Dance Summary

...except tile youngest, who in the Javanese version is called Kleting Kuning. When the six of them have been carried over the river, only the youngest is left. She asks Kendit Birayung to help her cross the river, but he refuses.

She becomes angry, takes her magic weapon, a palm-leaf rib, and strikes the river water. The river runs dry and she crosses it. Shouting, Kendit Birayung begs her to return the water. Having crossed the river, she takes pity on him and returns the water by striking the bottom of the river. The Kendit Birayung Dance is very inelegant, suiting nature of the crab king.

THE KANDANGAN DANCE

The Kandagan Dance describes Anjasmara, from the Damarwulan story, disguised as a warrior. Anjasmara sets out to look for her lover Damarwulan, who is 'reported to have been killed by Menakjingga from Blambangan. Because of her disguise she succeeds in finding Darmarwulan, who is in fact still alive. The report that Damarwulan has been killed, has come from her own brothess who desire to take Ratu Putri Kencana Wungu as their wife.

THE RELATI DANCE

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The name of this dance comes from the name of a princess of the Kanoman kingdom in Cirebon called Relati. Princess Relati the best dancer of the kingdom, fascinates every palace audience with her extraordinary skill.

MODURN SUNDANUS13 UANCINO

In. the development of Sundanese dancing since independence, there is 0he outstanding choreographer, Tjetje Somantri. Progressive and productive, Somantri has succeeded in modernizing the abovementioned classical dances and has also created modern dances. Among his best-known compositions are the Peacock dance, the Butterfly Dance and the Peasant Dance, Bacause of his untiring efforts In the field of dancing, it is not surprising that in 1961 he was awarded the Piagam Wijayakusuma award by the Indonesian Government, the highest award given to an artist because of his services to the state in his special field.

THE PEACOCK DANCE

This dance is danced by women in two, four or more pairs, and describes the actions of male and female peacocks in the open air.

THE PEASANT DANCE OR THE SRIGATI DANCE

This dance describes the work of peasant girls in the rice paddies from the preparation of the fields to the pounding of the rice as the product of their labour. It is danced by women two, three, four, six or more in number. The dance movements start with the preparation of the paddies, the planting of the seeds, the weeding, the harvesting, and finally the hulling of the rice.

THE BUTTERFLY DANCE

. The Butterfly Dance is danced by women in one, I two or more pairs. In this way male and female butterflies can be described. The dance-movements are gentle and graceful, sometimes vigorous in keeping with the flutterings of butterflies in a beautiful flower garden.

The distinctive characteristic of the Sundanese dances described above Is the grace and gentleness of their movements, combined with vigor and power. The melodies used to accompany the Sundanese dances both classical and modern, are Sundanese 'and the gamelan is the Sundanese gamelan with its dynamic drums.