Cirebonese Masked Dance and Gamelan (Indonesia)

Traditional mask dances are a vibrant, living tradition in West Java and the Cirebonese mask dance style is known for its vitality, starling energy, stamina and spirit. Dhalang Rasinah is a maestro of Indramayu mask dance (Topeng Indramayu) and at the age of 75 she has great passion and energy to dance. She has been dancing since her childhood and at the age of 10 was already well-known throughout the Indramayu area. Nowadays, Topeng Indramayu is considered to be a rare and unique performance tradition kept alive by the only surviving mask dance specialist, Dhalang Rasinah herself.

In the Indramayu tradition the mask itself is sacred and is believed to possess mystical powers, it is of great aesthetic value and represents a philosophy of life. Through these magical masks the dancer brings to life four main characters which represent the stages of human life, from the birth of mankind, energetic youth, stable maturity to powerful and fierce characters. The dances represent a neverending cycle where the end always links back to the beginning.