THE PERIODS OF INDONESIAN DANCING

As culture is in fact the product of all human activities be it physical, spiritual or abstract, we call say that the two social classes were cultured. Since however the class of the feudal aristocracy was strong and rich it is not surprising that its cultural growth was more rapid and more advanced than that of the common people. Consequently, the growth and development of Indonesian dancing during tile period of feudal society had a dual nature. The growth of dancing of tile aristocracy was favorable and of high quality while that of the common people was just opposite.

Corresponding with the existence of two classes in the Indonesian society of that period, there used to be two groups or kinds of dancing. The dancing developing in the palaces and mansions of the kings and the nobility is called "court dancing" and that developing amidst the common people, "people's dancing".

Court dancing which was confined Within tile walls of the 1,alaces arid mansions of the kings and the nobility, underwent a most favourable development in that period so that at the beginning of tile 20th century a high crystallization and most refined aesthetic values had been achieved.

The dancing of the common people of that period, on the other hand, did not have a favourable development so that aesthetic values were very low by comparison with those of the court dancing.
This is not surprising as the common people of that period were poor and did not have the same rights as the feudal aristocracy. Their lack of freedom of action and their poverty were the reasons for it lack of freedom in the natural development of dancing talent, so that therefore the dancing of the common people of that period was very low in its aesthetic value.

, At the beginning, most of the dances of the Period of Feudal Society were religious. But besides these, used to be profane dancing ill the sense that its beauty was meant mainly to be enjoyed as entertainment for onlookers.

The Period of Modern Society started on 17th August 1945, the day of the Proclamation of Independence. Since that date, Indonesia has been a sovereign republic; every citizen has the same rights and duties.

Search This Site

This change of Indonesian social structure has affected the growth and development of dancing immensely. Nowadays, dancing belongs to the whole Indonesian nation. The dancing of the Period of Feudal Society that had achieved a high crystallization was taken out of the feudal court, its spirit was changed so that it has become the property of the people as a whole. This kind of dancing is now usually referred to as "classical dancing". New composition in the same vein but unrestricted by the rules of classical dancing, are called "modern dancing", and this is now in the process of heading towards crystallization. But from the point of view of their spirit and vitality, both classical and modern dancing have a spirit and essence in harmony with="2">The Stone Age ended as the Metal Age began. This period is subdivided into the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. The Metal Age Culture of Indonesia was more advanced, The advanced is obvious from what has been excavated by the archaeologists, for instance, shoe axes for every-day use, ceremonial axes with beautiful patterns and engravings, nekara or bronze drums also beautifully decorated, ornaments such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings, all made of bronze. All these remains show that art was more advanced than in the previous period. The patterns and pictures engraved on them have become better and more complicated. The people were also fond of dressing themselves up as is obvious from the various ornaments. The fact that their art is more advanced can be taken to indicate that dancing in the Metal Age must also have been
more advanced and refined than that of the Stone Age. While in the Stone Age dancing was perhaps accompanied only by cheering and handclapping, from the Metal remains have been found which relate to more advanced dancing, viz. the bronze drums.

These bronze drums have been found in various regions of Indonesia, among others in java,,Sumatra, Bali and on some islands of Nusa Tenggara.

These bronze drums used to be regarded by the people of the Bronze Age as sacred or holy and could only be struck in religious ceremonies. Among the drawings decorating the bronze drums is one portraying dancers with heads decorated with leaves and feathers. The pictures describing the dancers show clearly that men of the Metal Age had a greater interest in dancing.

Their dances, however, were of course not yet very refined. Since they saw their life surrounded by natural forces with powers, their dances were also magical and sacral and were directed only