Golek Menak Dance

Golek Dance Menak is one type of classical dance style created by the Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX. Creation Menak Golek dance originated from the idea after seeing the sultan Menak Golek Puppet performances are staged by a mastermind of Kedu area in 1941. Also called Golek Beksa Menak, or Beksan Menak. Golek puppets dance connotes Menak.


Because the Puppet People loved the culture of Sri Sultan plan to create a puppet show that is showing people dancing. To implement the idea that the Sultan in 1941 called dance experts led by KRT Purbaningrat, assisted by K.R.T. Brongtodiningrat, Prince Suryobrongto, K.R.T. Madukusumo, K.R.T. Wiradipraja, KRTMertodipuro, RW Hendramardawa, RB and RW Kuswaraga Larassumbaga.

The process of creation and training to implement that idea takes a long time. Inaugural event held at the Palace in 1943 to commemorate the birthday of the sultan. The shape is still not perfect, because fashion is still in rehearsal. The first result of the creation of the sultan was able to display three character types, namely:

   1. princess type character and the Goddess to Goddess Sudarawerti Sirtupelaeli,
   2. type character to Raden Maktal fine son,
   3. manly character types for King Dirgamaruta

Three types of characters are displayed in the form of two Beksan, namely the war between Goddess Sudarawerti against Goddard Sirtupelaeli, as well as the war between King Dirgamaruta against Raden Maktal.

Through meetings, and gatherings of dialogue between the sultan with the artists and the artist, the sultan Hamengku Buwana IX form a dance team complement Golek Menak Yogyakarta style. The team consists of six institutions, namely: Siswo Among Beksa, Kussudiardja Bagong Dance Training Center, High School Karawitan Indonesia (ISMS), Mardawa Culture, Society Surya Kencana and Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI).

The six institutions after declaring its ability to improve Golek dance Menak (June 1, 1988), then held a workshop respective institutions, by displaying the results garapannya. The first turn is falling on students Among Beksa on July 2, 1988.

Workshop organized by the leadership of Siwa Among Beksa RM Dinusatama begins with performances fragment kelaswara play, featuring 12 types of characters, namely:

   1. Alus impur (figure Maktal, Ruslan and Jayakusuma)
   2. Alus impur (figure Jayengrana)
   3. The flow loop be all white (Perganji)
   4. Stout prop be all white (Kewusnendar, Tamtanus, Kelangjajali, Nursewan and Elephant Biher)
   5. Gallant kambeng (Lamdahur)
   6. Gallant Bapang (figure Umarmaya)
   7. Gallant Bapang (Umarmadi and Bestak)
   8. Raseksa (Jamum)
   9. Puteri (Adaninggar a Chinese princess),
  10. Puteri impur (Sudarawerti and Sirtupelaeli)
  11. Puteri be all white (Ambarsirat, Tasik Wulan Manik lungit, and class wara),
  12. Raseksi (mardawa and Mardawi).

The language used in dialogue is the language bagongan. Clothing worn by dancers refer to Menak Wooden Golek Puppet costume, all the characters dressed in long sleeves, while the way berkain apply rampekan way, kampuhan, cincingan, and seredan adjusted figure that was delivered.

Turn both fell at the Center for Dance Exercise held in Padepokan Kussudiardja Bagong Bagong Art Kusssudiardja own. The forms of dance that is displayed is a new claim is sourced from Golek Menak, using the variety of dance that never learned from his brother, namely Kuswaji Kawindrasusanta (a Golek Menak display during the process of creating dance by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana IX).

Some types of characters that appear between alain: whole princess, daughter of China, dashing Bapang to figure Umarmaya, dashing figures be very special for Umarmadi. Besides, it also displayed a claim be very special group of heroic type of dance called Furniture Village, with gendhing-gendhing who tilled as needed dance movement as a retinue.

Third turn falls on Secondary Schools Karawitan Indonesia Yogyakarta, led by Sunartama and held on July 30, 1988 ISMS focuses on the cultivation of basic kinds of motion which is the principal of the types of characters from Golek Menak and attention-gendhing gendhing that accompany dance performances for the types of characters can be more powerful. Presentation of S.M.K.I. displays the type of character with 14 various shaped motion demonstration, without the use of drama, fashion, makeup, antawecana, swerta kandha not tilled.

Falls on the fourth turn Mardawa Culture which organizes workshop on August 9, 1988 led by Raden Wedana Sasmita Mardawa. Mardawa Culture featuring a brief but solid fragments with play Kelaswara Palakrama. In his appearance Mardawa Culture featuring 14 types of characters.

Fifth turn is Surya Kencana Mas Ywanjana raden leaders, who organized the workshop on August 15, 1988. Surya Kencana choose the form of demonstrations and shows 16 types of characters, and attempt to insert motion Pencak silat style flower and West Sumatra are adapted to sense motion of Java.

Turn to the sixth or last fall at the Indonesian Art Institute Yogyakarta, who hosted a workshop on August 22, 1988. Workshop held at the Faculty of Arts North Campus, led by Bambang Prahendra Pujaswara, featuring 15 types of characters in the demonstration. Demonstration of the types of characters followed by the appearance of a short fragment with lakok Geger Mukadam plucked from Fiber Rengganis.

The tenants of dance from the same institution focuses on the claim, its motion, the accompaniment of dance, fashion, makeup and antawecana. Motion pencak flower of western Sumatra have also been included, not just in war scenes, but also in the range of uniform motion. The language used to antawecana or dialogue is a Javanese wayang.

At the meeting on 16 September 1988 she Pavilion Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sultan expressed his joy, that six institutions in DIY dance well have responded to requests sultan. Because the results of the workshop was just merupkan preliminary results of the refinement process Menak Golek dance, the Sultan hoped that the segment was followed by a second work plan, namely in March 1989.

But before the sultan's second time to watch the work of the Improvement Team Dance Golek Menak who will fall in March 1989, the sultan died in the United States on October 3, 1988. A few weeks later all Team members agreed to continue perfecting Menak Golek dance, although the sultan was dead. So the results show improvement Golek dance Menak dated March 17, 1989 was shown demonstrations Menak Golek Puppet and Golek Menak dramatari fragment with the same story, namely kelaswara palakrama or marriage between kelaswara with Wong Agung Jayengrana.

Golek Dance Team Menak improvement works in accordance with the instructions-petujuk sultan. But because of the design as desired fashion sultan demanded a large fee, then the fashion to show it still uses the existing dress with the addition and modification as necessary.