HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015), 107-112 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: 10.15294/harmonia.v15i2.4557 p-ISSN 1411-5115 e-ISSN 2355-3820 TAKSU AND PANGUS AS AN AESTHETIC CONCEPT ENTITY OF BALI DANCE (A Case Study of Topeng Tua Dance) I Nengah Mariasa Department of Drama, Dance, and Music, State University of Surabaya Lidah Wetan Surabaya, Surabaya 61177, Indonesia E-mail: mariasainengah@gmail.com Received: November 28, 2015. Revised: November 30, 2015. Accepted: December 4, 2015 Abstract There are two types of topeng drama performance (topeng is Bahasa Indonesia for mask) in Bali, Topeng Pajegan and Topeng Panca. Topeng Pajegan is a masked drama performance that is danced by a dancer by playing various tapel, while Topeng Panca is danced by five dancers. Generally, there are three or four stages on topeng performance, i.e. panglembar, petangkilan, bebondresan, and/or pesiat. On panglembar stage, there is one dance represented the character of old people. The dance is then known as Topeng Tua (Old Mask). The costume, tapel, as well as hair worn by the dancer have been considered as one of the precious or noble artworks. The question comes up here, is the aesthetics of topeng only depended on its high aesthetic value costume and tapel? Topeng Tua performance technique is considerably not easy to be done by a beginner dancer. On the other words, it implicitly tells that the aesthetics of the dance depends closely to the dancers’ techniques. A good Topeng Tua dancer will be able to dance by using the technique of ngigelang topeng. Furthermore, the beauty of Topeng Tua does not only lay on its splendor artworks on the costume, tapel, and hair colour, but more to the ability of the dancers’ movement technique that successfully shows the beauty of taksu and pangus. Keywords: taksu; pangus; ngigelang topeng; Topeng Tua How to Cite: Mariasa, I. (2015). Taksu and Pangus As An Aesthetic Concept Entity of Bali Dance (A Case Study of Topeng Tua Dance). Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education, 15(2), 107-112 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/ harmonia.v15i2.4557 INTRODUCTION Topeng in Bali dance is a dance per- formance that tells about dialogues and songs. All dancers are required to wear a realist tapel with one special costume that can be used to dance various different ro- les. The word “tapel” has a similar meaning to “topeng” in Java and “mask” in English. It is a face cover used in several Yogyakar- ta and Surakarta dances. Here, if a topeng dancer plays four roles, he does not need to change his costume, but his mask and head costume equipment only. Two types of topeng are normally used here, Topeng Pajegan and Topeng Pan- ca (Bandem, 1983, p. 140). Topeng Pajegan is a dance performance that is done by a dancer by playing or moving various tapel based on the roles. Topeng Pajegan itself is also known as topeng wali because it is usu- ally used in religious ceremony. The latter, that is topeng panca, is the developed versi- on of Topeng Pajegan. It has more functions than the initial version. If the initial model is danced by one dancer, the latter is dan- ced by five dancers, and so does with its other functions (Bandem and Rembang, 1976, pp. 11-13). Topeng dance performance is gene- 107 108 HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015): 107-112 rally devided into three or four stages, i.e. panglembar, petangkilan,bebondresan, and/ or pesiat. Panglembar is the opening stage of topeng dance that is consisted of one to three dances. It is the stage where the mee- ting between the kingdom servants and their king is occurred, while, bebondresan is the performance of topeng roles that tend to be funny or comedy. The last stage is pesi- at. It performes war. However, it is rarely performed now. In the stage of panglembar, there is a dance that shows the character of an old man. The dance is known by Topeng Tua. Topeng Tua uses mask with a white-hair- head and an old face on the mask. The ta- pel and costume of Topeng tua have been recognized as two noble artworks. Questi- ons then can be derived from this pheno- menon. Is the aesthetics of topeng dance only depended on the high valued costu- me and tapel? It is said that the magnetism of a dance depends closely to several aest- hetic aspects. What are the aspects affected Topeng Tua dance that makes this dance is attracted for the audiences? METHOD The material object of this study is a Topeng Tua performance that is done by different dancers. The difference between dancers is shown in their level of ability in doing the dance technique up to the le- vel of taksu. This is adjusted with the topic about aesthetics in Bali dance that becomes the formal objects of the research. Data collected in this study is desc- riptive in a form of Topeng Tua performan- ce recording and analyzed words using qualitative method. This study is emplo- ying two disciplinary approaches, ethno- choreology as well as aesthetics. As a pa- radigm, ethnochoreology employs basic assumptions, models, concepts, research methods, analytical methods, and analysis results (Ahimsa, 2007, p. 105). One if its as- sumption is that human wants to express themselves through dances that have cer- tain functions and purposes. The study is located not only in one particular area, but spread in seve- ral performance areas. Data are collected by using observation, interview, as well as documentation study techniques. The three observation techniques employed to complement each other. While observation and documentation study are emphasized to study the form and technique of the per- formance, interview is used here to under- stand the theories and its application in the performance. Data and facts that have been col- lected are then analysed. The analysis is conducted under a particular process chain. Observation is initiated by an obser- vation, continued by interviews and do- cumentation study. Those there are done continuously started from the day when the data are collected. Further, from the data and empirical information, categori- zation is created based on the concepts and theories to see, classify, and relate one data into other data or facts. DISCUSSION The Topeng Tua dance performs mo- vements of Bali dance ‘putra manis’, that is not belonged to Bali dance type beban- cihan. The difference between ‘putra manis’ dance with bebancihan is on the movement in shoulder part. The shoulder gesture in ‘putra manis’ dance is the same as the ba- sic movement in ‘putra keras’ dance, that is when the shoulder is lifted till the neck seems shorter. This kind of movement can- not be found in man dance bebancihan. In bebancihan, the neck is not lifted. Topeng tua does not show dialogues and songs, but it shows only dance that employs the character of an old man. Even when this dance does not perform dialo- gues and songs, however, the level of dif- fulty of the dance is considerably high. A dancer is not only expected to master mo- vements and to dance tapel, but also ngige- lang topeng (dancing topeng or ‘switching on’ the tapel). Dancers are normally master this dance up to the level of ngigelang tapel, so that, it is less attractive ((Dibia, 2012, p. 68). For the clearer figure, please see figure I Nengah Mariasa, Taksu and Pangus as An Aesthetic Concept Entity of Bali Dance 109 1. Figure 1. Visual Manifestation of Topeng Tua dance The presentation (performance) technique of Topeng Tua dance is not easy to be done by a beginner dancer. One who has had an experience of performing tari putra or man dance, cannot be guaran- teed to also will be mastering Topeng Tua well. They have to learn more on how to dig the dance technique of ‘putra manis’. In nine stages of Bali dance learning, Topeng Tua dance belongs to the third or fourth stages. On the third stage, the dancers are expected to understand the techniques and its movements, whereas, on the fourth stage, they are expected to master tetuwek (soul) of the dance character (Bandem dan Dibia, 1982/1983, pp. 16-17). If the fourth stage can be mastered by a dancer, there- fore, the dancer is considered to be able to dance by employing the concept of ngige- lang topeng. All the rules of movement techni- ques of Topeng Tua dance that may attract audiences are basically placed in two main aesthetic concepts, taksu and pangus. One of the tari topeng’s maestro, I Made Djimat, claimed that there is taksu besides pangus as the main aesthetic elements of Bali dance (Mariasa, 2000, pp. 166-171). Taksu is believed as a magical st- rength from God that gives huge impact towards the beauty of Bali arts. Artworks or performance that have taksu in it is a kind of arts that has soul and live power (Dibia, 2008, p. 30-31). Taksu is an inside power that contributes smartness, beauty, and miracle (Warna, et al., 1978, p.558). As a spiritual power, taksu penetrates inside a human soul, inside of the dancer espe- cially, when they are dancing on stage. A dancer can be considered having taksu if he can transform himself as a whole perfectly based on his performed role. The condition on which the artist is gifted by such kind of gift, pushed the artists to perform mag- nificiently on the stage. In the other words, he is successfully control the movement technique that he performs (Bandem, 1996, p. 24). Taksu can be also defined as a mani- festation of pure culture creativity that de- livers spiritual power towards an artist to reveal himself to be better than he is now. Taksu as a gift from God is a result of hard work, dedication, as well as surrender in pure state (Mantra, 1996, p. 26-27). Taksu do not always come to the dan- cers right while they are performing on the stage (Interview: I Made Djimat, 24 De- cember 1998). Sometimes, a dancer recei- ves it hard, but sometimes it can be gotten easily and fast. When the taksu covers a dancer, the dancer himself will perform with dazzling, immerse the feelings and thoughts of the audience into the performance. The beau- ty and aesthetics of the costume as well as the music accompaniment seem to be mag- nificient with the greatness of the dancers who dance it. A complete preparation has to be had by a dancer if he wants taxes to be received faster by them. In its first preparation, a dancer has to master the movement techni- que ability. That is the most important re- quirement that has to be held by a dancer. The mastering movement technique can- not be done easily, a dancer has to spend his time, strength, as well as working hard while rehearsing the dance. If the ability of both movement and performing techni- que have been mastered by the dancer, the dancer needs to prepare and cultivate his confidence towards the miracle of taksu. Building belief inside the soul of a dancer 110 HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015): 107-112 is not an easy job to do. It needs an attempt to lay the dancer’s soul to the God or to his profession. Further, it needs the dancer to hold the belief tightly based on the purpo- se that he wants to achieve. How the taksu comes and goes is hard, but, it is surely can be felt. Made Dji- mat has ever delivered the term jeg (all ofa sudden) to refer to an aesthetic event that enters to the inside of the dancers’ soul all of a sudden. When performing, in the very ready state, a dancer can suddenly cont- rol and dominate the audience’s attenti- on. The joy of dancing in that moment is immeasurable. With double strength, all movement techniques can be done easily. The dancer never suffers and feels burde- ned. On the other hand, he has maximum spirit to dance and his willingness to dan- ce is bigger. As a result, the audience will be surprised and satisfied with the perfor- mance. However, in a reality, the kind of condition described above is considerably hard to be achieved. In the reality, there is one thing that needs to be added here. Besides the readiness of the dancer, the place used to perform (kalangan) also become one distin- guished factor here. Literally, kalangan is the place where the performance takes pla- ce. In fact, kalangan has double functions. Besides becoming the performance stage, it also has a special power to be given to the dancer. There is belief had by dancers that every kalangan has its own taksu. The- re is a kind of ‘non- stingy’ kalangan, and there is also the ‘stingy’ kalangan called de- mit (Catra, 1997, p. 108). In kalangan bares, a dancer can receive his taksu easier and faster. The contra action happened in ka- langan demit. Further, Made Djimat argues that there is a contented kalangan and also an empty kalangan. Every movement that is danced can bhave more quality when the dancers dance in the contented kalan- gan. Conversely, the feeling of emptiness will be occurred when the dancers step their feet on the empty kalangan. A con- tented kalangan is considerably hard to be felt by audiences in general. However, an “experienced” dancer can feel whether the kalangan or the stage is contented or not. Made Djimat himself claims that he is able to feel the differences between those two kalangan. It is said that, the contented ka- langan does not only exist in Bali but also in kalangan located in overseas. Contented or not a kalangan, however, has a high pos- sibility to be affected by its initial construc- tion process. In Bali dance, the term ’pangus’ is used as a term to refer to harmonization that supports an entity of the dance’s role or characterization. Generally, in Baline- se, the word ’pangus’ means appropriate or harmonious (Warna, 1978, p. 414). Specifi- cally, pangus is used to label to the suita- bility of someone’s wearing and/ or doing something. In Bali dance, the word ‘pangus’ is used to refer to the conformity between themes and performance in a dance’s role or characterization. A role/ characterization in Bali dan- ce is supported by several aspects, such as: movement, vocal, costume, as well as the music accompaniment. The movement supports the costume aspect and vice ver- sa. All the aspects, together, will support shape the dance’s characterization. As a result, a harmonious entity of dance will be formed. A beauty that arises from the unity is then known by pangus. Each of the aspect has been organi- zed neatly in Bali dance and has made the dance into an artistic dance. Nevertheless, the dance also needs to be performed by a skillful dancer. In this part, it can be said that the establishment of pangus is related closely to the ability of a dancer to perform it. A dancer who has mastered the con- cept of pangus will always attempt to fuse his own personal character into his stage’s role. He will hide the character that is not suitable with his on stage character. A dan- cer is allowed to develop an attitude that suits his on stage character when it is sui- table to his personal life’s character. A dan- cer who successfully performs a concept of pangus is believed to be able to perform well on stage. According to this, it is believed that I Nengah Mariasa, Taksu and Pangus as An Aesthetic Concept Entity of Bali Dance 111 a caland prestigious role of dancer will be hard to be performed by a humorous and cheerful dancer. On the other hand, a cheerful or funny character will be easily performed by him. In this case, Topeng Tua dance is supposed to be perfomed with a movement and character that reflects an old man character that is far from funny, active, and strong characterization but more of a passionate, old and slow. All the spiritual movement is wrapped in a slow but passionate character that represents a character of an old man. An ‘active’ tee- nager dancer will be considered hard to dance or perform this type of role if he does not master the concept of pangus. A dancer who goes deep into the concept of pangus is supposed to have mastered the initial or basic concept of dancing. While dancing on stage, a dancer will need to be fully concentrated. An at- tempt to fuse the dancer’s personal charac- ter into the stage character is not easy to be done. A dancer has to realy concentrate to the dance he performs. Even a young dan- cer needs to bring the character of the old man onto the stage. As one of the dominant aesthetic element, pangus is always seeked by al- most every Bali dancer since they believe in the magnificience of pangus that may attract audiences. If a dancer has imple- mented pangus on stage, even the simplest movement on dance will be looked majes- tic. Madej Djimat sais that, ”…cara ngigel babondresane, polos-polos igelane, awag-awa- gan ngigel, demen nak ningalin sawireh pan- gus” which means “as in babondresan, even if the movement is simple, the audiences may enjoy it to the fullest because of the pangus existence”. Taksu (bhawa) and pangus (anubhawa) are two important aspects in the aesthetic of Bali dance. The encounter between bha- wa and anubhawa is cultivated by the dan- cers to establish a beauty or the aesthetic aspect of a dance (Ayasa, 1993, p. 46-47). Further, taksu tends to be inner (or the psychology of the dancer), while pangus is more physical. Taksu is an inside power, it refers to the dance intensity that is for- med as the combination between tension, tenderness, majesty, dignity, comedy, etc. It is supported by harmonious element of choreography that suits the theme of the dance. Intensity is a power. Pangus is a set of harmony that directs to a unity. The combination of taksu and pangus is a form of integrity concept that can be used to me- asure the aesthetic element of Topeng Tua. Special characteristics seen from the com- bination between these concepts are inten- sity (taksu) and harmony (pangus). CONCLUSION The aesthetic of Topeng Tua dance is not only reflected in the concept of the art- works worn by the dancers, including the tapel, costume, and the hair colour, but also depends closely to the movement techni- que of the dancer. In mastering the move- ment, there are some elements that needs to be cultivated by the dancers. Mastering the movement technique or wiraga needs to be optimally developed to establish ae- sthetics. In Bali dance, there are two aest- hetic concepts that influence one another, that are taksu and pangus. Taksu can clear- ly be seen by the audiences by seeing the dancer’s intensity, while pangus can be seen from its unified performance. Those two aesthetic concepts seem to be univer- sal. REFERENCES Ahimsa-Putra, H. S. (2007). Etnosains un- tuk Etnokoreologi Nusantara. Etno- koreologi Nusantara: Batasan Kajian, Sistematika dan Aplikasi Keilmuannya. Surakarta: ISI Press. Aryasa, I Wayan Madra. (1993). Materi Pokok Seni Sakral; 1-6; PAHD2433 / 2SKS. Jakarta: Direktorat Jenderal Bimbingan Masyarakat Hindu dan Budha dan Universitas Terbuka. Bandem, I. M. (1980). Evolusi Tari Bali. Denpasar: Proyek Penggalian/Pem- binaan Seni Budaya Klasik (tradis- ional) dan Baru. Bandem, I. M., & I Wayan D. (1982/1983). 112 HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015): 107-112 Pengembangan Tari Bali. Denpasar: Proyek Pengembangan Institut Kes- enian Indonesia Sub/Bagian Proyek Pengembangan ASTI Denpasar. Catra, I. N. (1997). Topeng Pajegan Sebagai Ritus Kehidupan. Mudra Jurnal Seni Budaya, 5(5), 251-265. Dibia, I Wayan. (2012). Geliat Seni Pertunju- kan Bali. Denpasar: Buku Arti. Dibia, I Wayan. (2008). ”Tari Bali dalam Kajian Etnokoreologi” dalam R.M. Pramutomo (ed.). Etnokoreologi Nus- antara: Batasan Kajian, Sistematika dan Aplikasi Keilmuannya. Surakarta: ISI Press. Mantra, I. B. (1996). Landasan Kebudayaan Bali. Denpasar: Yayasan Dharma Sastra. Mariasa, I Nengah. (2000). I Made Djimat (1948 -) Seorang Maestro Tari Topeng Bali di Era Globalisasi. Thesis. Yoya- karta: Universitas Gadjah Mada. Warna, I W. (1978). Kamus Bali-Indonesia. Denpasar: Dinas Pengajaran Propin- si Daerah Tingkat I Bali.