Topeng Dance from West Java

Topeng Dance is one of the traditional arts in Indramayu, West Java. Topeng Dance in Indramayu society, known by the name of Topeng Dance Dermayon. Topeng dance called because during the performance took place the dancers covered her face with a mask. Topeng Dance Indramayu sometime first time played. To be sure, traditional dance has a distinctive Indramayu. There is uniqueness in the Topeng Dance performances in the area of Indramayu, West Java.

Topeng Dance in Indramayu often played when there are residents who held a circumcision ceremony, a wedding and a housewarming, and also played when the event village salvation. In each show, there is always a story line being played. Typically, a traditional dance from Indramayu was played for approximately 15 minutes.

This topeng dance performed by one or several people dancer whose face was covered with a mask. Each dancer plays a character or characters that are told in the performance figures. But if there is only one dancer, he will play all the characters by changing the color of the mask. Generally, there are three color masks in the Topeng Dance performances Dermayon like white, blue and red. One color masks depict characters in the story line. Some say, the white color symbolizes gentle berkarater figures. Blue symbols lively yet elegant character. While describing the character of the temperamental red. In addition to dancers who use the mask, there is also a female singer, her name Sinden. Through the strains of Sundanese-language songs, Sinden is describing how the storyline. Not least, there are also some musical accompaniment players such as fiddle, drums, and gongs.

Sundanese gamelan music and songs of the reflexion Sinden be an opening ceremony Indramayu Topeng Dance performances. Movements graceful dancer who became his trademark. For starters, the dancer will demonstrate bow movement. Formation shows the respect and welcome to guests or spectators who were present when the Mask Dance played. While wearing a white mask, the dancer also demonstrate the fusion movement of the hands and feet to move forward, backward. After the rotating body moves, the dancers turned toward my back to the audience while changing a mask. When the music's groove is relatively faster than before, the dancers look to replace his white mask with red color. The music will sound louder when the dancers began wearing a mask the color of red colored. When a dancer wearing a white mask, you'll see the graceful movements. But when the red color change, movement of the dancers look more dynamic and agile. Mask and movement will be changed to follow the story line that played by the dancers Mask Indramayu.

The show lasted for approximately 15 minutes, and Sundanese be introductory story line played by the dancers. For those of you who do not understand and comprehend the language of Sunda, predictable story line of motion and color masks. However, to further simplify, you may request assistance from a tour guide or local residents to translate any movement of the dancers. Through the help of a guide, you can also find out what stories submitted by Sinden during the performance took place. Like when the show will be played Topeng Dance, chant songs of the Sundanese-speaking Sinden is also a closing ceremony. The difference is, at the beginning of the opening track from Sinden illustrate a story synopsis. While at the end of the show, chant a song describing a moral message to the audience.