Photo Courtesy of Invasion DC
What does it take to bring K-Pop to life in Jakarta? For Invasion Dance Cover Group, the answer lies in precision, passion, and a community-driven spirit. Over the past decade, this powerhouse crew has grown from local performers to cultural ambassadors, dazzling audiences with their spot-on covers of Stray Kids, ITZY, and more.
In this interview, we’ll trace their remarkable journey, uncovering the challenges they’ve overcome and the milestones they’ve achieved.
What first drew you to K-pop dance covers, and how did you join INVASION DC?
With 19 members in our team, I believe that each and every one of us carries a unique story and perspective—but there is just something so undeniably universal about the magic of K-Pop, isn’t there? From its grand stages to its breathtaking choreography, K-Pop has always had the power to unite people of different backgrounds.
I believe that shared passion is exactly how INVASION has come to be. Despite coming from different walks of life, we all found our way here through auditions. Whether it is that we joined in different years or generations, each of us took the chance of uniting as a team to be the very best and bring pride to our country.
How do you balance your passion for dance with other commitments (school, work, etc.)?
Balancing our passion for dance with academic and other professional responsibilities has never been easy. Some of us are full-time students, while others are working. Juggling these commitments requires a lot of discipline and careful time management. We often have to plan our weeks carefully, squeezing in rehearsals between lectures, work shifts, and deadlines.
There are countless times where we had to sacrifice our rest, social time, and/or weekends just to stay consistent. Many of us would head straight from our responsibilities to practice, only to continue studying or working late into the night. What we do requires sacrifice.
But every hour, late nights, and missed outings were made worth it. Through a shared dedication and teamwork, we were able to bloom these sacrifices into trophies we could bring home. This makes a powerful reminder that when passion meets commitment, incredible things could happen.
Which K-pop artist or choreography has influenced your style the most?
When it comes to influence, it’s hard to only mention one artist and/or choreographer in mind, because as it is apparent, our style is a combination of many performers and choreographers who have something special to bring to the table.
Seventeen, for example, has been one of the many artists that has had a massive impact in our approach. Known for their absolute masterpiece in both synchronization and formation work, we were able to learn a lot while watching their performances. How they are able to create seamless transitions with dynamic visuals has pushed us to take a more strategic approach in our choreography-making.
And on top of that, we’ve also learned a lot from how TWICE is able to balance powerful gestures and facial expressions with strong feminine energy. Their performances have shown us that dancing isn’t just about delivering the choreography but also making a connection with the audience. That being cohesive does not necessarily mean we have to lose individuality, but instead enhance it as a team.
Overall I would say our style reflects various artists as we absorb bits and pieces for quality performance and precision.
What does winning [e.g., K-Circle or other competitions] mean for your team’s growth?
Everything. Our victory as a community, as a representative of our country, and as individuals who each carry their own weight and have grown together. This victory means a lot to INVASION and more. What makes this win all the more special is that ever since INVASION DC was found in the year of 2013, this win of ours would mark our very first win as a community to bring home the achievement of highest honours from an offline international competition where we compete against other countries and proudly represent Indonesia in a global stage. This isn’t the end, but a stepping stone to more achievements and learning ahead.
How do you handle the pressure of live competitions vs. pre-recorded covers?
When it comes to live performances, a lot is at stake as there is no room for mistakes. Hence why it is on a different level of intensity. Everything has to be perfect at the moment. On the other hand, with pre-recorded covers, we have the flexibility to redo takes or refine specific parts that are not to our liking. But on stage, it’s all about being present, focused, and in sync as a team.
To handle the pressure, we’d train full run-throughs and focus on how to showcase our entire performances without mistakes. It’s about being mentally present throughout the entirety of our performances and being in sync with our audience. The adrenaline during a performance may be high, but that’s what makes live performances so powerful and rewarding.
Can you describe the creative process behind Invasion’s winning performance? What inspired your choreography and stage presence?
Naturally, to perform is to first understand. It wouldn’t be our story to tell when we, as storytellers, do not understand the message of the story itself. As a team who would place careful considerations into the smallest of matters, we are the kind to meticulously watch all of Kep1er’s stages to make sure our performance would align with the overall vibe of the idol group: what messages they relay, what emotions they are expressing on stage, and how each member represents themselves as a part of the team.
It is also important to pay close attention to which properties and song choices would compliment our performance best, as they too play a key role in bringing depth into our design.
What aspects of your performance are you most proud of?
When it comes to our performance, we are most proud of our energy and unity as a team! Despite there being 9 Kep1er dancers and 10 additional supporting dancers, we make a conscious effort to make a seamless connection between the two, hence why our strength lies in our chemistry and bond as a team.
How did you choose the song for your K.Circle 6 performance? What made it a good fit for your team and style?
We prioritise choosing a song that fits our team’s strength. A song that is up-beat, high-strung, and with strong feminine energy. It is important to pick a track that not only sounds great but also highlights the individuality of each member.
From the first time we heard The Girls (Can’t Turn Me Down) by Kep1er, we knew it was the perfect song to bring onto the stage.
Were there any specific technical challenges in your choreography that you had to overcome?
One of the biggest technical challenges we faced as a team was working with large props as a part of our choreography. We had to figure out how to integrate the props seamlessly into our performance while maintaining a great visual impact throughout.
Transporting the property was also a major issue. Because of its size, we weren’t able to hand carry it around so easily, instead, we had to arrange transportation vehicles solely for the property and even then it took us a lot of coordination, cost, and time. Finding the right places and pieces to purchase and enhance our stage had also required serious effort from the team. On top of that, most of our materials were made D.I.Y. If the audience has noticed, there are actually hand drawn golden embellishments painted in the curtains, one we pridefully took patterns from Indonesia’s Batik. The attention to details in our property is what showcases our team’s hard work and consideration.
Despite the struggle, we are committed to elevate our own stage and convey a grand performance to our audience. In the end, the hard work has brought our team closer whilst providing us a final result worth our time.
How did you balance precision and creativity in your performance?
First, we began by mastering the basics: memorizing the choreography. Having a strong foundation as an individual allows synchronisation as a group a lot easier to build upon. Once the core structure was placed, we moved onto perfecting our positioning and timing to ensure that all members moved in unison, without there being inconsistencies.
Once everything felt solid, we moved on to the expressions, dynamics, and detailed execution. Properties and creative elements were then later adjusted for the formations. This ensures visual harmony while encouraging the individuality of each dancer.
How did the atmosphere and energy of the K.Circle 6 competition compare to previous years or other dance competitions you’ve participated in?
The atmosphere and energy at K-Circle 6 were truly on another level. Being able to perform on a real theatre stage, with professional lighting, sound, and a full audience felt so surreal. Sharing that space with dancers from all over Asia made the experience unforgettable.
It didn’t feel like any other competition, instead, it felt like a celebration of everyone’s hard work and dedication to the art of dance. The cheers from the audience, the support from fellow dancers, and the energy backstage created such a powerful vibe. We felt really proud and grateful to be part of it, and it gave us even more of a motivation to keep pushing ourselves and aim even higher in the future.
What was the most memorable moment of the competition for Invasion, either on or off stage?
For us, the most memorable moment for INVASION would be when the Top 2 winners were announced. Hearing how our home country, Indonesia, was able to secure both 1st and 2nd place made it one incredibly emotional experience—knowing that the other team was our friend (ARCANE BK), too. It fueled our passion even more and motivated us to keep pushing forward in hopes of being able to raise Indonesia’s name even higher on the international stage.
What’s one skill you’ve developed through dance that surprised you?
Communication.
Dance isn’t just about the techniques and movements of choreography but, as a social hobby, it allows us to learn how to give and receive feedback, resolve conflicts, and understand the proper work ethics of being in a professional environment.
Dancing also teaches us to be confident, not only on stage, but in how we carry ourselves in our day-to-day lives as well. Having a great approach to things allows us to be confident, bold, and have a good head on our shoulders.
How do you stay motivated during intense rehearsal periods?
We are able to stay motivated during our intense rehearsal periods because we understand our commitment, and how we never forget why we started this journey in the first place. No matter how challenging it gets, we always remind ourselves of our purpose and the goals we want to achieve.
There are times where we are battling against our physical and mental health during rehearsals, but as a team, we would always find a way to lift each other up. We’ve mentioned this countless times in previous questions, but we hold onto the mindset of commitment and determination.
We all carry our own struggles and pressures, but that’s what makes the rehearsals so meaningful. We try to make the process as enjoyable as possible so that our peers would know that even when it’s hard, showing up and supporting one another matters. We celebrate the small wins too because progress is still progress, and a supportive environment makes all the difference. Sometimes, people just need to hear that they are doing well.
What advice would you give to dancers aspiring to join a crew like yours?
Start by having a beginner’s mindset. Stay humble. If you already think you’re the best dancer out there, then you’re being too proud, and there wouldn’t be room for you to improve. One of the biggest challenges we’ve noticed in the dance community—especially here in Indonesia—is how not many dancers are open to feedback. They take critiques in unhealthy manners and would choose to blame the system and situation instead of asking themselves what they could have done to be better. How they could improve. If your head is held up too high, it’s the mindset that needs to change.
If you want to grow as a dancer, you must be able to grow in terms of attitude and professionalism. Growth takes humility. You need to be willing to hear hard truths, push through discomfort, and take responsibility for your progress.
In INVASION, it’s not just about how good you are in technique, but it’s if you have the mentality to adapt, work, and learn both as an individual and together as a community. So if you’re serious about joining a community like ours, be ready to grow.
Follow @invasion__dc on Instagram for behind-the-scenes magic, lit performances, and updates!
📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@invasiondc?si=xS6UCEV6I0CDwaHR
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