Dharma Gita Santhi Gamelan and Dance Studio representing the art envoy of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province at the 44^th Bali Arts Festival (BAF) performed the Trunajaya Dance of Lombok’s typical style which has become extinct or has never been danced in Bali. “We want to show something unique, not mediocre. Those who have been buried for a long time, we will resurrect them,” said I Gede Yudarta, the Coordinator of the Darma Gita Shanti Gamelan dan Dance Studio at the Bali Art Center, Denpasar, on Friday night (Jul 8).

Yudarta, who is also a lecturer at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts Denpasar, added that the Trunajaya Dance, which is often called the Trunajaya Karang Kubu Dance, was last performed by Pangkung Gamelan Troupe, Tabanan, Bali, when it was performed in Los Angeles 1960s. “People in NTB call it Trunajaya Dance of Lombok’s typical style, even though it comes from Bali, but it is preserved in Lombok. It was known that in the 1960s Lombok had been developed in the Karang Kubu area. But in Bali, this dance is no longer performed,” he said.

Trunajaya Dance is one of the kekebyaran dances that represents the movements of a young man who is growing up, very energetic, dynamic, and captivating. The Trunajaya Dance of Karang Kubu was developed in the Karang Kubu area by I Likes (from Bali) in the 1960s and had experienced a long hiatus.

Furthermore, in 2012 under the guidance of the dancer Ni Kadek Wirthi and Mangku Made Musti (gamelan musician), the dance was successfully reconstructed by students of the Indonesia Institute of the Arts Denpasar when taking field work lectures in Mataram City.

Meanwhile, I Dewa Putu Kresna Ariawan, admitted that he was proud to be able to perform the Trunajaya Dance as a result of the reconstruction. “I am happy to be able to re-learn Balinese dance, regarding its knowledge, movements, and principles,” said this alumnus of the ISI Denpasar.

To appear at BAF, Dewa Kresna practiced for three months, starting from learning dance moves to mixing with the gamelan musicians. In addition to performing the Trunajaya Dance of Karang Kubu, supported by eight dancers and 33 musicians, the art envoy from the Tohpati Hamlet, Cakranegara Village, NTB Province, also performed the Gadung Kasturi Dance. Gadung Kasturi Dance, is one of the new dance creations created in 2003 by Balinese artist Suasthi Widjaja Bandem.

The dance performed by the female dancers expresses the beauty of their feelings through a sprinkling of graceful and expressive dance movements. Next, the Kebyar Duduk Dance, created by I Ketut Mario from Tabanan, Bali, depicts the skills of a young man who dances swiftly in a sitting position to the rhythm of the gamelan.

Related to the theme of the Bali Arts Festival, this art envoy from NTB brought a gamelan creation of the pepanggulan entitled Segara Anak. Segara Anak is a lake in the crater of Mount Rinjani, NTB. The name Segara Anak means “child of the sea” in the Sasak language. The lake has two hot springs, namely Aik Kalak and Goa Susu.

The hot springs are believed to be able to treat various skin diseases. In addition to being able to treat skin diseases, there are also many uses of hot water that have been trusted as a means of ceremony by the local community. The above phenomenon is one of the sources of inspiration that will be actualized into a form of gamelan composition created in the style of Segara Anak. (BTN/015)