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JAVA Classical Dance
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In
addition to the classical javanese dances, Surakarta style and Yogyakarta
style, there are also modern dance compositions.
Modern Javanese dance Compositions take the for-in of dance. drama
and they may be either solo or collective dances.
Since the fifties many young choreographers have emerged in central java. The modern dances that they create are. dance-drama,s with stories never performed by the classical dance-drama,s. The classical Javanese dance-dramas are based on stories from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and the Panji and Damarwulan stories, but the modern dance-dramas perform historical stories, such as the Sendratari Rara Mendut and' Pranacitra, the Sendratari jakatarub, the Sendratari Dipanegara and the Sendratari Gajah Mada.
Apart from these dance-dramas or sendratari there are also many dances describing the daily lives of the Indonesian people, Rich as the Tari Tani (the Peasant Dance), Tari Tenun (the Weaver Dance), Tari Batik (the Batik Dance), and Tari Payung (the Umbrella Dance). There are also dances describing the struggle of the Indonesian nation, for instance the Tari Perjoangan (the Patriot Dance).
SENDRATARI RARA MENDUT AND PRANACITRA
Among
the most popular of the modern sendratari or dance dramas without
dialogue is the Sendratari Rara Mendut and Pranacitra Yogyakarta
style. This sendratari describes the love between a young man, Pranacitra,
and a young woman, Rara Mendut, during
the feudal period. The story may be compared to the Romeo and Juliet
story so popular in the west.
The Rara Mendut and Pranacitra story is an excerpt from a chronicle
of the Mataram period, the period of Sultan Agung (17th century).
The event in the story took place after Mataram had seized the region
of Pati the northern most point of Central Java. Sultan
Agung had commanded some regents to conquer pati and the bravesd
among them was Ki Tumenggung Wiraguna. After Pati had been conquered,
much property and a great number of women were broght to Mataram
as booty. Among the women was the most beautiful Rara Mendut, who
was given to Ki Tumenggung Wraguna by the King.
The old Tumenggung Wiraguna, who had only two upper teeth left and whose hair had already. grown white, still looked strong and still loved beautiful women. He had a wife called Nyai Ajeng Wiraguna and some beautiful concubines too. But as soon as he saw Rara Mendut, his heart began to beat vi6lently, and he intended to take her as his wife.
Rara
Mendut refused him, because the very sight of him revolted her,
let alone the idea of becoming his wife. She swore that she would
rather die than become his wife. Tumenggung Wiraguna was very angry
when he heard her reply to his proposal, and sentenced her to pay
wadal, a large amount of compensation money every day. If she was
not able to pay, she would have to become his wife. Rara Mendut
was willing to pay compensation money but asked his permission to
sell cigarettes in a roadside stall. Wiraguna granted her request
because he thought that she would never be able to earn the money
by selling cigarettes. However, Tumenggung Wiraguna's speculation
proved to be entirely wrong. Rara Mendut, becauce of her beauty,
was able to sell the cigarettes at a very high price.
At that time there lived in a village east of Mataram the widow
of a rich merchant, who had a handsome son of excellent character.
His name was Pranacitra. One day Pranacitra heard that there was
to be a cock-fight in the yard of the house of Tumenggung Wiramantri,
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