Art and culture galleries in Palangkaraya are easy to find. When arriving at Tjilik Riwut airport, the beauty of sackcloth music welcomes you. Not infrequently, dancers welcome those who arrive in this "Beautiful City."
By
DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO
·5 minutes read
ARSIP PRIBADI
Tris Sofia Wartina
Galleries indeed stretch out in this city. Whatever the occasion, whether official or unofficial, traditional dance and music accompanies it, starting from welcoming state officials, inaugurating venues, inaugurating positions and weddings, to family celebrations, dances are also presented.
There are at least 45 art and culture communities, institutions or communities registered with the Palangkaraya Arts Council, in Palangkaraya, which are dominated by dance and music galleries. However, there are dozens of other galleries that have not been registered.
Once out of the airport, it only takes 15 minutes to go to the nearest gallery. There is the Betang Batarung Gallery belonging to Tris Sofia Wartina (37), whose address can be found on smartphones.
The gallery, founded 14 years ago, is not far from the road, seen by a sign with a height of 2 meters standing.
On Sunday (20/11/2022) afternoon, Tris, who is heavily pregnant, came to the gallery to supervise several children aged 12-14 years in dance practice. She, assisted by another young trainer from Lampung, carefully examined the dancers' sway.
The most interesting thing is practicing expressions. Expressions in traditional Dayak dances are no less important. Sometimes the expressions shown by the children change quickly accompanied by music.
As the music hit the high notes, their expressions turned serious; their eyes were sharp, their mouths closed and their hands clenched into fists. They moved again in a circle, spread their arms like a bird's flutter and even screamed like a bird.
Expressions immediately changed when the melodious music filled the gallery, which is wide enough to be filled with 30 people. The gurgling sound of flowing river water colored the music, expressions changed. They smiled happily.
DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO
The Last Jungle Dance at an Arts and Culture Show in Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, Friday (17/1/2020).
It can be imagined, when such a serious training process is revealed during a performance, the emotions of the audience are carried by the dancers.
“Dancing is not just movement, but also self-expression. Expressions also need polishing,” said Tris.
Training is a long process in dancing, including makeup. Makeup can really determine the expression anyone wants in dancing. The studio also helps the students to make themselves beautiful. They learn to polish their face and body.
When they perform, their makeup can be very visible. Not only on the face, on the hands and feet their makeup is also visible. To cover tattoos, they use skin-friendly color paint to draw typical Dayak patterns. Usually tribal patterns or images of trees, leaves, roots, shields and more.
Makeup in dancing is not just makeup. Wisdariman (67), one of the art activists who opened the first studio in Palangkaraya City, believes makeup gives art a performance that can be enjoyed.
However, makeup is not the only thing that matters in dancing. Understanding the value contained in dance movements is also important.
Busy
Not many young people know Wisdariman. He lives on the outskirts of Palangkaraya, about 20 kilometers from the big roundabout in the city center. He is now more busy on the farm, planting vegetables, sowing endemic tree seeds and tapping rubber. However, the founder of the Manggatang Janang gallery in 1980 still teaches dance to transmigrant children in his village.
Planting various kinds of plants, ranging from perennials to local food crops, has become Wisdariman's activity. For him, the meaning of the various makeup on the dancer's body describes the natural atmosphere of the Dayak village which is abundant in plants.
"There is no movement in the Dayak dance that is not related to nature," he said.
KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO
Dancers from various studios performed their attractions at the Isen Mulang Cultural Festival in Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, in May 2022. Hundreds of studios from all over Central Kalimantan competed in the event.
Live galleries also enliven Kota Cantik, the nickname of Palangkaraya. Cantik (Beauty) is an abbreviation of the slogan “Terencana, Aman, Nyaman, Tertib, Indah dan Keterbukaan (planned, safe, comfortable, orderly, beautiful and open).
Benn Aurel, owner of Sanggar Marajaki, sees the gallery as not just a home for dancers, but also a creative home. Galleries are also a business because they are included in the creative industry category.
“One of the creative industries in this city is the performing arts, such as dance and music. Our human resources and achievements are not inferior to those outside," said Benn.
Benn assessed that the creative arts industry is a magnet for Palangkaraya tourism development that relies on nature. In this way, the gallery can help boost the regional economy.
"There is a multiplier effect so that they impact one another," said Benn.
One of the creative industries in this city is the performing arts, such as dance and music.
He also said cultural factors do not only focus on the existence of business endeavors, such as weddings and ceremonies. The opportunity to develop a gallery beyond just opening ceremonies is huge.
Moreover, Palangkaraya’s economic growth in 2021 was at 4.32 percent. Palangkaraya's total revenue has exceeded Rp 1.07 trillion, with balancing funds supporting the development of the area, namely 86 percent of the total revenue.
By exploiting the existing potential, dance galleries have the potential to make Palangkaraya's soul even more beautiful.
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