The Origin of Lenggang Nyai Dance
Lenggang Nyai Dance
Every traditional dance has its meaning that is delivered by its movements. There is a motivated story behind the dance that usually is about power, passion, fight, love and so on. One of the many traditional dances that full of meaning is Lenggang Nyai. This dance is from Betawi which tells about the story of Nyai Dasimah.
The story of Nyai Dasimah is about the beautiful girl who became a mistress of mister from Netherlands. Because of a mistress’s unmarried wife, so she is full of rules that she has to obey. This was the reason that makes Nyai Dasimah rebelled and wanted to out of the rules. Lenggang Nyai tells about the struggle of Nyai Dasimah to fight this rules until she got her freedom.
Even though this dance is from Betawi, but the choreographer of Lenggang Nyai is from Yogyakarta. The choreographer is Wiwiek. She was born at 30th July 1952. Wiwiek created this dance in 1998, which the dance is full of the unsure of Betawi culture, such as tari topeng (mask dance) and tanjidor music.
Tanjidor music in the beginning of its era was only constructed in land lord circles. As a port art, the tanjidor lovers were from farmers in the suburban area. The music of tanjidor is much influenced by Dutch culture. The Chinese culture inferred in the development of tanjidor music.
All the explanations above are related each other.
Resources:
Tarian Betawi di PKB Karya Koreografer Kelahiran Yogya
Senin, 05 Juli 2010 8 May, 2011, 08:20 from http://www.cybertokoh.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=1026
ASAL USUL: Tanjidor Rabu, 22 Oktober 2008 Media Indonesia TANJIDOR 28Oct07 I from www .bamu.dikmentidk i.go.id
Tanjidor retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/25258456/ASAL-USUL-tanjidor