"GALUH CANDRA KIRANA" mask dance group

(English)
Jambuwer village was located at the slope of the mountain kawi on south side, the distance from malang city about 35 km. this village is in the sub district territory of Kromengan, Malang regency. most of the community are farmers and breeding, but this village was enough to be known in the mask malangesse artists because in this village had the group of mask puppet art. This mask art group was formed since 1959 by the name of the "Rukun Trisno" by having a membership of the available community from the village. Most dancers and musicians were the farmers and several adolescents who still were sitting in the educational bench. During 1991, this organisation changed the names to "Galuh Candra Kirana".

The beginning of this establishment of the mask group received the big support from the local village head, Mr. Ranu Dihardjo. He provided many facilities for the development of mask art in this village, including the music instruments, the place for exercise and helped to buy mask costume. The development of this mask group became not better since the former village head, Mr Ranu Dihardjo passed away, because of several facilities (the music instruments and the place for exercise) finally could not be used again because of the problem of the family. This group must have the exercise move from one place to another place of the member's house that had the big house and must rent the music instruments for the exercise and the stage. The condition for the costumes were increasingly long also obsolete because always was used in each performance and the amount was also incomplete so the group always rent the additional costumes for the staging of the mask puppet.

Despite in the condition did not benefit, this group of mask art continued to have the spirit to conserve and develop this tradition art.
in 2006 this group of mask art was appointed by the Culture and Tourism Office of Malang Regency to fill up East Java pavilion in TMII Jakarta, by showing the mask puppet with the act of "Apyun Wood". This was the extraordinary achievement for the artistic group from the village that could appear in the capital city. and special pride for the supporters (most of the dancers were the farmers). I saw they were very happy and active the exercise at that time. they felt they were given the rare and special opportunity.
Now several mask dancers and the musician were passed away and old, so their physical condition must be paid attention too. When we had the staging of the complete mask puppet, I felt confuse to arranged the dancers because the amount was very few. Regeneration of the mask dancer is not easy as overturning the palm finger. it is really difficult to look for the young who was really interested in mask dancing. This became one of the factors of many mask groups to be died because of not having regeneration. Sometimes, there are those that wanted to study but not serious so they could not continue.
To lean mask dance needs patience and extraordinary perseverance, because of becoming the good dancer could not be instant in short time.

(Indonesia)
Desa Jambuwer terletak di lereng gunung kawi sebelah selatan, jarak dari kota malang kira kira 35 km. desa ini masuk di wilayah kecamatan Kromengan Kabupaten Malang. Masyarakatnya sebagian besar para petani dan berternak. tetapi desa ini cukup dikenal dilingkungan para seniman topeng malangan karena di desa ini ada kelompok kesenian wayang topeng.Kelompok seni topeng ini terbentuk sejak tahun 1959 dengan nama organisasi “Rukun Trisno” dengan beranggotakan masyarakat yang ada di desa Jambuwer. Sebagian besar penari dan pengrawit adalah para petani dan beberapa remaja yang masih duduk di bangku pendidikan. Pada tahun 1991, organisasi ini berganti nama menjadi “Galuh Candra Kirana”.

Awal berdirinya kelompok topeng ini mendapat dukungan besar dari kepala desa setempat yang bernama bapak Ranu Dihardjo. Bapak Kepala Desa ini menyediakan banyak fasilitas untuk perkembangan kesenian topeng di desa Jambuwer ini, antara lain gamelan, tempat latihan dan membantu pembelian kostum topeng.
Perkembangan kelompok topeng ini menjadi kurang baik sejak mantan kepala desa, Bapak Ranu Dihardjo meninggal dunia, karena beberapa fasilitas yang semula bisa dipakai (gamelan dan tempat latihan) akhirnya tidak bisa dipakai lagi karena persoalan keluarga. Kelompok ini terpaksa harus latihan pindah-pindah tempat di rumah anggota yang mempunyai rumah besar dan harus menyewa gamelan untuk latihan dan pentas. Kondisi kostum semakin lama juga semakin usang karena selalu dipakai di setiap pertunjukan dan jumlahnyapun tidak lengkap sehingga selalu menyewa kostm tambahan untuk pementasan wayang topeng.

Meskipun dalam kondisi yang tidak menguntungkan, kelompok seni topeng ini tetap mempunyai semangat untuk terus melestarikan dan mengembangkan seni tradisi ini.
Pada tahun 2006 kelompok seni topeng ini ditunjuk oleh Dinas Pariwisata Kabupaten Malang untuk mengisi anjungan Jawa Timur di TMII Jakarta, dengan menampilkan wayang topeng dengan lakon “Kayu Apyun”. Hal ini merupakan prestasi yang luar biasa bagi kelompok kesenian dari desa yang bisa tampil di ibu kota. dan kebanggaan tersendiri bagi para pendukungnya yang sebagian besar para penarinya adalah para petani dan pekerja perkebunan.saya melihat bapak bapak penari dan pemusik itu sangat senang dan giat latihan pada waktu itu. mereka merasa telah diberi kesempatan yang langka dan istimewa.
Sekarang beberapa penari topeng dan pemusiknya telah tiada dan tua sehingga kondisi fisiknya perlu diperhatikan. Pada waktu pementasan wayang topeng lengkap saya merasa sangat kebinggungan mengatur para penarinya karena jumlahnya sangat sedikit.

regenerasi penari topeng tidaklah semudah membalik telapak tangan. sangat sulit mencari anak muda yang tertarik untuk menari topeng. melihat pertunjukannya saja mereka sudah malas.Hal ini menjadi salah satu faktor banyak kelompok topeng yang mati karena tidak ada regenerasi pendukungnya.kadang ada yang mau belajar tetapi tidak serius sehingga tidak bisa berlanjut.
mempelajari tari topeng perlu kesabaran dan ketekunan yang luar biasa, karena menjadi penari yang baik tidak bisa instan dalam waktu yang singkat.

Love Dance in weeding

A dance that depicted the love often was staged in the weeding party. ones aim was to entertain the guests , also to symbolize the couple has eternal love like the leading figure who was danced.
One of the dances had the love theme that often was staged in the wedding, especially in Malang - East Java was the "KARONSIH" dance. "Karon" is Javanese word means "together". "Asih" meant "to love each other".

The dance "karonsih" symbolizes the figure of Raden Inukertapati or Panji Asmara Bangun and Dewi Sekartaji or Princess Galuh Candra Kirana.the dance tells that Dewi Sekartaji went out of the palace to look for his husband who for a long time has roamed whether where. In this search, the princess until lost hope. Finally both of them met. Dewi Sekartaji felt irritated and angry because the husband went so long time without saying goodbye. With his persuasion, Inukertapati had finally succeeded in calming his wife's anger, Dewi Sekartaji. both of them loved each other .Raden Inukertapati or Panji Asmara bangun and Dewi Sekartaji or Galuh Candra Kirana as the symbol of the eternal love that was not separated.
many of stories or the legend about Panji Asmoro Bangun and Sekartaji, despite both of them were jumped at the barrier and the disturbance but both of them always could be together,for example the story of Ande ande Lumut,the gold snail etc. The "Karonsih" dance was danced with the movement of the Surakarta style, was created by the father Maridi.
In fact still many dances with the theme of the love, such as; gatutkoco Sekar, enggar enggar, Beksan Endah, but karonsih was the most often asked for in the wedding, especially in the area Malang East Java.

Sebuah tarian yang menggambarkan cinta kasih sering dipentaskan di acara pernikahan.salah satu tujuan dipentaskannya tarian ini selain untuk menghibur para tamu undangan, juga untuk melambangkan mempelai berdua supaya cintanya abadi seperti tokoh yang ditarikan.
Salah satu tarian bertema percintaan yang sering dipentaskan di acara pernikahan, khususnya di Malang - Jawa Timur adalah tari "KARONSIH"."karon" dari bahasa Jawa berarti berdua. "asih" berarti saling mengasihi.
tari "karonsih" ini menggambarkan tokoh Raden Inukertapati atau Panji Asmara Bangun dan Dewi Sekartaji atau Galuh Candra Kirana.Dalam tarian diceritakan bahwa Dewi Sekartaji keluar istana untuk mencari suaminya yang telah lama mengembara entah kemana. Dalam pencarian tersebut sang Dewi sampai putus asa. Akhirnya keduanya bertemu. Dewi Sekartaji merasa jengkel dan marah karena sang suami pergi begitu lama tanpa pamit. Dengan rayuannya, Panji Inukertapati akhirnya berhasil meredakan amarah istrinya, Dewi Sekartaji.Dan keduanya berkasih kasihan.Raden Inukertapati atau Panji Asmara Bangun dan Dewi Sekartaji atau Galuh Candra Kirana sebagai simbol cinta abadi yang tak terpisahkan.

Banyak sekali cerita atau legenda tentang Panji Asmoro Bangun dan Sekartaji, meskipun keduanya diterpa rintangan dan gangguan tetapi keduanya selalu bisa bersatu,misal cerita ande ande lumut, keong emas dll.
Tari Karonsih ditarikan dengan gerak gaya surakarta, diciptakan oleh bapak Maridi.
sebenarnya masih banyak tari dengan tema percintaan lainya misal gatutkoco sekar, enggar enggar, lambang sih ato beksan endah, tetapi karonsih paling sering diminta di acara pernikahan khususnya di daerah Malang Jawa Timur.

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.