Three Traditional Dances of West Java Have Captivate International Eyes

Indonesia has a wealth of countless cultures. All provinces have advantages culture respectively. For example, West Java province has a wealth of traditional dance. A few of the many traditional dance originating from West Java, three of which have dance being one of the highest rating in foreign countries.

Tari Merak (Merak Dance), Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance), dan Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) has captivated international eyes to always come to Indonesia. In addition, if there are stages in foreign countries, then the third dance becomes the dance that never absent from the list of orders. What makes these three types of traditional dance is highly sought after by the international world? The following is the full reviews.

Tari Merak (Merak Dance)

Tari Merak (Merak Dance) is one kind of new creation dance of Sundanese created by Raden Tjetjep Soemantri in the 1950s. Dance performed by women is often interpreted wrongly because it considered clone gestures of Peacock females. Actually, Tari Merak (Merak Dance) is the symbolism of the male Peacock movements that vied to get the attention of the female.

The male Peacock is famous as a dandy who reliably. Every bend and wobble of them that always dynamic with beauty of the tail feathers are always shown so that to make the Peacock female is interested. Perhaps this is what makes the motion dynamics of dance the Peacock became so popular by the dance community.

Every motion is shown by dancers are always filled with shades of joy, so it's no wonder if Tari Merak (Merak Dance) is often used to greet guests or groom to the altar.

The costume of Dancers of Tari Merak (Merak Dance) is very colourful as well as peacock feathers that very beautiful. Apparently the Peacock has inspired this traditional dance. In addition, sequin-filled wings capable of being drawn out only with one graceful movements of a dancer can add to the beauty of the charm of this dance. Each dancer is also equipped with a Crown which is inspired by the Peacock's head.

Tari Merak (Merak Dance) is very popular in Indonesia and foreign countries. An artist of dance from Akademi Seni Kerawitan Indonesia (ASKI) in Bali was inspired to create Tari Manuk Rawa (Manuk Rawa Dance). The movement of this dance is more or less inspired by the movement of Tari Merak (Merak Dance).

Tari Merak (Merak Dance) has reached the peak of its popularity. It's time the nation Indonesia bequeathed this dance to the younger generation by teaching them a traditional dance and foster a sense of their love to this dance, so they will be loud-voiced and not ashamed to show this beautiful dances to the eyes of the world.

Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance) Cirebon

The dance that comes from Cirebon is a dance that has existed since long ago. Its creator was the sultan of Cirebon that is very well known, namely Sunan Gunung Jati. This dance is usually performed by one or more woman dancers accompanied by the typical punch of the musical instrument such as rebab, gendang, goong, kulanter, kecrek, and etc.

Creation of Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance) is inseparable from political goals. Allegedly, Sunan Gunung Jati led Cirebon, occurred the assault by Prince and his army from Karawang. The Prince is famous for having a sword called Curug Sewu. This sword makes him always won the battle.

Sunan Gunung Jati worry won't be able to fight the supernatural powers of Pangerangan Welang, Although Sunan get help from Prince Cakrabuana and Sunan Kalijaga. Finally, Sunan Gunung Jati chose to diplomacy through the arts.

Then a mask dance group was formed. The dancer who selected when it is a woman named Nyi Mas Gandasari. Unsuspected, Prince Welang interested and put hearts on Nyi Mas Gandasari, until he willingly handed the sword to the dancer as a sign of love.

Without the sword, Prince Welang is not strong as the time ago. Therefore he gave up and became a follower of Sunan Gunung Jati. The name of Prince Welang was later changed to Prince Graksan. After that, Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance) is becoming increasingly popular.

As the name implies, the dancers of Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance) have wearing a mask during they dance. In other words, they became another person who is not himself while dancing. That's where interestingly Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance). In the performances of Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance), there are 3 pieces of the mask are used interchangeably. The three masks are white, blue, and red.

White mask describing someone who is soft. The blue mask describing someone who is energetic and vibrant but graceful. In the meantime the red mask depicting someone who behaves badly, grumpy, and not impetuous. Each time the mask was changed, the dancers become other people. Therefore, the characteristic of dance movements at Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance) is changed based on the mask that used.

A flexible hand gestures of the dancers as well as the typical strains of musical instrument such as rebab and kendang is a dominant characteristic of this dance. The movement of Tari Topeng (Topeng Dance) begins with the formation of the bow, which symbolizes a respect for the audience as well as a sign that this dance performances will begin. After that, the dancers will step back while stretching hand, smile, and wiggle his hip while wearing a mask.

In some performances, dancers only wear a mask. That is, she is not changing the character dances that only one character only. In this case, it is usually selected a red mask.

Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance)

Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) is a dance results creativity of artist in Bandung called Gugum Gumbira in the 1970s. Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) is famous for its beauty of the varies of its movement, such as geol, gutak, and wobble. Although its moves is well known, but the performances of Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) is a harmony, beautiful, exotic, and far from sexy impression.

Therefore, when debate among the society demanded that Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) is negated, the artists of Weat Java refuse it, because Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) is a wealth culture of Indonesia. If somebody assumed that his movement which contains pornography, it's only their views were wrong.

Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) is a folk dance association with energetic movements that are performed by young women. This dance is sometimes identified with the ronggeng. It is not completely wrong, because it's few or much inspired by tarian ronggeng, tarian kliningan, serta tarian ketuk tilu.

The movement of Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) looks smoother, freer, and not more rigid because this is a form of folk dance that is not affected by the aristocratic values and the values of the Indian art of Netherlands.

Dancers wiggle her body accompanied by the strains of music that cheerful and vigorous. Sometimes the music is complemented by melodious chanting of sinden. Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) briefly graced the screen glass Indonesia in the 1980s and has a lot of fans before finally denounced because it is considered erotic.

Currently, Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) has become an identity of West Java, even Indonesia. Not rare foreign guests were greeted with this dance when visiting West Java. Even in a variety of Arts Indonesia mission to foreign countries, Tari Jaipong (Jaipong Dance) often complements the dance performances.

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