SENI PERTUNJUKAN WAYANG TOPENG GAYA YOGYAKARTA

Abstract

Wayang Topeng Pedalangan is one of the links in the chain of history of the performing arts in Java and is believed to have been in existence since the 7th century. The art of
topeng Panji, or the Panji masked dance, first emerged after the appearance of the Panji stories in
the middle of the 13th century during the era of the Singasari Dynasty. During the era of the
Demak Dynasty, in the 15th century, topeng Panji was developed by a number of religious leaders,
including Sunan Kalijaga. The 16th century marked the beginning of the masked dance being
preserved and developed by traditional puppet masters, or dalang, and their relatives. These dalang
passed on the art of topeng from generation to generation through their network of relatives who
are referred to as Trah Dalang. The role and function of the dalang is connected with the style of
the performance which is known as Pedalangan style. The influence of the dalang in topeng
Panji is still evident today in the areas of Yogyakarta, Klaten, Malang, and Cirebon, each of which
is of course adapted to suit its own regional style. Around the middle of the 20th century, the art
of topeng pedalangan was revived and reinterpreted by Krida Beksa Wirama to become a classical
version of topeng in Yogyakarta style. A number of refinements were made to the techniques and
form of the dance which adopted the style of classical Yogyakarta dance. Over time, and with the
growth of various dance groups which performed classical Yogyakarta style dance, such as Yayasan
Siswa Among Beksa, Mardawa Budaya, Pamulangan Beksa Ngayogyakarta, and Suryokencana,
the classical style of masked dance was perfected by the artists of Yogyakarta.
Keywords: Topeng, Dalang, Classical.