Photos show how these city-dwellers cut loose and build community

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Two men held rubber bands apart at chest height while a woman hopped over them from one side to the other, earning applause and boisterous encouragement from others marveling at her leaps.

They were among more than 250 people from the Jakarta, Indonesia, area who recently joined weekly activities organized by Komunitas Bermain, meaning Playing Community in English, in Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, the city's main arena.

Thousands of residents regularly participate in the play groups, as well as singing groups organized by Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta, which means Jakarta Singing Together in English. The events that started as casual meetups to preserve Indonesian traditional culture have grown quickly through social media into popular ways to connect through shared nostalgia and interests.

Playing Community founder Akihiko Akira, 23, said the group began when he and fellow Taylor Swift fans gathered to play childhood games at Gelora Bung in August 2024.

Hundreds of participants now gather on Friday evenings to take part in traditional games including “gundu” involving players flicking a small marble, “suit monopoli” in which players jump on one leg over shoes in a path, plus the classic jumping rope.

“From my own experience, it is nostalgic. Clearly, nostalgia is really helpful for us, besides releasing our inner child, nostalgia also releases our stress. So it’s a short escape for us,” Akira said.

Biya Angelina, a 25-year-old social media specialist, said she joined the community because she spends her days working online and needed to meet new friends.

“The good side is that I automatically get sweating. And then also I feel like my social life is built here. I get to know new people, people with different backgrounds. I understand people better, too,” Angelina said, adding that she feels grateful she does not need to pay a fee to enjoy the evenings.

Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta offers opportunities to join with other amateur vocalists in a rented hall to belt out popular selections such as “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins.

The singers use the motto "finding friends, finding voice" and promote the events on social media with the hashtag #nojudgementzone. They are guided by five vocal coaches who help blend their efforts into layered harmonies.

“I am a bathroom singer. I feel so comfortable here, as it is a no judgement zone. So I am not afraid if I get a false voice," said Titas Winola, a food and beverage company worker. "It will be accepted as they are the same as me. It is awesome."

Despite a fee of 150,000 rupiah ($9) for the singing sessions, weekly spots consistently sell out.

“When they are in the bathroom they can sing, they just sing bravely. We want to create Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta to be like a bathroom for you, guys,” Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta co-founder Meda Kawu told participants.

Muhamad Sulhan, a media sociology lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, said sharing games or singing can help people connect with strangers while also exploring aspects of themselves, as well as taking a break from the daily stress of work and big city life.

"We are not actually seeing them as different people, but rather as people who are longing for an avatar of themselves that is manifested in a shared passion,” Sulhan said.

Jasmine Mumtaza sings during an open mic session at a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Participants sing and dance during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A participant jumps over a rubber rope during a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Participants cheer during a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Akihiko Akira, left, the founder of Komunitas Bermain, ot Playing Community, gives directions to participants during a gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

People play knucklebones ball during a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A woman participates in a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

People play jump rope during a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

People participate in a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A participant plays jump rope during a community playing gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Participants enter a "No Judgement Room" where they sing and express themselves, during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A participant reads her music notation sheet for "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins, during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Participants enter a "No Judgement Room" where they sing and express themselves during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Participants sing during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Hanifa Aulia, center, sings during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A participant wears a pin with a verse from "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins during a gathering of "Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta" or "Singing Together Jakarta" community in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Meda Kawu, center, co-founder of Nyanyi Bareng Jakarta, or Singing Together Jakarta, leads participants during a gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a $126 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

A two-time All-Star shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will move to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has never played a professional game at the hot corner.

Bichette can opt out of the deal after the first or second season to become a free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years, the person said.

The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade provision. His $42 million average annual value ties for the sixth-highest in baseball history.

It was the latest big development in an eventful offseason for the Mets, who angered fans by letting popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz leave in free agency. President of baseball operations David Stearns also traded two other stalwarts, outfielder Brandon Nimmo and versatile veteran Jeff McNeil — both homegrown players.

New York signed closer Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract, infielder Jorge Polanco to a $40 million, two-year deal and reliever Luke Weaver to a $22 million, two-year agreement.

Although he lacks Alonso's prodigious power, Bichette is a proven hitter with lightning-fast hands and a penchant for line-drive doubles. He would give the Mets a dangerous right-handed bat to help complement lefty slugger Juan Soto.

Because of his inexperience at third, however, Bichette becomes the latest question mark in the field for New York even though Stearns has insisted the team must improve its defense and is determined to do so.

Polanco has one pitch of major league experience at first base, where he and Mark Vientos, previously a third baseman, are the leading candidates to replace Alonso.

New York had planned to start Brett Baty at third, where he provides a strong glove. Baty, who also has experience at second base, is viewed as a versatile defender who could see time in the outfield and perhaps at first.

Or, the Mets could look to trade Baty for pitching or outfield help. Gold Glove winner Marcus Semien is set to play second after arriving from Texas in a November trade for Nimmo.

Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year. He homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Late last season, Bichette sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, keeping the infielder out of the lineup until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 against the Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.

Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and 2022. He finished second in the major leagues in batting average last season to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in November, so they would receive an extra draft pick in July after the fourth round if he completes his deal with the Mets.

New York would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest draft picks, along with $1 million in 2027 international signing bonus pool allocation.

Bichette was one of the last remaining big-name hitters on the free agent market after outfielder Kyle Tucker spurned the Mets and agreed Thursday to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers.

Bichette, who turns 28 in March, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays since they selected him in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. He is a .294 career hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 major league games.

He is a son of former big league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder.

Also Friday, the Mets claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from Tampa Bay.

AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and David Brandt and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston contributed to this report.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette celebrates his three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 7 of baseball's World Series, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

FILE - New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns responds to questions during a news conference about MLB trade deadline deals, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)