This dance-drama is a marvelous visualization of legendary epos in
Javanese culture, Ramayana. Performed in an open stage, Ramayana ballet
invites you to enjoy the story in a set of typical Javanese dance
accompanied by gamelan music. Ramayana ballet is an art performance that is so beautiful, admiring and it is difficult to compare. This performance is able to unite various Javanese arts such as dance, drama and music on one stage and one momentum to present the Ramayana story, a legendary epos written by Walmiki in Sanskrit language. Ramayana story presented in this performance is similar to that engraved on Prambanan temple. As people tell, Ramayana story that is engraved on the most beautiful Hindu temple is similar to the story in oral tradition in India. The long and straining story is summarized in four scenes, namely the kidnapping of Shinta, Anoman's mission to Alengka, the death of Kumbakarna or Rahwana, and the meeting of Rama-Shinta.
The entire story is presented in a series of dance movements done by
beautiful dancers accompanied by gamelan music. You are invited to
really plunge into the story and observe each movement of the dancers to
know the coarse of the story. There is no dialog among the dancers. The
only storyteller is the sinden or the female singer who describes the coarse of the story through Javanes songs with her typical voice. The story begins when Prabu Janaka held a contest to
determine the would-be husband for Shinta, his daughter that finally was
won by Rama Wijaya. The scene is continued with the adventure of Rama,
Shinta and Rama's younger brother named Laksamana in Dandaka forest.
There, they met Rawana that was eager to posses Shinta since she was
considered the reincarnation of goddess Widowati, a woman that he had
been seeking for long. In order to attract Shinta's attention, Rahwana changed one
of his followers named Marica into a deer. The effort was successful
when Shinta was attracted and asked Rama to chase the deer. When Rama
did not show up after a while, Laksmana went to find Rama and left
Shinta herself by protecting her with a magic circle around her in order
that nobody would be able to kidnap her, including Rahwana. The
protection failed to keep Shinta in the place since Rahwana succeeded in
kidnapping her by changing himself into Durna character.
At the end of the story, Hanoman, the white, powerful monkey
succeeded in taking Shinta from Rahwana. When she returned, however,
Rama did not trust her anymore. He considered Shinta disgraced. In order
to prove her virginity and holiness, Shinta was asked to burn herself.
Shinta proved her holiness when she was not burned at all even she
became more beautiful. Finally, Rama accepted her as his wife. You will not be disappointed to see this excellent
performance. They do not only prepare the dance and music, but also the
lighting that is set in such a way to be able to describe certain events
in that story. The make up of the dancers does not only make them
beautiful but it is capable of describing the characters they perform so
that spectators easily know the characters even though there is no
dialog.
There are two places in Yogyarta where Ramayana ballet is
performed. First, in Purawisata Yogyarta that is located on Jalan
Brigjen Katamso, to the east of Yogyakarta Kingdom. In the place that
was recorded in Indonesian Record Museum in 2002 for performing Ramayana
ballet for 25 years. The other place to see the ballet is the open
stage and Trimurti closed-stage in the complex of Prambanan temple.
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