Puppet People (Wayang Orang)
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Puppet People is the art of dance drama that takes the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata as the main story. In accordance with the name is called, puppet on the show no longer by playing with puppets made from leather, wood, or the other, but showing human beings as a substitute for of puppet. By wearing the same clothes as ornaments used in shadow play. In order to form their faces like of a shadow play, puppet players are modified / decorated his face with additional drawings or paintings.
In terms of story, Puppet People is the embodiment of dance drama Purwa puppet. In the beginning, the middle of the 18th century, all the dancers puppet is a male dancer, there is no female dancers. So rather like the show ludruk in East Java.
According to the Municipal tourism office of Surakarta regency, puppet people born in the XVIII century. Creator is Adipati Arya Mangkunegara I which may be inspired by the art of drama that has been developing in Europe. At first the puppet people demonstrated in Surakarta. The players at that time consisted of courtiers servant.
Unfortunately it does not last long, because performances puppet people is limited, because can only enjoyed by the relatives of the palace and its employees, and coincided with the birth of dance drama Langendriyan.
At the that puppet people show these moved to Yogyakarta. Namely at during Mangkunegara IV held a circumcision his son, named Prangwadana. And at during Pakubuwana X to build a park Sriwedari. In the inaugural held a variety of performing arts. One form of art that was displayed at that time was the puppet people. And that's when in the park Sriwedari , which is a park that Kasunanan, always show puppet people, and puppet people are also often on showing at the Night Market held in the square. His players too, not just the courtiers servants, but also people outside the palace a have talent of dance.
At first, puppets people are traditional Javanese art form exclusive, staged only within the palace. But around 1902, the puppet people get into commercial art, namely by selling tickets. And at that moment puppet people no more only in the show in the kingdom, but also outside the kingdom, and reached its peak when it comes bevy "Ngesti Pandowo" under the leadership of Sastrosabdo.
At first Clothing dancers Puppet People are still very simple, not much different from the traditional clothes of everyday palace, only coupled with the shawl to dance. Then in the era of Mangku Negara VI, dancer-puppet man wearing Irah irahan made of inlaid leather trim, then of form with perada.
In line with the development of puppet. created a new dance movements created by the artists dance experts palace. New dance moves that include sembahan, sabetan, lumaksono. ngombak banyu, and srisig.
Then when the puppet people rising, many clubs puppet people are popping , among them puppet Sriwedari in Surakarta and Semarang on the Pandawa Ngesti people. Puppet People Sriwedari is the first group of commercial culture in the arts Puppet People. Founded in 1911, this association always held puppet stage in the garden king, which is park public owned amusement Kasunanan Keraton Surakarta.
Please also note, the role of Chinese community in Malang, Surakarta and take active steps to develop the arts puppet man. They joined the art club PMS (association of Surakarta Society) who periodically conduct dance and exercise at certain times hold, and performances those for fundraising and charity.
The development of art puppet people in Surakarta, more glamorous / luxury and more popular, than in Yogyakarta. Creative artists of Surakarta to complete the Puppet People dance clothing, with the luxury of the stage. To cast puppets of bambangan like Arjuna, Abhimanyu, and the like, used female dancers also. While in Yogyakarta still maintaining male dancer.
In Jakarta, in the year 1960 - 1990, had also established several associations of puppet people, among them the Word Sri Utama, Ngesti Culture, Ngesti Wandawa, Cahya Kawedar, Adi Luhung, Ngesti Widada, Panca Murti, and the longest lasted Bharata.
Performing arts Puppet People also gave birth to a traditional dance artists who stand out, among others Sastradirun, Rusman, Darsi, and Surana of Surakarta; Sastrasabda and Nartasabda from Semarang; Samsu and Kies Slamet from Jakarta.
