik and a traditional batik dance from South Tapanuli.
Sanipoda’s cultural journey continued at the International Festival of Arts “Kuşadası 26”, held from 25 to 29 October 2026. The group took part in the festival programme with a dance performance at a gala dinner on 26 October, followed by a carnival along the Kuşadası Coast the next day and the festival’s closing event.
Soneryucel Celik, a representative of the International Festival of Arts “Kuşadası 26”, said Sanipoda’s participation enriched the cultural exchange at the festival.
“Art is a common language. Despite our different backgrounds, participants and audiences can get to know one another. We hope these connections will continue to grow long after the festival ends,” Celik said.
Behind the performance lies a journey shaped by years of dedication and hard work. Founded 14 years ago, Sanipoda has since nurtured more than 1,000 young people from communities surrounding the Martabe Gold Mine. They all started from scratch, with no formal background in the arts.
Sanipoda’s dance teacher, Putri Hasibuan, emphasised that performing in Türkiye was not the end of the learning process, but rather an opportunity for the dancers to assess their abilities and broaden their experience.
“In group dance, each performer needs to master their own part while remaining aware of their fellow dancers. The experience in Türkiye gives us an opportunity to reflect on the skills we have developed and identify areas that still need improvement,” Putri said.
Previously, Sanipoda had won numerous dance competitions at regency and municipal levels, going on to secure second place at the Nusantara Cultural Heritage Festival in Jakarta and perform at Indonesia Menari 2025.
Rohani Simbolon, Community Manager at Agincourt Resources, said the company’s support for Sanipoda was part of its efforts to preserve South Tapanuli’s cultural heritage while creating opportunities for young people to develop their potential. This support included facilitating Sanipoda’s performances in Türkiye, enabling the dancers to broaden their experience and introduce the region’s cultural richness to international audiences.
“We hope Sanipoda will continue to be a space where young people can nurture their cultural roots, connect with their heritage and develop their abilities,” Rohani said.
Sanipoda’s journey from South Tapanuli to Türkiye demonstrates how consistent support from various stakeholders and sustained development initiatives can create opportunities for young people to nurture their talents while introducing their local culture to the international stage.
