Reog Ponorogo : One of The Many Dance Art in East Java - Ponorogo, East Java

One of the many dance art in East Java, which is still preserved is reog. This art originated from the northwest. Ponorogo regarded as actual reog hometown, so called Reog Ponorogo. One of the Indonesian culture is thick with things mystical, so often identified with the black world, the world of supernatural powers.
Game art reog always accompanied by traditional music or also called gamelan. Music equipment which is usually used as an accompaniment reog is gong, trumpet, drums, ketipung, and shakers.

People usually performed during the event reog circumcisions, weddings, national major holidays, and the annual festival organized by the Regional Government of Ponorogo. The festival consists of the National Reog Festival, Festival Mini Reog National and Performances at the Full Moon held in the square Ponorogo. National Reog Festival is always held every year before the month of Muharram or the Java traidisi called the month of Suro. This show is a series of events Grebeg Suro and Anniversary of Roxburgh.

Grebeg Suro is a cultural event spread in Ponorogo, held in order to meet the Islamic New Year or New Year Saka is often known as the first of Suro. Performances Reog this grand national level so that participants were derived from various regions in Indonesia and even once that comes from abroad. This show became one of the mainstays of local governments Ponorogo in increasing attraction for local and foreign tourists.
Similarly with the Festival Mini Reog national level. All participants are young or adolescent group. They average still he was at primary school or junior high. They are the next generation Reog that seems to grow. The pattern of activity is similar to the National Reog Festival, only different is the participants, in addition to the execution time is in August.

Agenda reog other art performances and not less crowded of visitors is the show Reog Full Moon. This performance is routinely carried out to coincide with the full moon night bulam. Participants of this stage is the local groups are represented by sub-districts - districts. This stage is usually accompanied by dance performances filmed some of the art studio in ponorogo or other arts.

Staging Reog Ponorogo
Art Reog Ponorogo consist of a series of two to three opening dance. Six to eight brave men with black clothes and faces painted red color brought her first dance. The dancers depict the brave lion. The next six to eight girls who ride horses continue reog dance. In reog Traditionally, these dancers are usually played by male dancers dressed women. Typically, as the opening dance, dance brought some small children with a variety of funny scenes. This dance is called Single Ganong or Ganongan.
After they performed the opening dance, core scene contents displayed depend on the condition in which art reog displayed. If dealing with marriage, they show love scene. When the circumcision ceremony, usually warrior story.

The art scene reog usually do not follow a neat scenario. Here there is always an interaction between the player and the mastermind, sometimes with the audience. Sometimes when a player who is performing fatigue can be replaced by another. Which is more important in art staging reog is to give satisfaction to the audience. The final scene is a lion barong. Players wear a mask-shaped head of a lion with a crown made of peacock feathers. Weight mask can reach 50-60 kg. They carry the mask with his teeth. The ability to bring this mask other than obtained with rigorous training, is also believed to be obtained by spiritual exercises such as fasting and penance.

Origin Reog
Although there are many different versions of the origin related reog, but the story of the most popular and growing in the community is the story of the rebellion of the servant in the kingdom of Majapahit kingdom last Bhre Kertabhumi named Ki Ageng lice Suryonggalan. Bhre Kertabhumi a ruling king of Majapahit in the 15th century.
The king is very corrupt and never fulfill obligations like a king, thus making Ki Ageng lice to the king's wrath. Especially against the Chinese empress that has a strong influence on the kingdom. Not only that, fellow Chinese empress who manage the over all his movements. Ki Ageng lice look, the Kingdom of Majapahit will end. Then he left the king and establish universities that teach martial arts, the science of self-mortification, and the perfection of science to young children. Hopefully, young people will be the seeds of revival Majapahit kingdom back. Sukur-sukur can take the fight against the kingdom.
However, Ki Ageng lice realize, that his army was too small to fight against the royal troops. Therefore, Ki Ageng lice can only convey a message through the performing arts and sindirian Reog. Performances Reog into how Ki Ageng lice build local community resistance using Reog popularity. Reog art used by Ki Ageng lice as a means of mobilizing the masses to fight against the empire. The most important thing is sebagao effective communication channels for the authorities at that time to tease him.
In the show, displayed in the form of a lion's head mask, known as \\\ "\\\ lion barong". Then the king of the jungle-shaped mask, which became a symbol for Kertabhumi. Thereon plugged peacock feathers to resemble a giant fan that symbolizes the strong influence of his Chinese colleagues. Jatilan, played by a group of dancers gemblak riding piggyback become a symbol of the power of the kingdom of Majapahit troops. It became a contrast ratio with the power Warok, behind the red clown mask becomes symbol for Ki Ageng lice. Jathilan is a dance that describes the dexterity hussar who was practicing on horseback. Characters called Jathil. While Warok are people who have a holy determination, provide guidance and protection unconditionally.

Reog popularity Ki Ageng lice eventually cause Bhre Kertabhumi take action and attack perguruannya. Rebellion by Warok quickly resolved, and universities will be forbidden to continue teaching Warok. However, students still continue Ki Ageng ticks quietly. Even so, Reog itself is still allowed to be staged since the show has become popular among the public, but the story has a new groove in which the added characters from folklore that Kelono Sewandono Ponorogo, Goddess Songgolangit, and Sri Genthayu.
The official version Reog Ponorogo storyline now is the story of King Ponorogo who intend applying daughter Kediri, Dewi Ragin Yellow However, on the way he was intercepted by King Singabarong of Kediri. King Singabarong forces consisted of peacocks and lions, while the King of the Kingdom of Ponorogo Kelono and Deputy Bujang Anom, escorted by Warok (men dressed in black in the dance), and this Warok have deadly black magic. The whole dance is a dance battle between Kediri Kingdom and the Kingdom of Ponorogo, and pitted black magic between them, the dancers in a state \\\ "\\\ possessed" when performed dances.

Other versions of the origin is a story about a trip Reog King Kelana Sewandana looking for her hero. The King was accompanied by horsemen and faithful patihnya named Pujangganong. The prabu find his idol, he fell Hatu to Kediri daughter named Dewi Sanggalangit. This Kediri daughter would receive King Kelana origin with one condition, the prabu should be able to create a new art. The art was created, known as reog by including elements of mystical spiritual power, so that gives breath to Reog Ponorogo.


Until now people Ponorogo just follow the legacy of their ancestors as a very rich cultural heritage. In his experience Reog Art is a human creations copyright formed their belief is that there are hereditary and awake. The ceremony was using terms that are not easy for the layman to fulfill the absence of a clear lineage. they embrace Parental lineage and customary law still applies.
However, times change and human behavior causes a shift in the meaning contained in Reog Ponorogo. Current Ponorogo society considers art reog is the complement of an event or just be an amusement only. For example pementaasan reog contested on certain events to enliven the event, one of the race in the festival.