Ancient `Gambuh' dance revives in modern Bali<\/p>\n
By Kunang Helmi-Picard<\/p>\n
PARIS, France (JP): \"...there will come a moment, during a
\ntemple feast or a cremation, of which ...gamboeh is a recognized
\naccessory, when one will become aware of a strange wailing of
\nflutes and rebab, the clash of cymbals and clamor of strident
\nvoices rising above the gay contention of several gamelans and
\nthe tinkle of the pedanda's bell...<\/p>\n
\"...in a palm-covered space a little removed from the
\nprocession of holy images and offerings one will find a thin
\nfringe of audience gathered round a number of bearded and
\nmoustached personages in flower-laden crowns above flowing locks,
\nexuberantly gesticulating.\"<\/p>\n
Judging from this eloquent quotation from Dance and Drama in
\nBali, when Beryl de Zoete and Walter Spies compiled the seminal
\nwork in 1938, the Gambuh dance was valued for having retained the
\npurity of its archaic form despite its obvious decline in
\nimportance.<\/p>\n
Indeed experts compare its historical and aesthetical role to
\nthat of Noh in Japan and Kathakali in India.<\/p>\n
However, modernization is now threatening this unique dance
\nand theater form with obsolescence.<\/p>\n
Several weeks ago the Indonesian weekly Tempo focused on the
\noverwhelming problems experienced by dedicated Topeng Cirebon
\nmask dancers in their efforts to keep the West Javanese dance
\ntradition alive amidst crushing financial difficulties and the
\nevident disinterest of contemporary society.<\/p>\n
Fortunately for enthusiasts of Gambuh, considered to be the
\nsource of all dance forms on Bali, the ethnomusicologist Alan
\nFeinstein, representing the Ford Foundation, agreed last year to
\na three-year grant with the explicit aim of reviving this ancient
\ntradition.<\/p>\n
The long and complicated formulation of the project was
\ncarried out largely through the unfailing dedication of Cristina
\nFormaggia, an Italian dancer who has studied the Gambuh is under
\nI Made Djimat for over ten years in Batuan.<\/p>\n
Under the auspices of the Yayasan Wianta, a working committee
\nof experts and artists was set up including Ni Alit Arini, Ni
\nNyoman Candri, Made Bandem and A.A. Djelantik.<\/p>\n
The committee focused on efforts to train young successors to
\nthe aging dancers and musicians while documenting any knowledge
\nof this unique theater form.<\/p>\n
The Gambuh project, based in the pura desa adat or village
\ntemple of Batuan will be celebrating its first anniversary in
\nthree months.<\/p>\n
At the official presentation to the Governor of Bali in Batuan
\non a full moon-lit night last December, committee member
\nFormaggia reminded the audience of the importance of this form of
\ntotal theater, not only for Bali, but also for the international
\ntheater world.<\/p>\n
The project, she said, focuses \"on refreshing the interest of
\nthe younger generation,\"...\"making them realize that the
\nintrinsic value of the Gambuh represents the pinnacle of dance
\nand voice technique.\"<\/p>\n
Costumes, increasingly expensive, are provided for among other
\nassociated costs.<\/p>\n
Apart from regular rehearsals under the supervision of local
\nartists, including the consummate interpreter of this most
\nexacting of dance theater forms, I Made Djimat, the Faculty of
\nLiterature of the Udayana University, the Academy of Dance of
\nDenpasar and the Institute of Hindu Studies have been entrusted
\nwith the dual purpose of collecting data on Gambuh and providing
\nstudents with the fruits of their practice and research.<\/p>\n
The Australian scholar Adrian Vickers is contributing his
\nexpertise on the subject.<\/p>\n
Roots<\/p>\n
Though Gambuh is known to have existed for four centuries,
\nexperts estimate that its roots lie in the pre-Islamic kingdoms
\nof Java.<\/p>\n
After the invasion of Bali by the Javanese warriors of the
\nMajapahit Empire in 1343, the cream of Javanese court culture
\nmingled with Balinese village culture producing this dramatic
\nform of dance relating the dynastical struggles of the Singasari,
\nDaha and Kahuripan kingdoms of East Java.<\/p>\n
Up until its apogee in the late 19th century, and early in
\nthis century, the troupes were all male, pre-adolescent boys
\nplaying the female roles.<\/p>\n
Principally inspired by themes from the Malat, an old Javanese
\nromance-cycle, the narrative revolves around the life and deeds
\nof the mythical hero, Prince Panji, whose quest for union with
\nthe eternal feminine represents the mythical union of male and
\nfemale, a recasting of the ancient sun and moon principle found
\nelsewhere in Asia.<\/p>\n
After the instrumental overture by the gamelan gambuh followed
\nby the pure, and strikingly energetic, dance of the Condong
\n(maid) of the Putri (princess), Panji's formal quest begins where
\ndance is mingled with pantomime and dialog sung in a stylized
\nmanner.<\/p>\n
The movement and song of the refined and \"sweet\" characters
\ncontrasts with that of the coarse and strong ones.<\/p>\n
The comic routines performed by the pair of Panji's ministers
\nand his servant Semar, together with the battle scenes, provide
\nthe only counterpoint to the serious narrative plot.<\/p>\n
Instant<\/p>\n
Semar also enables the audience to understand the plot by
\ntranslating for the antagonists.<\/p>\n
The highly refined style of this ritual dance coupled with its
\ngenerally slow narrative and stately choreographic rhythm is now
\nbeing threatened by the demands of \"instant packaging\" and
\nexcessive abbreviation.<\/p>\n
Although there are four main styles of Gambuh in Bali - Batuan
\nPedungan, Padang Aji and Anturan, it is mostly performed by
\ntroupes from Batuan.<\/p>\n
Besides encouraging performances to continue within the
\nframework of religious ceremonies, the organizers of the project
\nalso want to establish paying performances for foreigners on the
\nnight of each full moon, in order to introduce them to the
\nclassic Balinese repertoire.<\/p>\n
The Gambuh project's troupe in Batuan is now stepping up
\npreparations to present their offering to the Gods of the fable
\nisland during this week's Balinese Hindu celebrations, Galungan
\nand Kuningan.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ancient-gambuh-dance-revives-in-modern-bali-1447893297",
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