GAMBYONG DANCE

Gambyong dance is a dance that originated from the province of Central Java, precisely Surakarta. This dance is one of the dances are staged in order to enliven the wedding ceremony or also played to welcome the guests. That makes it feel so different from other dance is gambyong dance always preceded by “Gending Pangkur”. This dance was very beautiful or seem so outrageous when the dancer dancing in harmony with the rhythm of the accompanying music.

History

'Gambyong' was originally the name of a waranggana, a woman elected or female entertainers  who are good at dancing and can brought a dance very beautiful and vivacious. The name of the waranggana is Mas Ajeng Gambyong who lived in the reign of Sinuhun Pakubowono IV  in Surakarta (1788-1820), he was famous throughout the Surakarta and that’s created Gambyong Dance name.

At first, gambyong dance as part of a tayub dance or taledhek dance. Taledhek term is also used to refer to tayub dancers, taledhek dancers, and gambyong dancers. Gambyong can also be interpreted as a solo dance performed by a woman or a dance performed in the beginning of a dance party. Gambyongan have “golekan” meaning doll made of wood, depicting women dancing in the “wayang” show as a cover.

At the time of Surakarta, street dance accompaniment instrument equipped with bonang and gong. Gamelan typically used include “gender, penerus gender, kendang, kenong, kempul, and gong”. All the instruments were taken everywhere by means bear. Commonly known among drummers instrument Gambyong dance, play “kendang” is not easy. Pengendang should be able to align with the fluidity of dance music and be able to chime in with the rhythm of the “gendhing”. So, not surprisingly, a Gambyong dancer often can not be separated with pengendang who always accompanied her.

Movement

The graceful movement of the woman dancers' showed an attitude and character of the women of Central Java that’s synonymous with graceful. Distinct impression can also be found when the gambyong dancers featuring a mix of hand and foot gestures while playing a piece of cloth worn around the neck scarf.

Accompaniment

Javanese gamelan instruments consisting of gongs, gambang, kendang, and kenong are musical accompaniment in the Gambyong Dance. Of the many musical instruments, which is regarded as the muscle gambyong dance is Kendang. Because during the show, Kendang leads gambyong dancer to dance following to the song or chant songs in Javanese.