Jaranan Dance, Traditional Dance From East Java
Jaranan dance is a traditional dance performed by the dancers by riding a mock horse made of woven bamboo. In addition to the rich value of art and culture, this dance is also very thick to the impression of magical nuances and spiritual values. Jaranan Dance is a very famous traditional art in East Java Province. In some areas of East Java province, this jaranan art is still alive and preserved. One of them is in Kediri Regency which makes this dance as a traditional dance typical there.
In this Jaranan Dance, there is a handler or often called Gambuh. Gambuh own duty to perform rituals, communicate with the ancestors and heal the dancers who trance. At the time of the performance, the gambuh recited the mantra and summoned the spirits of the ancestors to enter the bodies of the dancers. After the spirit enters the bodies of the dancers, the dancer will dance unconsciously, for the dancers' bodies have been controlled by the spirit that enters them. The dancers will dance while performing various attractions such as flower eating attractions, eating broken glass and others. Without the pain of the dancers are doing the attraction while dancing accompanied by a handler or gambuh. This is the uniqueness of jaranan art. Apart from being an entertainment event, this dance is also a ritual as well as a tribute to their ancestors.
History of Jaranan Dance
The history of this Jaranan Dance has several versions of different stories. According to one of the growing legend stories among the people, this dance tells about a marriage between Klono Sewandono and Dewi Songgo Sky. And the dancers rode on this Jaranan Dance describes the troupe of soldiers who accompanied the boyongan from Dewi Songgo Sky and Klono Sewandono from Kediri to wangker. This dance is a legacy of ancestors that still exist and develop to this day.Jaranan Dance Performance
In the show, the dance is performed by a group of dancers in soldier clothes and also riding a braided horse. While riding the horse dancers dance with a dynamic movement and in tune with musical accompaniment. In addition to dancing, they will also play horse braids with varied movements. In this Jaranan Dance performance is also accompanied by various gamelan music such as kenong, kendang, gong, and others. In this dance performance is very thick to the impression of magic and spiritual value. So it is not uncommon when performances of the dancers experience possession. It is related to the Javanese society's belief in ancient times of the spirits of the ancestors. So the people there make this Jaranan Dance as a means of communication with their ancestors.In this Jaranan Dance, there is a handler or often called Gambuh. Gambuh own duty to perform rituals, communicate with the ancestors and heal the dancers who trance. At the time of the performance, the gambuh recited the mantra and summoned the spirits of the ancestors to enter the bodies of the dancers. After the spirit enters the bodies of the dancers, the dancer will dance unconsciously, for the dancers' bodies have been controlled by the spirit that enters them. The dancers will dance while performing various attractions such as flower eating attractions, eating broken glass and others. Without the pain of the dancers are doing the attraction while dancing accompanied by a handler or gambuh. This is the uniqueness of jaranan art. Apart from being an entertainment event, this dance is also a ritual as well as a tribute to their ancestors.
