Silat Foundations in the Creation of the Minang Dance ‘Balega Di Tanah Manang’ (Rotation Around the Land of Conquest)

Susas Rita Loravianti ,M Halim ,Wendy Hs ,Emri

doi:10.7176/ads/79-01

Abstract

This research was funded by the Directorate for Research and Community Service, Directorate General forResearch and Development, Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education. Abstract ‘ Balega in Tanah Manang , ' meaning the "Rotation Around the Land of Conquest" in the Minang language of West Sumatra, is a dance piece that was created through the combined use of pancak movements (based in the Minangkabau martial art form pencaksilat ) and dance movements and new techniques beyond pancak . This phenomena in Minangkabau dance is possible because pancak , typically the playful performance by men in both local and regional spaces, forms the principle foundation for the dance.Through this collaborative effort, pancak is transformed to become a dance performing art form that isengages with women as its dancers, choreographers, and participants of dance activities.Silat is the oldest martial arts form in the Minangkabau region of Indonesia’s West Sumatra. Each region within the Minangkabau area has its own silat movements, with fundamental differences. In general, there are two forms of traditional silat, kudo-kudo and pitunggua , that are very different. Silat is less associated with kudo-kudo ; pitunggua is better known. Pitunggua shows a loose foot position, one in which you can easily take a step forward. A silat practitioner must know garak garik, raso pareso, mailak, gelek, pandang, kutiko . Garak means large movements. Garik means small movements. Lantak in motion means to avoid using gelek .The 'Balega di Tanah Manang' dance piece ( Rotation Around The Land of Conquest ) begins with the Minang philosophy of alam takambang jadi guru . Nature serves as the teachings of and a viewpoint on life that guide human interactions, actions, and behavior. In Minangkabau culture too, they make all forms of adverbs based on life that exists in the universe. This is then used to make customary rules, laws, and provisions. They apply all of this in their daily lives. That is what is called Minangkabau teachings. Keywords: silat, dance, Minangkabau, andphilosophy Publication date: December 31 st 2019 DOI : 10.7176/ADS/79-01 Publication date: December 31 st 2019

Highlights

The development of performing arts over the past two decades has shown an expansion of understanding about performance itself
This artistic concept is data that has been formulated to the artistic development of dance and dance drama, both on a local scale in West Sumatra, as well as on national and international scales
All data on the development of dance and dance drama will be parsed out according to differences in the artistic use of Minangkabau Silekmovements that occur, such as the stylization / styling ofSilekmovements related to tempo, leveling, dynamics, volume of motion and so on, when it is converted to the stage as part of a dance performance or dance drama

Summary

Introduction

The development of performing arts over the past two decades has shown an expansion of understanding about performance itself. This subject can be explored further in the discourse that is unraveled in the book Performance Studies: An Introduction by Richard Schechner (2002). Visual and invisible comprehesion is achieved when watching a performing arts piece, and there is a ‘blurring’ or ‘melting’of the various boundaries across art disciplines, such as the boundary between theater, dance, and music arts. In many cases within performances, especially over the past two decades, the phenomenon that takes place makes it difficult for us to classify what we see according to the conventions across theater, dance, and music standards. The public that Schechner suggests can be understood asthe relation of one individualto someone else, including the form of a relationship between two people who are friends with each other

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