Hundreds Of Dancers From Art Lovers, Come Again Present A 'Ramayana' Show At Taman Ismail Marzuki

Photo: Special

JAKARTA - A dance world that is threaded with dance and accompanied by traditional music, is a performance that is highly missed. Not only as a ancestral tradition, a wayang story that is so legendary, never finished to be listened to and enjoyed together with family, especially for the younger generation as cultural heirs of this great nation.

With the support of nearly 200 dancers, musicians, actors and art workers, the Kridha Hambeksa Association will again perform a dance theater performance, entitled RAMAYANA. A story wrapped with the love story of the gods, in the story of the puppet, which never ends to be reviewed and recounted.

This performance is a stage of collaboration between art-loving communities in Jakarta through the promotion of traditional art appreciation, which provides room for expression for orphanage children, especially children who live in PIATU MUSLIMIN's house in Jakarta.

Ramayana's story was raised in the performance of the Kridha Hambeksa Association community, its considerations related to the involvement of personnel in the event, which is known that the Kridha Hambeksa Association has quite a number of members, and all of them are lovers and art connoisseurs.

"With various professions, they gather with the same experience, namely having studied art, either at school, studying or anywhere. Their professions vary, there are entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers and others. We need one play that can accommodate all of our friends across this generation. For that, we choose the most lively play, which is the Ramayana play. Ramayana is quite fluid, many recognize and black and whiter in the storyline, "said the Producer and Precise of the Association of Compulsory Arts Kridha Hambeksa Bram Kushardjanto, in his statement, Friday 24 February.

For people who like Wayang Wong (people who are people), this performance will be presented with a bite show, with dance work being the main dish. The elements of the theatrical dialogue in Wayang Wong are almost the whole substituted by the song. This makes Ramayana's performance more similar to traditional operas than Wayang Wong. Not only that, the stage will also be presented with a musical composition that will be very dominant in almost all works.

Bram explained that Pentas Ramayana, which was once exhibited by the Kridha Hambeksa Association in 2022, has experienced developments since the first stage in 2011. At that time the Ramayana stage was still in the form of a traditional Wayang Wong stage. Then it developed in 2012 into the form of a Sondratari. In 2018 the Ramayana stage began to change towards the last form, which was staged on February 4, 2020 at the Art Building.

The performance, which will be held at the Taman Ismail Marzuki Stadium, Jakarta on February 28, 2023, will explore more the content of the message, production design, especially in terms of artistic arrangement such as lighting, sound and stage management, which is more lively and modern. Purupiru as a communication consultant also participated in supporting the documentation and communication of this Ramayana performance.

Ramayana's story, which may be Ramayana's last story, is planned to be held in December 2023. However, the realization will be held at the end of this February. Because this is the last time we want to make the work better, by asking the director Bu Elly. Then we invite Mas Irawan Karseno as our artist advisor, related to the script from the point of view of Ramayana's story. Next, we invite composer mas Dwi Suryanto from ISI Solo, so what we see in Ramayana will be very different from Ramayana, which has been done before," explained Bram.

The story of Ramayana has tended to lift the role of Rama as a King who wants to reclaim Dewi Sintha from Rahwana's hands. But interestingly, the story that was raised this time wanted to highlight the role of women, in this case Dewi Shinta, who has always been an object.

"The naskah is still the same. But the pressures are different. Now we look more closely at the women's side. So we see Shinta, Sukesi, Trijoto, Sarpapenoko, who usually only complements the story. Trijoto was previously just Shinta's accompaniment, on this stage it will be revealed that he is a connector of the story because he always leaked information to Rama. Sukesi as Rahwana's mother, who never saw her child as bad, was drawn by her character as a mother with her prayers," he said.

Dewi Shinta in this story is not just an object. However, she will also fight as a subject who determines the choice between Rama and Rahwana. Very interesting story this time, how much love is really described by a Rahwana, who has been described as a bad person with a giant and creepy body.

Likewise, the figure of Rama, who has been described with the ideal male figure, seems to be a question with his love for Dewi. Rama, who did not pick up himself or reclaim his love from Rahwana's hands, has seemed to hide the secret behind Ramayana's story messages which have been reflected in the minds of lovers of the puppet world.

"Rama sent an ambassador, sending soldiers. So here's a lot of messages. Indeed, we don't clearly ask the audience later, that Rama is bad. Let the audience judge. We want the audience to come home with a message from this show. We want to see strong figures emerge. Shinta as the subject, sees Trijoto fighting for him. But finally he sees that his sincere love is Rahwana's love. Rama's love is more of a power relationship," said Bram describing the story. raised.

This story with a more detailed touch is a message, how this show became very worth watching, in the midst of the tradition of soap operas, a film depicting hedonism bombarding the eyes, and the thoughts of today's young people. Together with the family, Ramayana, directed by the nation's children, will give a deep message on the meaning of maintaining, respecting, and the real struggle to seize something that is considered valuable.

This performance is not only a positive history for the community of the Kridha Hambeksa Association involving orphans as actors. This Ramayana performance community does not involve outsiders directly in the participation of the perpetrators.

"We don't have any outside sides, but there is indeed nepotism from the existing community. We involve small children from the Yatim Piatu Muslimin orphanage, where we have a mission. We shouldn't be worthy to go on stage, by withdrawing tickets. What for? Artists withdraw tickets for life, while we are happy. Therefore, it's a good idea what we get, we share it with the orphanage children again to share the joy," he added.