Alumni Association of Universitas Brawijaya (IKA UB) in collaboration with Malang Mbois Community and Denendar Dance Studio made an offline and virtual open stage featuring Indonesian cultural dances, Sunday (14/3/2021). The activity entitled Malang Menari aims to foster a sense of love for the nation’s generation for its own culture.
“Every future generation has an identity. Through cultural dance, it is hoped that the next generation will not be eroded by external culture and forget their own cultural identity, “said the Head of the Organizing Committee, Kenjo Aju Wulandari.
The activity which was held at DPRD building Malang City also accommodated the arts and culture actors in Malang City.
Kenjo said that the COVID-19 pandemic did not kill the creativity of the arts and culture actors. Therefore, the stage for artistic expression is considered necessary and important to be facilitated.
Malang Menari features 28 dancers with 11 different dances, including Indonesian Children Dance, Gambyong Dance, Ujung Alit Dance, and Beskalan Dance.
Gambyong dance is one of the traditional dances originating from the area around Surakarta, Central Java. This dance was originally just a street dance or folk dance and is a new creation dance from the development of Tayub Dance. During the harvest ceremony and about to plant rice, the people of Surakarta in the past will perform this dance as an invitation to Dewi Sri or Dewi Padi so that she will bless their fields with maximum yields.
The Beskalan dance was originally a ritual dance for fertility rites related to land clearing activities, both for agricultural activities or for building purposes. This ritual is a sign that everything that is alive, grows, and develops starts from the ground, because the land is the beginning and at the same time as the end.
Meanwhile, Ujung Alit Dance is one type of traditional dance combined with the typical sport of the Tengger tribe, in the Mount Bromo area.
This Ujung Alit dance is played by two men who take turns hitting their opponents with rattan. This Ujung Alit dance is held to celebrate weddings as a form of Tengger traditional rituals and as a ceremony for Hindus in the Bromo area.
During the dance, there will be two artists who show their skills by making several sketches of invited guests on paper media.
The two artist, namely Achmad Bansori and Shirley will present a sketch of some of the invited guests to be submitted after the event finished.
At the breaktime, the narrators will perform campursari chant diversified with musical strains accompanied by keyboard. There are seven narrators who will offer the campursari chant. [OKY / Humas UB/ Trans. Iir].
