Asian twist to meet techno show at beach games start

Niken Prathivi, The Jakarta Post 

Four Asian pop stars and 1,700 Balinese dancers will perform under lights and sophisticated visual performances at the first Asian Beach Games opening ceremony at Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park in Bukit Ungasan, Jimbaran, on Saturday. 

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will open the Games. Indonesian Olympian sprinter Suryo Agung Wibowo, shuttler Taufik Hidayat and sailing athlete I Gusti Made Oka Sulaksana will be the stars of the evening. 

The three will be the last torch bearers to run around the venue, with native Balinese Oka given the honor of lighting the cauldron to mark the start to the 10-day Games. 

Indian Mark Lazaro, Filipino idol Christian Bautista and Indonesian singer-songwriter Andre Hehanusa will share the stage to sing "To Be One," which was composed by Indonesian Budi Prasetyo. 

Meanwhile, Indonesian diva Reza Artamevia will sing the Games' anthem "Inspire the World", which was written by well-known composer Dwiki Darmawan. The title of the song is taken from the Games' slogan. 

All dancing performances at the ceremony were choreographed by prominent dancers Sentot Sudiarto and Boi G. Sakti. 

The ceremony director, Erick J. Turangan, on Friday said the ceremony would be different and "a lot more exotic" than ceremonies held at world-class sporting events like the Olympics. 

Erick said the choice of venue, Garuda Wisnu Kencana, was perfect for the Games and would show to the world how unique Bali is. 

"What makes this opening ceremony different from the Olympics, for example, is that we did not choose a stadium as the venue, unlike other sporting events," he added. 

Garuda Wisnu Kencana is located 20 kilometers north of downtown Kuta. 

Over 1,500 very important guests, such International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and Jordan's Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein, will attend the ceremony. Four thousand invitees, mostly from the Olympics Council of Asia members, will also be present. 

The main event, which will start at 8 p.m. local time, will also be live broadcasted by local Trans7 television station, and relayed by ANTV and state-owned TVRI.

List of 17 sports featured in 2008 Asian Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia: 

• Beach Handball
  
• Beach Kabaddiu
  
• Beach Pencak Silat
  
• Beach Sepak Takraw
  
• Beach Soccer
  
• Beach Volleyball
  
• Beach Wrestling
  
• Body Building
  
• Dragon Boat
  
• Jet Ski
  
• Marathon Swimming
  
• Paragliding
  
• Sailing
  
• Surfing
  
• Triathlon
  
• Wind Surfing
  
• Woodball