Dance Summary
...except
tile youngest, who in the Javanese version is called Kleting Kuning.
When the six of them have been carried over the river, only the
youngest is left. She asks Kendit Birayung to help her cross the
river, but he refuses.
She
becomes angry, takes her magic weapon, a palm-leaf rib, and strikes
the river water. The river runs dry and she crosses it. Shouting,
Kendit Birayung begs her to return the water. Having crossed the
river, she takes pity on him and returns the water by striking the
bottom of the river. The Kendit Birayung Dance is very inelegant,
suiting nature of the crab king.
THE
KANDANGAN DANCE
The
Kandagan Dance describes Anjasmara, from the Damarwulan story, disguised
as a warrior. Anjasmara sets out to look for her lover Damarwulan,
who is 'reported to have been killed by Menakjingga from Blambangan.
Because of her disguise she succeeds in finding Darmarwulan, who
is in fact still alive. The report that Damarwulan has been killed,
has come from her own brothess who desire to take Ratu Putri Kencana
Wungu as their wife.
THE
RELATI DANCE
The
name of this dance comes from the name of a princess of the Kanoman
kingdom in Cirebon called Relati. Princess Relati the best dancer
of the kingdom, fascinates every palace audience with her extraordinary
skill.
MODURN
SUNDANUS13 UANCINO
In.
the development of Sundanese dancing since independence, there is
0he outstanding choreographer, Tjetje Somantri. Progressive and
productive, Somantri has succeeded in modernizing the abovementioned
classical dances and has also created modern dances. Among his best-known
compositions are the Peacock dance, the Butterfly Dance and the
Peasant Dance, Bacause of his untiring efforts In the field of dancing,
it is not surprising that in 1961 he was awarded the Piagam Wijayakusuma
award by the Indonesian Government, the highest award given to an
artist because of his services to the state in his special field.
THE
PEACOCK DANCE
This
dance is danced by women in two, four or more pairs, and describes
the actions of male and female peacocks in the open air.
THE
PEASANT DANCE OR THE SRIGATI DANCE
This
dance describes the work of peasant girls in the rice paddies from
the preparation of the fields to the pounding of the rice as the
product of their labour. It is danced by women two, three, four,
six or more in number. The dance movements start with the preparation
of the paddies, the planting of the seeds, the weeding, the harvesting,
and finally the hulling of the rice.
THE
BUTTERFLY DANCE
.
The Butterfly Dance
is danced by women in one, I two or more pairs. In this way male
and female butterflies can be described. The dance-movements are
gentle and graceful, sometimes vigorous in keeping with the flutterings
of butterflies in a beautiful flower garden.
The
distinctive characteristic of the Sundanese dances described above
Is the grace and gentleness of their movements, combined with vigor
and power. The melodies used to accompany the Sundanese dances both
classical and modern, are Sundanese 'and the gamelan is the Sundanese
gamelan with its dynamic drums.
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