West Javanese dance is still a modern art performance
Watching the development of time, West Javanese traditional dances are still preserved, even though life is modern. This effort is deliberately made so that the culture that was inherited long ago never fades. The role of culture for a region or tribe is very important as a form of identity in society.
It is not only an art, but different types of dance are often performed in important events. Dance performances always invite interest from the community to respect the culture of a region. Starting from government elements, art workers and society combine with each other to preserve art.
Dance is often used to convey a story or history of behavior through movements according to rhythm. Gamelan music will accompany as long as the dancer performs movements aimed at performing arts. Until now, it still exists in certain areas when traditional events are held.
However, dance does not always appear in sacred ceremonies alone, because it can be used as folk entertainment. Of course, in the development of modern times, art can be well combined without diluting cultural values. So that you get to know more about the art, we will describe it in full according to its popularity.
Jaipong from Sunda is still popular today
Seeing the great evolution of the dance world, it turns out that there are many aspects that need attention . Different types of dancer movements will give their own uniqueness when in an art performance. One of them is an art in the form of dance that originated in West Java called jaipong.
Jaipong originates from a certain territory, namely originating in the Karawang region with certain characteristics. In this area, of course, the type of dance has been widely known to the local community because it has become a tradition. From just one area, it has now spread throughout the province of West Java.
The uniqueness of this art lies in costumes worn by dancers while on stage. Accessories on the head are in the form of buns decorated with flowers and clothes of bright colors. Not to forget also related to the shawl that had to be wrapped around the dancer’s neck when performing her art movements.
The image of the West Javanese dance is also accompanied by music with a fast and fixed pace. Therefore, the dancer’s movements must also be agile to follow the rhythm and rhythm of the instrument. There is a special meaning that must be consciously conveyed through jaipong with the intention that Sundanese women never give up.
In addition to displaying an unyielding message , it turns out that there is also a meaning behind the movements of the jaipong dancers. This is related to the presence of a beautiful body and face, so it shows a graceful nature. In other words, a woman can definitely be herself thanks to self-confidence.
Ronggeng Bugis must be preserved by the community
Discussing about several dance names, of course, referring to several types at once when entering Sundanese land. There are many traditional West Javanese dances that can be known by people outside the area. You can discuss about the existence of a type from the Cirebon area with its characteristics.
This type of art refers to the name ronggeng bugis, which means Makassar literally. The name comes from the Bugis troops after being able to provide assistance and settle the Cirebon area. From this story, there began to be a community and a fusion of cultures between the two.
Due to the cultural fusion of art, the result is also quite unique as a spectacle worthy of tradition. The uniqueness lies in the dancers, who are all among the men with thick make-up. For a striking natural makeup to look like this , it is also intended to be an attraction in itself.
In this West Javanese dance, the dance costume also uses a light kebaya. The bun is also positioned as a woman with about four or more dancers. The main purpose of the stories and stories brought through the movement is to bring the feeling of comedy.
All movements and choreography are performed attractively even in a complete kebaya costume according to the music. One of the other peculiarities of ronggeng bugis is the freedom of dancers to create fun improvisations. Knowing this, then you can at least distinguish the type of dance when you are in the region.
Tap Tilu is often performed in sacred ceremonies
The discussion continues whether a unique model of dance art that originated in West Java is tap tilu. To know the difference on a basic basis, this dance model is often held on certain sacred occasions. Because it is considered sacred, spiritual ceremonies are very synonymous with presenting dance movements as performances.
Not many people understand the differences in different types of uniqueness in the type of printing style. Usually, the dance model will be held when welcoming the rice harvest period by the community. The kingdom and rice field owners will often hold these art performances as well as become people’s entertainment.
The tap-tilu dance is accompanied by the main musical instrument in the form of a rebab, which is a classic traditional instrument. This musical instrument became commonly found in royal times to provide musical accompaniment to dance.
West Javanese regional dances use unique costumes with complete kebaya, but are more likely to be dark colors. Dancers are performed by women in accordance with the provisions of the creators of the art of dance in detail. However, there are male dancer pairs who also wear headbands and leather belts.
During the performance, you can enjoy the performance with the music of the gamelan as long as the dance begins. Until now, there are still many types of dance that can be found in different performance venues according to the event. So it is not surprising if until some time tap tilu is still safe as a tradition of ancestral relics.
Cirebon masks are very flexible for telling stories
Trying to understand the different arts owned by a region , must be carried out by the community. All sorts of traditions still need to be passed on to the next generation so as not to disappear from civilization. Therefore, art must appeal to the audience’s need for entertainment performances.
The dance from West Java that needs to be discussed in detail is the Cirebon mask that uses characters. Masks have a different natural form for each model, allowing each viewer to get to know the character more easily. In addition, mask dancing has 5 different types and names for performances.
The names of the masks include pennant masks, samba, patih, rumyang, and kelana with their own characters. Initially , this dance model was born from street artists, and then developed over time. In fact, there began to be many people who could enjoy their dancing, even if it was in modern times.
According to the panca wanda mask, later dancers will wear different models depending on the specific story and story. Adjustments are needed to make the shape of the mask character more relevant to the dancer’s story. In addition, the music must also be presented according to the story so that the movements remain in rhythm.
In general, Cirebon mask dance carries a message in the form of all life problems that people will face. The point is that each dance model will have its own uniqueness depending on the purpose and how to perform the art. In this way, there is no doubt that dances from West Java will always be in demand by the public.