Traditional 'angklung' dance retains popularity in E. Java

By Singgir Kartana

BANYUWANGI, East Java (JP): It was a merry Wednesday night in Kalibaru Cottage's lobby. Dozens of foreign tourists got carried away watching an angklung dance performed by three young girls, Fitri, Prima and Uut. They are members of the Sekar Wangi Dance Company.

When the dance was over, some male tourists looked exhausted after dancing along with the dancers for nearly half an hour. Yet they apparently were not fully satisfied and asked for more, which the organizer granted.

"Fantastic! What a beautiful dance," commented Robert A. Patt while wiping sweat off his forehead after dancing.

The angklung dance is one of a few Banyuwangi traditional arts which has survived in the face of modern arts. The angklung dance is not only frequently performed at parties but also has become routine entertainment in several hotels in Banyuwangi.

For instance, the Sekar Wangi Dance Company is booked nearly once a week to stage the dance in Kalibaru Cottage Hotel, not to mention other troupes in that area.

"Even those who cannot dance, the moment they hear the angklung rhythm, they will start dancing or tapping their feet. I've never seen anyone in the audience, including foreigners, who refused to dance when I grab their hand," said dancer Lily Dwiasih, 15, a senior high school student in Banyuwangi.

How has the dance been able to retain its popularity? Perhaps the answer is its ability to metamorphose and to adjust to modern demands. It adopts elements of other arts to enrich itself.

The art of angklung itself has a history of development, going through changes and improvisations in terms of music and movements. Its ability to adapt to modern arts has enabled it to compete with modern performing arts.

There is no historical record of when angklung began. Legend has it that the birth of angklung was closely related to the agrarian tradition of the rural society.

It is believed that angklung was created by people guarding their rice fields against grain-eating birds as the paddy ripened. To scare off birds and to kill time, they played simple music on bamboo blades arranged on grass. The bamboo blade arrangement is similar to kulintang bamboo musical instruments.

Fledging

In the 1980s, angklung got fierce competition from modern forms of entertainment, such as film, video, karaoke, pop music and dangdut music.

Angklung lost its shine to modern forms of entertainment. Well aware of the threat, artists and art workers worked hard at innovation.

Misnadi, 40, the owner of the Sekar Wangi Dance Company, for example, tried to incorporate the elements of music and dance movements of various folk arts into angklung. A similar effort was also made by Bambang Mulyono, 62, the owner of Sempu Dance Company.

The undertaking bore fruit and angklung regained its fame, although the innovations cost it some of its original elements.