Suwitri, Tari Endel
Visible wrinkles on the skin of the face and hands of Suwitri, 63 year old woman from the village of Slarang Lor, district of Dukuhwaru, Tegal regency, Central Java. However, Savitri, so local people mention her name, is still agile and nimble in daily activity. Suwitri remain flexible to play the hand movements of the endel dance mask, who since the age of seven had she wrestled. Movement fractures in her neck was still lithe at the same time firmly despite being no longer young. Suwitri is the oldest endel masked dancers whose still active dancing in a number of places in Tegal regency. She inherited the ability to dance from her late grandmother, Warmi, also her late mother, Waryu, who died a year ago. Mother of seven children (four of whom died) is a self-taught dance lessons. She saw firsthand of the dancing movements while grandmother and mother are dancing. Initially Suwitri learn without using a mask. Only until the age of eight, she began to dance using the mask with his mother.
For Suwitri, dancing is part of the breath of her life. As long as the body is still strong for dancing, her fate was determined to continue the portray of life as an endel mask dancer. Although from dancing, she did not get an abundance of material, Suwitri has no doubt to love it. Remain loyal for years as a dancer mask, Suwitri live in modest homes, cement plaster floors, walls and face to face with other people's homes. In the middle, at the door of the house was plastered stickers 'Poor Households Receiving BLT' (BLT = direct cash assistance from the goverment). To connect her life, since more than 10 years ago Suwitri selling porridge every morning. She lived alone in the house since her husband, Suharjo, died 15 years ago. Suharjo formerly worked as a puppeteer of wayang golek (a kind of puppets) and wayang orang (a person who costume puppet). Three childrens, Sri Purwanti, Gatot Sismoro, and Rismanto, already live independently. Sri Purwanti whose house was located next door to Suwitri seems to follow her mother's footsteps as a dancer mask.
Independent Dancers
When met at her house some time ago, Suwitri just got back from shopping vegetables to sell porridge preparation for tomorrow. She then talked about early in the course of her life as a dancer. Suwitri still remember well how for the first time she had to dance in public at the Chinese New Year. At that time, at the age of seven, she accompanied her mother to dance. She waddle beside the mother, who was still active as a dancer mask. Until the age of 30, Suwitri still dancing as a companion of her mother who became principal dancer. Only after her mother was tired and decided to stop dancing, she became an independent dancer. Suwitri appear from one stage to another stage.
Her journey as a dancer is not easy. Some failures are actually considered by her as a funny experience that she had ever experienced. One was when she was eight years old and first time using a mask dance. At the time, like most children, most of the teeth were toothless. In fact, masks are used for dancing should be bitten in order to stick to the face. However, because Suwitri was missing teeth, she could not nibble the mask with a strong bite. The mask that she wore fell and split open. For her, not as easy to dance mask dance without mask. A mask dancer should concentrate on two things, namely mask worn and dance movements. "If dancing vacancies (without mask), no grip movement. But, if we dance mask, there are sequences of movement," she said then.
From the 12 types of dance masks, she mastered six of them, namely endel mask dance, kresna mask, panji mask, punggawa mask, lanyapan alus mask, and kelana mask or minakjingga. Endel dance mask become a dance that be favored by many people and until now the traditional dance icon Tegal region. Endel dance mask depict flirtatious women who love to waddle. Dance movements 'seductive'. Endel mask dance usually displayed as a dance to welcome guest on the show's official. There are also other mask dances, but its tend to display the elements of valor.
Appreciation
While still young, Suwitri active dancing at various events. She did not just appear in Tegal, but also to Jakarta, Semarang, and other big cities in Java. She meets the demand for dancing on various occasions, ranging from invitor that will fulfill their vows, such as votive because they have managed to marry off a child or for children recovering from illness. She also performed with the dancers' mask from other regions, including Cirebon mask dancers. Suwitri also taught dance to anyone who wants to learn to dance mask, although she does not have her own studio. Usually the students to come and practice at home. No definite timetable, whenever they came in and she was relieved, the exercise was held. There was no defined contribution, as a token of gratitude, the students like to give her food.
She could not remember how many students are already taught to dance mask. Besides her daughter, Sri Purwanti, there are two students whom she considered can perform independently. Compared with her youth, she rarely appeared lately dancing. Even so, says Suwitri, her soul still dancing with her daily activities. Therefore, whenever should be appear at any time, she always ready. Loyalty and love for the endel dance mask make Suwitri awarded. Aside from being a figure maestro dancer typical Tegal regency in 2010, she also received awards from the Regent of Tegal for service and dedication to preserve and develop the distinctive endel mask typical dance from Tegal. Previously, she received an award from the Ministry of Education and Culture of Central Java as a preserver of culture.
However, not all the accolades it Suwitri continue dancing, but because dance is her soul. Although to be selling porridge for a living, real life is for her to dance. For about 56 years have proven Suwitri love, loyalty, and the totality in endel mask dance. Loyalty which led to an unconditional dedication.
Suwitri
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