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Hindustan Times
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
This 11-year-old's dance on a boat turned into a viral trend, and then a government title: Meet ‘aura farmer' Dika
If you have a social media account and a debilitating addiction to scrolling, like most of us do, chances are you've seen that kid, the on dancing on the tip of a boat. Meet Rayyan Arkan Dikha, or just Dika, the 11-year-old sensation from Indonesia who's been dubbed the ultimate 'aura farmer' by the internet. Meet Rayyan Arkan Dikha Dika went viral earlier this year after a video showed him dancing effortlessly on the bow of a boat during Pacu Jalur, a traditional boat race held annually in the Indonesian province of Riau. The clip, posted by TikTok user Lensa Rams, exploded online, with Dika's slick sunglasses, calm expression, and hypnotic movements instantly capturing hearts worldwide. He's not just vibing for fun, though; he's what's known in the tradition as a Tukang Tari, or dancer, whose job is to inspire the rowers throughout the race. Each boat has its own Tukang Tari, but Dika's performance has become symbolic of the entire festival. And for good reason, he's been doing this since he was 9. The internet, of course, did what it does best: turned the moment into a meme, a trend, and a cultural moment. From NFL star Travis Kelce jokingly comparing his own moves to Dika's (in a post that racked up 13 million views), to baseball team Party Animals recreating the dance on a field, to Diego Luna of the U.S. men's soccer team busting out the moves after a goal, Dika's influence is everywhere. So, what is aura farming? Basically, the higher your aura, the cooler you are. And kids have always wanted to be cool, which is why there has to be a way to farm it, right? According to the Guardian's Bertin Huynh and Luca Ittimani here's how to aura farm: 'By the simple act of being cool or mysterious: striking a cool pose, or performing great feats of coolness – a strike when you go bowling, flawlessly landing rubbish in the bin from 5 metres away, or completing a new personal best at the gym.' The phrase itself took off last year, in the context of anime characters and influencers who do repetitive, confident things just to look cool. Think stoic glances, signature gestures, or — like Dika — hypnotic dancing in dramatic settings. From meme to ambassador Dika's viral fame has translated into real-life recognition. Last week, the government of Riau named him a tourism ambassador, praising his ability to inspire local kids to engage with their culture. Governor Abdul Wahid even awarded Dika a scholarship worth 20 million rupiah (about $1,200) toward his education. The ceremony featured none other than Dika himself, dancing alongside the governor. 'Wow, I'm so happy,' Dika said in Indonesian in the government's official announcement. 'I never imagined I'd meet the governor.' And with Pacu Jalur set to return next month, Dika's moment is far from over.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Meet Rayyan Arkan Dikha, the viral ‘Aura Farming' kid from Indonesia
Meet Rayyan Arkan Dikha , the 11-year-old Indonesian sensation whose boat-top dance has taken the internet by storm. A video of Rayyan performing a stylish, rhythmic dance on the bow of a racing canoe has gone viral across social media platforms, making him an unexpected global star. His performance sparked the rise of the phrase 'aura farming', which is now being widely used in internet culture. How Did He Go Viral? The video, originally posted to TikTok in January by user Lensa Rams, shows Rayyan dancing at the front of a long traditional boat during Pacu Jalur , an annual rowing festival held in Riau, Indonesia. Rayyan's calm demeanor, slick black outfit, and sunglasses — combined with his hypnotic, repetitive dance moves — captured the imagination of millions. Social media users began remixing the video with different songs, celebrities chimed in, and creators worldwide tried to mimic his movements. His newfound fame even earned him the official title of Tourism Ambassador for Riau Province , and he was awarded a government scholarship in recognition of his cultural impact. What Is 'Aura Farming'? According to Know Your Meme, 'aura farming' became popular in 2024 as a term describing someone who repeatedly does something cool or stylish to project an aura or vibe — especially in the context of anime or Gen Alpha slang. Rayyan's graceful and effortless moves made him the perfect embodiment of the term. Live Events Why Is He Dancing on a Boat? Rayyan's dance isn't just for show — it's part of Pacu Jalur, a centuries-old rowing competition where each boat includes a Tukang Tari (literally, 'dancer') who performs on the bow to boost team morale and energize the rowers. Rayyan has been a Tukang Tari since he was 9 years old and has now become the face of the tradition thanks to his viral fame. From Local Hero to Global Meme Though Pacu Jalur takes place every August, Rayyan's clip found new life this year as it spread rapidly online. Celebrities like Travis Kelce, who compared his own dance moves to Rayyan's, helped boost its reach. Kelce's video alone racked up over 13 million views. Soccer star Diego Luna even used the dance as a goal celebration during a U.S. Men's National Team match against Guatemala. The dance has been recreated by everyone from party teams like the Party Animals (a spinoff of the Savannah Bananas) to global brands and influencers like Steve Aoki, Adidas, AC Milan, and PSG. Rayyan Arkan Dikha may just be 11, but his viral moves have connected centuries-old tradition with modern meme culture — all while putting Indonesia's cultural heritage on the global map. With Inputs from NYT
New York Times
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Savannah Bananas are a baseball fever dream, and they're on national TV this Saturday
There's always money in the banana stand, and there's always a good time in Banana Ball. The exhibition baseball circuit's premier humorists keep barnstorming Saturday at Nationals Park. Live from the nation's capital, it's … whatever this is! This game will also be available on ESPN+. Something called the 'Banana Ball World Tour' invites a round of questioning and clarification. This is our best effort to make sense of what we're about to see. Let's go wide to start off. Our peeled protagonists are independent and unaffiliated with MLB. They used to compete as members of the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball collective based in the South Atlantic. By 2023, the Bananas split (yup) from that league and shifted into full-time exhibition ball. Why be the life of someone else's dreary luncheon when you can throw your own lampshade-on-head banger? Advertisement The Bananas face off with a short rotation of partners. Those teams have suitably awesome names like the Texas Tailgaters and Party Animals. Saturday's game is against the Firefighters. What's a goon to a goblin? What's an extinguisher to a plantain? We don't have that answer yet, but stay tuned as our research progresses. Kind of. The game itself is unscripted and (somewhat) competitive. The Bananas and their opponents do indeed keep score. Still, proceedings go off the rails right quick, and we'll find precious few fans stressed about bullpen matchups or bad base-running. Of course there are. For starters, no bunting. That's an automatic out. No mound visits, because that's a waste of time. And no games exceeding the two-hour mark, unless a tiebreaker is needed. Fair enough. Now, for the true loopiness. Here's a five-pack of extra-unique Banana bylaws: Existential dread wilts in Bananaland. This is the team that turns strikeouts to potassium. Trust that this action is informed by a strange, unshakable love for baseball. None of the current players achieved MLB fame, but several have established themselves as comic performers, internet personalities and delightful novelties. Dakota Albritton is the best known of the Banana bunch, because he charts at 10-foot-9 on his trademark stilts. Seeing is believing, and oh, how we will now believe: The stilts are just the tip of the iceberg, if that iceberg were a colossal frozen banana. Here is a limited list of Banana Ball occurrences: Come for the Bananas, stay for Ham Porter, or Travis Hunter, or the world's undisputed wrestling champion: As we can tell, the Bananas traffic in a unique chaos. Anything is on the table with these folks. One constant, though, is inviting former star athletes back to their old home fields. Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton popped out in Philadelphia. Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer came through in Kansas City. Former Tennessee Titan Jevon Kearse did the 'weigh-in dance' in Nashville. Expect to see some notable retired Nats at Nationals Park. Advertisement We absolutely can. Baseball fandom will always hold space for random roster recitation. This correspondent will go with Ian Desmond, Jayson Werth and Tanner Roark. Give us your stray Nationals guesses in the comments, or hit us with other novelty baseball modifications worthy of Banana Ball. Streaming and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo by Sean Rayford / Getty Images)
Boston Globe
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A professional puppeteer builds a world with its own set of rules
In 'Party Animals,' five friends try to throw a birthday party. It features original music by Boston composer Puppeteer Sarah Nolen will perform her show "Party Animals" on Boston Common July 5. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff 'I told him, 'I want to make a show that has hand puppets and rock 'n' roll. I want it to feel in the vein of ' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up One character wields a yo-yo, another wraps a gift. Both posed engineering problems for the puppet designer: How do you manipulate a poet and his yo-yo? She only has two hands. 'I'm cueing all my music with my foot,' she said. 'It's very much like a one-man band.' Advertisement Sarah Nolen demonstrates how she holds her puppets "The Cheerleaders" when performing. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Where to find her : Age : 38 Originally from : 'I grew up in the hippie cowboy town of Austin, Texas.' Lives in : Waltham Making a living : Puppets are Nolen's full-time job. In addition to her work at Puppet Showplace Theater, she designs and builds puppets for other productions and films, performs her own shows locally, and teaches. Advertisement In Sarah Nolen's Waltham studio, "everything's on wheels." Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Studio : The puppeteer lives in the loft of her Waltham Mills studio. 'I'll come down in the morning and be like, I need to make some breakfast,' she said, 'and then it'll be 11:30 a.m. and I'm in my robe hot gluing something.' Downstairs, 'Everything's on wheels,' she said. 'It's a rehearsal space. Sometimes it's molding and casting. Sometimes it's painting, sometimes it's sewing, sometimes it's woodworking.' Using L200 foam and pool noodles for the mane, puppeteer Sarah Nolen made 'Aslan' for a 2021 Boston College production of 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.' The large puppet calls for three puppeteers. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff How she started : In fourth grade, Nolen created a show about Rapunzel in her living room. 'Toilet paper was the hair,' she said. After college, she worked as a production assistant on reality shows ' What she makes : 'What don't I make?' Nolen said. 'With puppetry, you're building a world that is not human-centric. That world has its own rules, it has its own aesthetic, and it has its own needs. Whatever world that is, it's going to come with different starting points.' A wooden marionette is posed on Sarah Nolen's work table in her Waltham studio. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff How she works : 'You're learning on the job every time,' she said. 'There's always a surprise.' To make giant puppets for an Advice for artists : 'You never know when inspiration will come from,' Nolen said. 'Don't limit your palette of curiosity.' Advertisement Puppeteer Sarah Nolen poses with "Sammy." She made "Sammy" with assistance from puppet builder John Cody, for the 2021 movie 'Don't Look Up.' Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Savannah Bananas bring Banana Ball to Bank of America Stadium
The Queen City will host Banana Ball as the Savannah Bananas play the Party Animals in two games at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. Their one-of-a-kind baseball experience is expected to bring over 150,000 fans to the stadium turned baseball field. Advertisement They have been likened to the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball with their fast-paced, entertainment centered games. Banana Ball keeps fans and players on their toes through 11 unique rules. The most notorious rule, according to the team, is that if a fan catches a foul ball, it counts as an out. Headed to a game this weekend? You can expect action-packed plays, fan-participation and lots of fun as the players engage in dance routines, comedic sketches, and other performances throughout the game. Games start at 7 p.m. both nights, but the festivities last all weekend. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Bananas will hold early merchandise sales. A pre-game party and player appearances begin at 2 p.m., and a 'Before the Peel' show starts at 3 p.m. Advertisement Fans were awarded tickets through an interest form and lottery list. Both Charlotte games are sold out. VIDEO: Charlotte City Council approves Bank of America Stadium rezoning petition
