Sintren Dance, Mystical Dance From Cirebon

Sintren is a traditional dance originating from Cirebon, West Java. Dancers in this sintren art will dance to be possessed by the spirits. This sintren dancer will faint if exposed to the money thrown in the direction of the dancer's body.



With gamelan accompaniment and beautiful clothing, the dancers are usually equipped with modern accessories, such as wearing glasses and ties, so that this sintren dance becomes very exotic and also mysterious. This art is very famous for the north coast of West Java and Central Java, such as Majalengka, Jatibarang, Berebes, Indramayu, Cirebon, Pemalang, Kuningan, Banyumas, and Pekalongan.



Sintren art is famous as a dance with a mystical or magical fragrance that comes from a Sulasih love story with Sulandono. The history of sintren is actually there are several versions, one of which is in the past there was a pair of lovers R Sulandono with Sulasih, they did not get the blessing of both parents R sulandono who at that time was regent of Mataram.



To be able to unite with sulasih, Sulandono then tapa and given a handkerchief, while sulasih must be a dancer in full moon ceremony. When sulasih is dancing, R sulandono then descends from his hermitage and throws a dancing sulasih, then sulasih fainted and entered by spirit, at that moment the body of sulasih is taken away, then they can continue the relationship.



The word sinten itself is built by 2 words, that is si and trends, said si or he and trends or tri which can mean "princess, so its meaning is" he daughter ", actual intention of dancing is not the dancer sintren, a daughter named sulasih, or commonly called R. Ratnamsari.



This Sintren show is played by a girl who is still holy and assisted by a handler accompanied by gending 6 people. In its development, dance sintren today only as a cultural entertainment which is then equipped with accompaniment dancers and also bodor (lawak).

Huda Huda, Traditional Dances From North Sumatra

Huda Huda is a traditional dance originating from Simalungun Regency. This dance is performed only during the death ceremony for the elderly in Kab. Simalungun. The purpose of this dance is to entertain the family that has been abandoned and also as entertainment for the mourners. The development of this dance was originally used only by the royal family, but developed and used by the Simalungan community of various social classes.



The origin of Huda Huda or this masked dance is when the only child of the royal family dies. An empress or mother of the child suffers sadness until the child is not willing to be buried. Day after day the feelings of the empress were unchanged and still gloomy. This news also reached the ears of the people in the kingdom. Society then thinks of a way to entertain the empress so as not to continue to sad.



Nabon or a group of people who often talk at a meeting also created a variety of funny movements and cover his face with the beak of a hornbill and make a mask like a monkey animal. There are also those that make sounds or sounds to accompany the movement. They then danced at the palace grounds. The king also felt interested and very comforted when he saw the dance that is displayed.



Hearing the crowd in the courtyard, the empress was happy and so enjoyed the show. On this occasion, then the King gave orders to bury his son. Since then, this mask dance performance is shown when there is a grieving family.



However, today the appearance of this mask dance is very rarely done by the people of Simalungun and has changed in terms of its function. Not only as a means of entertainment for the bereaved, but also an art of the show for entertainment facilities for the community.