Classical Javanese Dance
Classical Javanese dance: Sounds boring? To most Jakartans perhaps, yes. But this promises to be a rare show presenting some great dances performed by prominent classical Javanese dancers who have entertained presidents and honorable state guests for years.
The event is part of the Schouwburg Festival IV-2005 at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ), which features traditional and classical arts performances from Sept. 8 through Sept. 26.
Veteran dancers like adept Retno Maruti as well as fresh dancers from her dance company, Padne‡wara, will perform five dances on Sept, 16 and Sept. 17, including two that are rarely staged, Sri Pamoso (from 1969) and Nusantara (1955).
Nusantara was created by Prince Haryo Prabu Winoto, the son of Surakarta Sultan Pakubuwono IX, for the opening of the Congress of Javanese Culture.
"The dance is classical but it takes up movements that are not in the original dance style of Surakarta or Yogyakarta," Sentot Sudiharto, a veteran dancer, told a curtain-raiser gathering.
The dance also embraced elements of Thai culture, he added.
"One of the original dancers of Nusantara, Agus Tasman, told us that dancers for Nusantara have to be men with slender posture, besides being good dancers," Retno Maruti said.
Tasman, she said, always scrutinized the posture of the dancers and demanded strictly that Nusantara dancers should not have an inch of fat on their waist.
Classic dance, Retno added, was a demanding art.
"Young dancers tend to lack discipline. It is difficult now to find a young dancer with taksu," Retno said.
Taksu is a Sanskrit word for a kind of divine inspiration that is bestowed upon a special person, leaving them with a special skill.
"For example, for years, there was no equal replacement of the late dancer Roesman who often played Gatot Kaca at the State Palace and on other stages," she said.
He was by far the best person to perform the role of Gatot Kaca. He had the looks, the voice, the posture and the grace of the legendary hero, who ruled the air.
Padne‡wara will also perform a new dance based on classic bedhayan, in which nine female dancers wearing similar costumes share a stage.
The Kumala Bumi dance, created in 2003 by Rury Nostalgia, the daughter of Retno and Sentot, is about the death of Adaninggar, a Chinese princess, who traveled to Java to devote herself to King Jayengrana.
Adaninggar died in a duel with Jayengrana's lover, Kelaswara. The story was taken from Serat Menak, written by Yosodipuro.
The dance has been performed four times, including in the state palace and in China.
Senior dancer Nungki Kusumastuti will be one of the dancers in Kumala Bumi.
Padne‡wara was founded by Retno Maruti in 1976. For the GKJ performance, the company will bring 18 dancers including Sentot, Rury, Sulistyo S. Tirtokusumo, Menul Sularto and Djoko SS, and 20 traditional Javanese musicians.
Veteran dancers like adept Retno Maruti as well as fresh dancers from her dance company, Padne‡wara, will perform five dances on Sept, 16 and Sept. 17, including two that are rarely staged, Sri Pamoso (from 1969) and Nusantara (1955).
Nusantara was created by Prince Haryo Prabu Winoto, the son of Surakarta Sultan Pakubuwono IX, for the opening of the Congress of Javanese Culture.
"The dance is classical but it takes up movements that are not in the original dance style of Surakarta or Yogyakarta," Sentot Sudiharto, a veteran dancer, told a curtain-raiser gathering.
The dance also embraced elements of Thai culture, he added.
"One of the original dancers of Nusantara, Agus Tasman, told us that dancers for Nusantara have to be men with slender posture, besides being good dancers," Retno Maruti said.
Tasman, she said, always scrutinized the posture of the dancers and demanded strictly that Nusantara dancers should not have an inch of fat on their waist.
Classic dance, Retno added, was a demanding art.
"Young dancers tend to lack discipline. It is difficult now to find a young dancer with taksu," Retno said.
Taksu is a Sanskrit word for a kind of divine inspiration that is bestowed upon a special person, leaving them with a special skill.
"For example, for years, there was no equal replacement of the late dancer Roesman who often played Gatot Kaca at the State Palace and on other stages," she said.
He was by far the best person to perform the role of Gatot Kaca. He had the looks, the voice, the posture and the grace of the legendary hero, who ruled the air.
Padne‡wara will also perform a new dance based on classic bedhayan, in which nine female dancers wearing similar costumes share a stage.
The Kumala Bumi dance, created in 2003 by Rury Nostalgia, the daughter of Retno and Sentot, is about the death of Adaninggar, a Chinese princess, who traveled to Java to devote herself to King Jayengrana.
Adaninggar died in a duel with Jayengrana's lover, Kelaswara. The story was taken from Serat Menak, written by Yosodipuro.
The dance has been performed four times, including in the state palace and in China.
Senior dancer Nungki Kusumastuti will be one of the dancers in Kumala Bumi.
Padne‡wara was founded by Retno Maruti in 1976. For the GKJ performance, the company will bring 18 dancers including Sentot, Rury, Sulistyo S. Tirtokusumo, Menul Sularto and Djoko SS, and 20 traditional Javanese musicians.
