Legong Sri Sedana composed by Guruh Soekarno Putra 2007 in Peliatan Village Ubud Bali
Legong Sri Sedana (2007)

Legong Sri Sedana, a new Legong creation in Peliatan style
The works of Guruh Soekarno Putra
Performed for the first time in an event “MENGENANG SANG GURU”
Wednesday, August 28, 2007 in Open Stage Ancak Saji, Peliatan Palace, Puri Agung Peliatan Ubud Bali.

Legong Sri Sedana, danced by three dancers as the main dancers, consists of two Legong dancers of each role as Goddess Sri and God Sedana, and one as the Condong (maid servant). In addition to these three main dancers also accompanied nine dancers who acted as Biduanda Kedewan (servants of the king, the royal tool carrier – in this dance they carried the offerings). Legong Sri Sedana was performed in a series of performance events MENGENANG SANG GURU (A Tribute to Anak Agung Gde Mandera and Gusti Made Sengog).

This event featured classical dances and instrumentals as well as some new creations, the works of the pupils as a form of expression of respect, affection, and gratitude to all those who have knowledge and experience that they get from these two Master Teachers (Anak Agung Mandera and Gusti Made Sengog) through a process of learning and performance in the past.

In addition to performing the works of students, a Photo Exhibition and Book Launch for “Dari Peliatan Menggetarkan Dunia” were held. This book, describing the careers of Anak Agung Gde Mandera and Gusti Made Sengog, was written by Guruh Soekarno Putra, Anak Agung Oka Dalem, and Bulantrisna Djelantik. They were assisted by collaborators in Jakarta — Alberthiene Endah, Arif Wilopo, and Siti Rahmah — and in Bali — Dewa Putu Santika, Gai Littler and Kadek Ferry.

Legong Sri Sedana, a symbol of blessing and prosperity, describing the Goddess Sri with her brother God Sedana, down from heaven to marcapada (the earth) to provide a prosperity and fertility of crops, especially rice to humans, and bless every of their effort (agrarian).

Legong Sri Sedana lasted almost an hour. Same as in the classic Legong this Legong consist of some parts. They were the Pepeson, the Pengawak, the pengecet, the Pengipuk and the Pekaad. In the performance, its appearance was so beautiful, made the audiences amazed, so thrilling! The Legong Sri Sedana performance was started with pounding rice activity by a group of Balinese woman with traditional tools the Lesung, which brings us back to the past Balinese atmosphere with a variety of agrarian culture possessed. Part of the dance begins with the appearance of a Condong. The Condong invited Ida Betara – in this case Legong Dancer Sri and Sedana to come down to the earth and bless all people, with accompaniment of gamelan Semara Pegulingan Tirta Sari. But before this, first appeared nine Biduanda Kedewan Dancers (carrier offerings), dancing with ritual worship songs “Sri Pakeling / Sri Sedana“.

Tari Legong Sri Sedana, Peliatan
Legong Sri Sedana (2007)

One month before the performance, when Guruh Soekarno Putra (we often call him “Mas Guruh”) composed the song “Sri Pakeling / Sri Sedana”, he contacted me, with Oka Dalem, to join created this song. He asked me to bring a musical instrument Keyboard that I have. At that time, it was 8 pm, first I was a bit wondering why bring Keyboard to make Legong dance. Arriving at Kompleks Puri Guruh Sindang Paridesa (Balerung), his house in Peliatan, with my Keyboard, Mas Guruh played an accompaniment / melody of classical Javanese song basis, and I was asked to follow his playing. Once I played it, Mas Guruh straight danced, sang and wrote the script with Oka Dalem. Repeated over and over again, occasionally silent pauses, sang again, silence again, until he felt happy with the song. I heard this song was so beautiful, and calming atmosphere. Very thrilling!! Unconsciously, it was already at 4 am.

Amazed!! That’s how I felt at the time. Mas Guruh so animated the song and gave a sense of which he passed every step in the making of this song. In some conversation at the time, Mas Guruh talked about his journey in to the art of Bali, how he came to meet the Maestro Anak Agung Mandera since the 1960s, and to learned Balinese dance and gamelan to the other great teachers, like I Made Gerindem, Ni Ketut Reneng, I Nyoman Kakul, I Wayan Diya, and I Wayan Rindi.

Wow, I’ve been talking too much,,, let’s talk back to the performance. After the Biduanda danced and put the offerings, then the Condong “invited” (Memendak Nedunang) by saying Sendon. Then from the other side of the stage appeared accompaniment consists of a parade, nine people carried red rice, white rice, and yellow rice, nine people carried clothing (batik, prada, songket), some others carried Bebandrangan (umbrellas, flags, spears), also carried Gebogan, and the bearers a Joli (tower) above sitting two Legong dancers, with beautiful makeup and costumes, “Goddees Sri and God Sedana”. This parade accompanied with BaleganjurKodok Ngorek,” a traditional song adapted from Java (Yogyakarta), by Genta Bhuana Sari musicians.

The procession arrived at the main stage in full of blessings. Next came the show of a group of Balinese woman with traditional tools the Lesung. Then Tirta sari sounded their gamelan Semara Pegulingan, the Goddess Sri and God Sedana down danced. As like structure of the Legong dance, next performed the part of Bapang, Pengawak, Pengipuk, and ended with Pekaad (Mesineb) . In this Mesineb part, all dancers returned to the parade and left the stage.

Tari Legong Sri Sedana, Peliatan
Legong Sri Sedana

The preparation of this work was not that long. Mas Guruh said, although he created this Legong Sri Sedana in July 2007, but the idea was already existed since the 1980s. The music composition of the songs (gending) were based on the songs that already existed. They were “Bubuy Bulan” from the Pasundan, West Java, his pop song “Puspa Indah Taman Hati” to the accompaniment of Pengawak and the song “Lenggang Kangkung,” a traditional song of Betawi, Jakarta, to the accompaniment of Pengipuk. These songs were very beautiful to hear, and well transformed into a gamelan Semara Pegulingan to be accompaniment of Legong Sri Sedana by I Wayan Darya.

This dance choreographed by Sukarno Putra and Oka Dalem adapted from Lasem Legong dance movements, Rejang dance, Javanese dance (Bedoyo, Serimpi), Malay (Makyong) as well as dance movements that found on Hindu-Buddhist temple relief (Sriwijaya era , ancient Mataram, Majapahit).

Tari Legong Sri Sedana, Peliatan
Guruh Soekarno Putra, Oka Dalem, Dancers (Condong and Biduanda Dancers)

Legong Sri Sedana was a masterpiece. Through this dance Mas Guruh reminded people of Bali to not to leave the agrarian culture, and be always thankful and preserve the natural environment of Bali.

“Modernitas secanggih apapun juga tak akan berdiri kokoh jika tidak dilandasi prinsip yang berlandaskan berdasarkan moral dan spiritual. Seni, akan selalu menyadarkan kita tentang nilai-nilai hidup yang luhur” (Guruh Soekarno Putra)

Thank You My Indonesia!

Merdeka!

with Guruh Soekarno Putra and m
f (kadek ferry), Mas Guruh Soekarno Putra, m (mayumi inouye)
MENGENANG SANG GURU, 2007 at Peliatan

Photo Doc. MENGENANG SANG GURU 2007