Choreographer brings ancient temple art to life<\/p>\n
Kartika Bagus C.
\nContributor
\nSurakarta, Central Java<\/p>\n
An almost naked figure, only covered by a small piece of batik
\ncloth, swirls in slow, rhythmical movements before transforming
\nthe movements into dynamic ones, in harmony with the image of
\nPrambanan Temple presented on a wide screen.<\/p>\n
Two Gunungan -- mountain-shaped leather figures which are
\nusually used to begin or conclude a leather puppet show --
\nsymbolized the existence of two different worlds: the present and
\nthe future.<\/p>\n
At the end of the show, the screen collapsed and formed a
\nfield, as if representing the Kurusetra field in Mahabrata epic
\nstory. Only then, the figure washed his face, marking the start
\nof self purification, and emerged behind a mask.<\/p>\n
The dance, entitled Mencari Mata Candi (Searching for the Eye
\nof the Temple), was staged by choreographer cum dancer Mugiyono
\nKasido at the Indonesia Arts Institute in Surakarta, Central
\nJava. The dance was staged for the first time at the institute
\nbefore as a dress rehearsal before the troupe headed to the
\nKunsten Festival des Arts at Chapelle des Brigittines in
\nBrussels, Belgium to perform from May 16-19.<\/p>\n
The choreography was the outcome of the artist's intensive
\nexplorations as well as rehearsals which took two-and-a-half
\nmonths to complete. The dance was also the result of his
\nobservation trips to many temples across Java, including the
\nPrambanan and Borobudur Temples, since 1997.<\/p>\n
Inspiration for the dance also came from Mugiyono's early
\ncollaborative research with Dr. Alessandra Lopez, senior dance
\nlecturer of the University of Surrey, London, and expert Edi
\nSedyawati of the University of Indonesia, in reconstructing the
\ndance movements carved in the balustrade at the Loro Jonggrang
\ntemple in Prambanan, Central Java.<\/p>\n
Mugiyono said his creation mixed dance movements, leather
\npuppet show elements and a projector. The work was then enhanced
\nwith a musical composition originating from a number of Javanese
\ngamelan traditional orchestra presented in a contemporary format.<\/p>\n
\"On the stage, the music becomes an integrated part of the
\nperformance itself. As engraved on the Prambanan Temple, the
\ndance moves and music are one,\" he said.<\/p>\n
This choreography, he said, was also a result of his
\nreconstruction of Karana Natyaraja (Natyaraja dance movement)
\nfound in the relief panels on the Shiva Temple in Prambanan.<\/p>\n
Some movements were also inspired by the relief of animals
\nfound at the Sukuh Temple in Karanganyar, Central Java. This
\nrelief was then replicated and reconstructed with a new
\ninterpretation without abandoning its expressive values that give
\nprominence to the beauty of movement.<\/p>\n
The movement in the choreography maintains two dimensions of
\nthe relief: simplicity and dynamic characters.<\/p>\n
However, Mugiyono admitted that not all the movements were
\nbased on the temple art. Most of the movements originated from
\nthe temple portrayals were also blended with other types of dance
\nmovements that he usually practices.<\/p>\n
Born in Klaten, Central Java in 1976, Mugiyono has produced
\ndozens of choreographies. Coming from a puppet master's family,
\nhe was drawn to dance since he was a boy, as well as developing
\nhis skills after learning from traditional dances of the
\nMangkunegaran Palace in Surakarta.<\/p>\n
In 1993, his work Terjerat (Trapped) was named Best Art Dance,
\nwhile in the coming years, he took part in noted dancer Sardono
\nW. Kusuma's performances such as Opera Diponegoro (Diponegoro
\nOpera, 1995), Passage Through the Gong (1996), Karmawibangga
\n(1999) and Surat Shinta (Shinta's Letter, 2002).<\/p>\n
According to veteran dancer Suprapto Suryodarmo, Mugiyono's
\nchoreography reflected the efforts of transferring temple relief,
\ninto human movement.<\/p>\n
\"A temple, by definition, is God's home with values about life
\nsince many of the scenes portrayed in temple art is mostly taken
\nfrom the Ramayana epic story that highlights birth, life and
\ndeath,\" Suprapto, a choreographer who teaches the ritual dances
\nof Vipassana and Sumarah that deal with Javanese meditation
\ntechniques.<\/p>",
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