Dance Drama

I. DANCE FORMS IN JAVA & BALI INCLUDE:

A. Masked Dance-Drama Forms

1. Wayang Topeng

2. Wayang Wong

3. Calonarang

4. Barong

B. Dance Forms (no masks)

1. Legong - female dance form, Bali

2. Bedaya - female ceremonial court dance, Java

3. Baris - male warrior dances

II. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

A. Always sacred or religious

B. Accompanied by gamelan orchestra & vocalists

C. Traditionally performed in temples, courts or village settings

III. WAYANG TOPENG

A. Terminology

1. Wayang - shadow or puppet

2. Topeng - mask

B. Masked dance drama of Java & Bali

C. History

1. Evolved from early shamanistic burial & initiation rites

2. First historical references

a) 840 AD in Bali

b) 1058 AD in East Java

3. Height of development - 17th & 18th C.

4. Several types or aspects

D. Literary basis

1. Mahabharata

2. Ramayana

3. Adventures of Prince Panji

E. Two types

1. Topeng Pajegan

a) Single male performer enacts all roles

b) Sometimes called Topeng Wali - sacred topeng

c) Performed for special occasions & rituals

2. Topeng Panca (since 1900)

a) Multiple performers - 5 to 8

b) Performers interact with one another

F. Performer training

1. Begins in village

a) Learn other dances - Barong, Baris

2. Study with master dancer, usually a family member

a) Movement, philosophy, language, character of each Topeng mask

b) Dancer inherits masks from his teacher/family member

3. Performance rituals

a) Dancer dresses

b) Makes offerings

c) Gives prayers & mantras spoken in Kawi

d) Awakens masks

e) Remove masks from white cloth bags, sprinkle them with holy water

f) Meditates to achieve ketakson or divine inspiration

g) Begins performance

G. Masks

1. Carved wood

2. Iconography follows the wayang kulit & wayang golek puppets

3. Size & shape

a) Oval mask, tapering towards chin

b) Slightly smaller than human face

4. Character types

a) Noble characters - halus (Arjuna, Rama, Prince Panji)

b) Strong male characters - kras

c) Clown characters - bondres

(1) Favorite clown characters

(a) Penasar brothers

(b) Penasar Kelihan - older, fat & pompous

d) Demons & ogres & mythological animals

5. Color symbolism

a) Prince Panji - green

b) King Klana - red

c) Noble characters - white or golden

6. Most masks are full face

a) The performer does not vocalize

b) Expresses character with mime & dance only

7. 1/2 face masks (clown characters only)

H. Language nuance

1. High Balinese

2. Middle Balinese or Indonesian

3. Low Balinese - very crude

I. Sponsorship

1. Early kingdoms (1000 1900 AD)

a) Patronized by kings

2. Since 1900

a) Sponsored by local village banjar

J. Performance space

1. Bale banjar - pavilion centrally located in the village

2. Kalangan - playing area

a) Consecrated before performance

b) Cardinal directions

3. Lighting

a) Kerosene lamps or neon lights suspended over stage area

4. Curtain behind acting area

IV. WAYANG WONG

A. Terminology

1. Wayang - shadow or puppet

2. Wong - man

3. “Shadow men”

B. History

1. First records of performance - 930 AD

2. Performed in 17th & 18th C as part of a fertility dance

3. Now performed annually in each village for pura desa

C. Literary basis

1. Ramayana

2. Mahabharata

D. Dance style influenced by

1. Indian dance

2. Wayang kulit & wayang golek puppet movement

E. Masks

1. Carved wood

2. Attached to a head-dress & wig

3. Head-dress

F. Character differentiation in masks

1. Monkeys & demons

2. Refined alus characters

3. Clown servants

G. Costume colors for character differentiation

1. Red - energetic, dynamic & courageous

2. Yellow - discreet, wise & sympathetic

3. Green - outgoing, peace-loving & contented

H. Performance practices

1. Performance date selected

2. Performers (dancers, musicians & narrator) go to the temple

3. Roles are awarded according to skill level, & kept for life

4. About 20 days before performance, rehearsals begin

5. Rehearsals

a) Review story & dialogue

b) Improvise dialogue & balance dancer dialogue w/ narration

6. Juru Tandak - narrator - often a dalang

7. Each village presents the story differently

a) May be performed over several days

b) Sequence of events varies

8. Day of performance - performers pray at temple again before dressing for the performance

I. Characters appearing in Ramayana-based Wayang Wong

1. Rama

2. Laksmana

3. Sita

4. Clown servants of Rama

5. Demon king Rawana

6. Sarpakenaka, demon sister to Rawana

7. Two monkey armies

8. Hanuman, the monkey general

V. WAYANG LEGONG

A. Female dance form, Bali

1. Danced by pre-pubescent girls

2. Usually a group of 3

B. Costume

1. Sarong

2. Head-dress, collar & apron

a) Painted, intricately pierced lace-like leather

b) Head-dress also decorated w/ fresh flowers

3. Masks used only in representing demons

C. History

1. Developed around 1800

a) Court form

b) Begun by Prince I Dewa Agung Made Karna

c) Based on sacred trance, sanghang dedari

D. Movement qualities

1. Darting eyes

2. Head & neck movement similar to Indian rechakas

3. High elbow placement

4. Precise hand & finger positions

5. Rapid, energetic movement

6. Knees bent - almost crouch-like position sometimes

VI. BEDAYA

A. Female court dance of Java

B. History

1. Developed prior to the 16th C.

2. Oldest existing form dates from about 1600

a) Devised by the First Sultan of Mataram

3. Most of modern repetoire created between 1750 & 1850

C. Qualities of the dance

1. Group of 9 dancers

a) Represent 8 cardinal points + the center of the universe

b) Present slow, highly ritualized struggles, representing

(1) Actual combat in the story

(2) Extinction of worldly desire in the soul of the true aesthetic (religious devotee)

2. Hindu & Muslim influences

3. Very sacred - considered a meditation

4. Slow, restrained movement

5. Women move in intricate mandala-like floor patterns

6. Graceful, fluid movements of arms, hands

7. Some diagonal, asymmetrical bends

8. Solemn, stately

a) Expressionless faces, eyes looking towards floor

9. Basic position

a) Knees bent

b) Body in ‘Z’ formation - almost crouchlike posture

c) Body moves up & down from the crouch position

D. Gamelan orchestra & chorus accompaniment

E. Dance format

1. Dancers enter in procession

2. Kneel in respect

3. Begin dance

4. Exit in procession

F. Costume

1. Sarong

2. Fitted dark velvet blouse

3. Waist sash with the end falling from a knot at the center front - long & apron-like

a) Apron sash is held in fingertips and manipulated gracefully, in unison, as part of the dance

4. Simple tiara-like head ornament

5. Collar-like neck ornament

6. Body make-up - golden hue

G. Serimpi

1. Version of Bedhaya, but with only 4 dancers

a) 4 dancers represent earth, water, fire & air

b) Also the 4 main cardinal directions

2. Considered less sacred