The Expression of Emotion in Court Dances of Yogjakarta

Abstract

When viewing Javanese dance for the first time, one may wonder about the fixed expressions of the faces, and may also find it difficult to decipher particular events in the story because of the lack of cues from changes in expression. In many dances, the dancer's expression is a soft smile, with eyes relaxed, unmoving and lids slightly lowered. He assumes this expression before he enters the place in which he is performing, and maintains it throughout the dance. This practice is in marked contrast to another non-European classical dance form, Bharata Natyam of India (which has influenced Javanese dance to some extent) in which the dancer is trained to make strong facial and eye movements to express emotions such as fear, serenity and anger. In a discussion at the International Ramayana Festival in 1971, a noted South Indian dancer, Rukmini Devi, remarked that there is no way to express emotion except through the face. This is certainly true in Indian dance forms such as Bharata Natyam, Kathak, and Kathakali. Yogjanese practice also contrasts with classical European Ballet, in which the dancer has to express much of the story in mime, and with changing facial expression.