Gunungsari Dance

Malang Mask Dance Style

In the Malang mask story, Gunung Sari was the name of a noble who came from the Kediri kingdom. He was the brother from Dewi Galuh Candra Kirana.

The movement of Gunung Sari dance described himself was putting on makeup as well as admiring himself as a good looking noble. The movements of this dance often copied the movement of peacock birds that were dancing with the wings decoration and his hair that were lovely, so as the name of the movement of this dance often resembled the movement of peacock birds,
for example;

the merak ngombe (drinking peacock) ,
Merak ngigel (trembling the wings), merak miber (the flying peacock ) and so on. In the series the performance of this Malang mask drama, Gunung Sari appearance was always accompanied by a servant, who had a name demang Potrojoyo. This Potrojoyo mask did not have mouth so as the dancer Potrojoyo could speak by himself.

At this scene, Potrojoyo held a dialogue and always made the joke with Gunung Sari. Gunung Sari asked Potrojoyo to give examples of the movement imitated something. This movement will afterwards be developed into a kind pantomime that was accompanied with music (gending).

The example of the game movement of the Gunung Sari and Potrojoyo; Gambuh Moro Sebo, Jalak kecancang, biyada mususi, the mouse ngunggak salang, pengantin purik, and so on.

Short Video 'Bedhaya Surya Dance'

Dear guys,

Please give your comment on my work 'Bedhaya Surya Dance':

Topeng malang - Classic dance

I was realized that I like dancing when I was still child, about 5 years old, before kindergarten school. I liked very much while seeing the pictures of traditional dancing. I also collected a lot of pictures of traditional dancing and also paper puppet shadows. I hanged all the pictures on my bedroom wall.

I danced first time when I was in kindergarten school.

I have learned traditional dances seriously since I knew Mbak Karimun (the master of Mask dance in Malang) when I was in Senior High School in 1990. I came to his studio dance, Asmoro Bangun, every Sunday to learn mask dance. Many kinds of mask dances I knew, such as; Patih dance, Bapang dance, Gunungsari dance, Klono dance, Grebeg Jowo and Sabrang dance and Beskalan dance.

I had joined Mbak Karimun’s group for about 10 years. I got many experiences from the master of mask dance before he was passed away in 2009. The Malang mask dance I like very much is Gunung Sari dance and I always dance it in every performance of mask dance drama. 

Besides I joined with Mbak Karimun’s group of mask dance, I also joined with other groups, “Padepokan Mangun Dharma” at Tumpang and “Galuh Candra Kirana” at Jambuwer-Kromengan.

I knew each dance character of Malang mask dances by joining those groups of mask dance

I had selected to be the participant of “Magang Nusantara” that held by Kelola foundation in 2003. I was sent to study at “Natya Lakshita” Didik Nini Thowok Jogjakarta.   

Beside I have joined groups of mask dance I in Malang, I also join Wayang Orang (Human shadow drama) groups in Malang, “Selogo Budhaya” and “ An Hien Ho”. 

I form a goup of dance, "Laras Aji" dance community, the member are young traditional dancers in Malang. we often perform the dance whether mask or other traditional forms.   

 

By joining some group of traditional, I can study many things, about life, togetherness and some others.

I love these traditional arts, but I feel I am late to study because there are still many things that should I know.     

Tari Bedhaya Majapahit "Bedhaya Surya" (Indonesian Text)

Ide pengarapan adalah lambang kerajaan Majapahit yang disebut “Surya Majapahit” (Matahari Majapahit). Surya Majapahit adalah lambang yang kerap ditemukan di reruntuhan bangunan yang berasal dari masa Majapahit. Lambang ini mengambil bentuk matahari bersudut delapan dengan bagian lingkaran di tengahnya menampilkan dewa- dewa hindu. Lambang ini membentuk diagram kosmologi yang disinari jurai matahari khas “Surya Majapahit”, atau lingkaran matahari dengan bentuk jurai sinar yang khas. Karena begitu populernya lambang matahari ini pada masa Majapahit, para ahli arkeologi menduga bahwa lambang ini berfungsi sebagai lambang kerajaan Majapahit.

Dalam menuju kejayaannya, Majapahit juga diwarnai oleh berbagai konflik dan peperangan, banyak pemberontakan yang dilakukan oleh orang dalam (keluarga kerajaan) dan banyak pula peperangan atau serangan ke pihak luar. Penyerangan penyerangan ini banyak dilakukan untuk mewujudkan sumpah palapa dari patih Gajah Mada dalam upaya untuk menyatukan nusantara.

Gerakan pada Bedhaya Surya ini banyak mengembangkan gerakan dari tari topeng Malangan khususnya Topeng gaya sanggar  “Galuh Candra Kirana”  di desa Jambuwer kecamatan Kromengan kabupaten Malang, dimana gerakan gaya topeng ini masih belum begitu terekspose dan tidak menutup kemungkinan untuk ekplorasi gerak untuk menambah nilai estetika tetapi gerakan – gerakan tersebut dikembangkan dan dipola menjadi gerakan yang sesuai dengan karakter tarian bedhaya dan tetap mempunyai sifat ketradisionalan.

Tarian ini juga memuat gerakan sembahan yang menggambarkan sikap pasrah dan memohon keselamatan kepada Sang Pencipta. Dan dilanjutkan dengan gerakan sebo sebagai ungkapan selamat datang kepada para tamu kehormatan.

Di dalam rangakain penampilan juga dilakukan gerakan mudra yang merupakan gerak sandi ungkapan syukur dan permohonan keselamatan.  

Dance of Majapahit "Bedhaya Surya" Dance (English Text)

Bedhaya Surya is my current dance work as choreographer. The idea was from the symbol of Majapahit Kingdom, called “Surya Majapahit” (Sun of Majapahit). Surya Majapahit was the symbol that often found between the collapses of Majapahit kingdom. The symbol formed a sun with its eight angles and a circle in the middle of the sun and each place had Hinduism Gods. The symbol formed cosmology diagram which lightened specific dangles of “Surya Majapahit”. Because of the symbol was so popular in Majapahit period, the archaeologies supposed that the form was functioned as the symbol of Majapahit kingdom. 

To reach the victorious, Majapahit had gotten some conflicts and fights. There were many rebellions done by man inside the kingdom or attacks to other kingdoms.     The attacks were often done to create the declaration of Gajah Mada to unite of Nusantara.  

The movements of Bedhaya Surya were developed from Malangesse Mask dance, especially the mask dance “Galuh Candra Kirana” style from Jambuwer Village-Kromengan-Malang regency, the mask dance style was not exposed more yet and it was possible to make some explorations to raise the artistic value but the movement should still have traditional character of Bedhaya dance.

This dance also has the act of submission and hope safety to The Creator of Life. And also had the expression to honour the respectful person.   

There was also “Mudra”, code movements of Hinduism to express the gratitude and hope the safety to God.