Betawi Mask Dance, Traditional Dance From Jakarta

Betawi Mask Dance is one of the traditional dances of Betawi people in Jakarta who wear the mask as their trademark. Betawi Mask Dance is a blend of music, dance, and singing. Like a theater or opera show, dancers dance to the accompaniment of music and singing. Betawi Mask Dance is more theatrical and also communicative through the movement.

History of Betawi Mask Dance

Betawi Mask Dance was originally staged around by the artists. They are usually invited as performers such as entertainment at weddings, circumcision, and others. According to the beliefs of Betawi people, this dance can keep away from the catastrophe. But along with the changing times, the trust began to fade and then make this dance as a means of entertainment only. However, although the trust began to disappear, this dance is still held to enliven the party or traditional event.

Betawi Mask Dance Performance

In the show, this dance begins with a song accompanied by the accompaniment music. After that the dancers out while dancing with a mask. The movements of the dancers depend on the theme. Themes that are sung in this dance are varied, such as legend, social critic, community life, and other classic stories. This Betawi Mask Dance is a theatrical dance. So there is a message delivered through the movements of the dancers in dancing.

In this Betawi Mask, Dance dance is not easy. There are 3 (three) things that must be owned by Betawi mask dancers. first, the dancer must be genders, that is flexible or graceful. The dancers should also be cheerful and should not look sad at the time of dancing. Finally, the dancers should be lively and also move freely.

Betawi Mask Dance Companion

This dance is usually accompanied by traditional musical instruments such as beta rebab, kromong three, kecrek, big drum, kempul, kulanter and also gong pitcher.

Betawi Mask Dance Costume

The costumes used in Betawi Mask Dance also depend on the theme that is sung but still cannot be separated from the typical fashion of Betawi. For male dancers will usually wear clothes such as black clothes, trousers, T-shirts, and sarongs. Also on the head will usually use a cap or headband. For the female dancers usually, use a long cloth and kebaya clothes equipped with a shawl. In addition, the head also wearing a colorful crown is usually called the mask bloom. And do not forget to also wear a mask that covers the face of the dancers. The mask used by dancers is made of wood. The mask does not wear a binder on the head, but dancers attach themselves to their faces by being bitten on the inside of the mask.

Development of Betawi Mask Dance

In its development, Betawi Mask Dance is not only used as an entertainment event at the wedding party or circumcision event only. However, this dance is also often performed at a big event of Betawi customs in Jakarta. The Betawi Mask Dance has evolved, so there are so many variations and types such as single mask dance, enjot-enjotan dance, lipet gandes dance, gegot dance, beautiful mask dance, mask dance expression, princes' mask dance, and kang aji dance.