Dance parody challenges Mataram tradition

Dance parody challenges Mataram tradition

Blontank Poer, Contributor, Jakarta

For centuries, the kingdoms of Java's Mataram dynasty
practiced politics in the arts for generations, making facial
beauty, physical allure and virginity absolute requirements to
perform Bedaya royal dances in court ceremonies.

In her latest dance piece Srimpi Srimpet (a version of a
comical court dance), Surakarta choreographer Wahyu Widayati
challenged the long-established custom of Javanese sovereigns.

With four other dancers from Surakarta, Wahyu introduced two
of her works at Teater Utan Kayu, East Jakarta on April 19
through April 20.

The other dance, Srimpi Ketawang Lima Ganep (a court dance
with five dancers instead of nine), was also arranged as a parody
of Srimpi and Bedaya -- two main types of dance considered sacred
by royal descendants of the founder of Mataram, Panembahan
Senopati.

Srimpi is normally performed by four girls while Ketawang, a
popular dance of the court of Surakarta Hadiningrat, must consist
of nine performers. While Srimpi serves to welcome royal guests
of honor, and is therefore presented by members of royal
families, Bedaya dancers are chosen by Mataram kings and granted
the status of court servants for the art of dance by special
decree.

Wahyu designed Srimpi Ketawang Lima Ganep more as a work of
biting satire against the discrimination imposed by Javanese
kings. She rejected not only the "selection criteria" for dancers
like beauty, attractive physique and single status, but also the
requirement for virginity. In her view, skilled dancers who have
a good command of choreographic arrangement are free to perform
without any external restriction.

Therefore, her variation of Ketawang can be interpreted as her
blunt objection to the royal image of this court dance, including
the presence of mythical Nyi Roro Kidul (Queen of the South Seas)
while the dance is being performed. It is said that only Javanese
kings and a few other people can witness her attendance.

As a consequence, Wahyu selected five women -- four of them
married -- instead of nine virgins. Unlike court dancers, who
wear luxurious and gorgeous costumes with garlands of cananga and
jasmine flowers, her troupe appeared rustic, wearing the simple
kebaya blouse. Thus, the formerly stately and majestic dances
were presented in a mocking style, even resembling folk theater
scenes, with dialog common in urban slums.

Many suspected the myth about the virginity requirement for
Bedaya dancers as a behavioral eccentricity of Javanese kings,
who had power over people living in his area. If the king (and
Nyi Roro Kidul) desired one of the dancers, the virginity myth
was believed to be a trick to get the woman. Another myth, which
said that women having a period could not perform the dance
either, made the suspicion all the stronger.

One of the Srimpi Ketawang Lima Ganep's dancers, Sri
Setyaasih, said she had failed to become a Bedaya dancer at the
Kasunanan Surakarta palace in the 1980s because she ran away
during the selection process. "The Surakarta king peeked at some
would-be Bedaya dancers having their makeup done. Knowing about
that (the peeking), I hid and got out of the palace complex,"
said Sri, who now teaches at Surakarta's Indonesia Arts Institute
(STSI).

In comparison with Srimpi Ketawang Lima Ganep, explicit and
straightforward criticism could be observed in Srimpi Srimpet.
Four dancers with grayish hair carried oil lamps and small mats.
As in the court version, they made a gesture of respect, before
proceeding to perform beksan (a free dance), perangan (a combat
dance) and a closing courtesy. The difference was, they showed
respect for the audience by prostrating themselves, gazing,
waving and nodding, instead of putting their palms together.

The protest in this work was more pronounced when the free
dance and combat scene had a more vocal accompaniment, imitating
the sounds of three main court dance instruments: the kemanak
(two banana-like brass pieces with a typical tone), the gender
(an xylophone) and a gong. Usually, the complete set of Javanese
gamelan instruments is required for Srimpi.

Wahyu and her Sahita dance troupe of Surakarta, realized the
likely risk of their stance. But she added that apart from
protesting the royal attitude toward art, she also wanted to
parody the behavior of warmongering politicians, who also easily
forgot promises they had made when seeking support before rising
to power.

Appearing together with Suharti, Atik, Sri Lestari and Sri
Setyaasih, Wahyu, in general, made an appealing dance show with
theatrical dialog. The dancers, although all having a background
in Javanese dance, were longtime members of Teater Gapit, a
modern theater group that used Javanese language.

The creative works, however, were not supported by proper
stage direction. Moreover, the use of songs and dialog in
Javanese, which dominated both dances, made it hard for the
audience to fully grasp the messages being conveyed.

Despite these minor shortcomings, Wahyu deserved praise for
her original ideas and the courage to express them openly, as a
reminder of the transient nature of what have so far been
regarded as sacred dances, though the satirical pieces obviously
encountered the great choreography of Javanese empu -- men of
high distinction in art, literature and philosophy.