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Dance Summary

The Kanoman court-bedaya different from the Surakarta and Yogyakarta bedaya. Dr, Buddingh says further that the bedaya in the palace of Kanoman was also called sinding, which comes from the word sinden, a Javanese word, meaning "to sing". Bedaya in the Kanoman palace in Cirebon was also called sinding because the bedaya dancers sang as they danced.

accordance with the taste and spirit of modern Indonesia, and most of the modern dances are functional dances describing the daily life of the Sundanese people.

CLASSICAL SUNDANESS DANCES

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The most popular classical Sundanese dances are the Topeng Rahwana. Dance, the Koncaran Dance, the Anjasmara Dance, the Samba Dance, the Kendit Birayung Dance the Kandagan Dance ,and the Relati Dance.

THE TOPENG RAHWANA DANCE

The Topeng Rahwana Dance is a solo-dance of the strong type which can be danced by either a man or a woman. It is a masked dance describing a giant king from the kingdom of Alengka, Rahwana, who has fallen in love with Dewi Sinta the wife of Rama, hero of the Ramayana. At the beginning of the dance Rahwana does not use a mask; his dance movements are refined, because he is still trying to win Sinta's heart. He brings the giant mask with him wrapped in a cloth. When he puts on the mask, he starts to dance wildly, revealing that he is a giant.

THE XONCARAN DANCE

This is a solo-dance and is usually danced by a woman. It portrays the important figures of the Damarwulan story (see langen driya): Anjasmara, Layang Seta and Layang Kumitir, and Menakjingga. In the first stage, the dancer dances Anjasmara waiting for her lover, Damarwl6n, who has been sent by the* queen of Majapahit, Kencana Wungu or Prabu Kenya, to kill the rebel, adipati (regent) of Blambangan Menakjingga. The dance combines both refined and strong movements. This dance completed the second stage begins and the dancer plays Layang Seta and Layang Kumitir, the twins, brothers to Anjasmara, making their appearance before the queen, pretending that they are the ones who have succeeded in killing Menakjingga. In this stage the dance is ' full of display. In last stage the part of Menakjingga is danced, and the mask is worn. The -movements of the Menakjingga dance are unrefined and wild, in keeping with the nature of the vassal of Blambangan who is madly in love with Ratu Kencana, Wungu.

THE ANJASMARA DANCE

The Anjasmara Dance is a female solo-dance showing Anjasmara dressing herself up before she meets her lover Damarwulan. She combs her hair, powders her face, arranges her eye-brows, puts on her earrings, looks in the mirror, and so on.

THE SAMBA DANCE

This dance, describing Samba, a warrior from the Mahabharata, is a solo-dance and can be danced by either a woman or a man. Samba, Kresna's son, is preparing himself to go to the battle-field to fight Sateja. The dance is refined, yet dynamic.

THE KENDIT BIRAYUNG DANCE

This is a solo-dance describing a crab king called Kendit Birayung. It is always danced by a man. The story is as follows.
Seven beautiful girls are on their way to the home of a widow, who has a grown-up son, known to be handsome and of good character. In the Javanese story, the young man's name is Ande-Ande Lumut. Of the seven girls the youngest is no-, dressed up and is the least beautiful. On their journey they arrive at a large river; they sadly realize that they will be unable to cross. Suddenly there emerges from the depths of the river a crab king called Kendit Birayung (in the Javanese story, Yuyu Kangkang). Kendit Birayung is willing to carry them across the river if they will give him a kiss. All agree