Pencak Silat Dance, Betawi Traditional Dance Jakarta

Pencak Silat or Silat is a traditional Indonesian martial art. The martial arts of Pencak Silat are widespread in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Philippines, Singapore, and southern Thailand according to the spread of the Malay Nusantara tribe. In Indonesia, the role of this martial art is very large in expelling the Dutch in the colonial era.



Each region in Indonesia has its own style of Silat. The popular martial arts in Betawi are Silat Beksi and Silat Sabeni. In Betawi, Silat Beksi is usually used as a silat. As for Silat Sabeni specifically to fight alone, because the movement of the Silat Sabeni flow tends to be fast and also frontal.



Pencak Silat dance cannot be separated from the martial arts of Pencak Silat because the movement and costume in Silat Dance is the result of the Pencak Silat adaptation itself. It is said that Silat is danced and accompanied by music is the effort of the Silat college to trick the Dutch in the colonial period. After previously the martial arts warriors learn in a stealthy way. Because of that time, all types of martial arts are prohibited in Indonesia.



Pencak Silat Dance is classified as not long developed in Betawi. Because during this time Betawi silat players are not too concerned with the development or movement of attention and also watching the enemy. Part of this development in some areas sometimes resembles dance movements.



Unlike the case with martial arts dance in West Java accompanied by a pencak drum, Betawi silat dance accompanied by Gambang Kromong and Rebana Biang. But there are also wearing kendang pencak as in the area Cirendeu and Kayu Manis. However, the kendang Pencak instrument in this Betawi silat dance is only a rhythm carrier only. While in West Java kendang Pencak is functioned as a rhythm at the same time to give emphasis on the movements of the dancers.



In the procession of marriage in Betawi tradition, there is a tradition of "doorstop", which is a Betawi silat demonstration packed into a small play. The event is generally held before the marriage ceremony, which is a small drama that tells the entourage of the groom on the way to the bride's house will be intercepted by the local village champion who is told also put heart to the bride. So there was a silat fight in the middle of the road among the warriors of warriors with the bridesmaids of the brides who of course were won by the groom's bodyguards.



Now the term of pencak silat is slightly shifting in terms of its use. The term "pencak" itself is more meaningful dance, and also silat which refers to the martial art itself.