Classical Javanese dance worth seeing

Classical Javanese dance worth seeing

JAKARTA (JP): Famous choreographer Retno Maruti is back
performing the classic Javanese dance Sekar Pembayun at the Grand
Ballroom, The Dharmawangsa, South Jakarta, on Sept. 9, the
organizing committee said on Friday.

The show will be sponsored by Bimasena, the Indonesian Mines
and Energy Society, which helps promote Indonesian cultural
heritage through the involvement of mining and energy
entrepreneurs.

Performed by Maruti's Padnecwara dance company, Sekar Pembayun
won huge accolades for its performances at the Jakarta Institute
of Art in February and in Yogyakarta in April.

The Sekar Pembayun, a 75-minute dance, is a romantic tragedy
about the protagonist, Sekar Pembayun, who was the daughter of
King Panembahan Senapati, the founder of the ancient Mataram
Kingdom. The king sent his daughter on an undercover mission with
the intention of having his political archrival, the invincible
Ki Ageng Mangir, killed.

Unaware of Senapati's plan, Ki Ageng Mangir fell in love with
Pembayun and married her. Pembayun managed to arrange an audience
with Senapati for Mangir, who ended up being killed by her
father.

Maruti, 51, is an accomplished classical Javanese dancer who
aims to promote the Javanese performing arts among the
international community. (pan)