info"++

Modern Society

The awakening of a national consciousness bad a most advantageous effect on Indonesian dancing, as can be seen from the fact that court-dances which used to be enjoyed only by court circles and the nobility, spread among the common people. since early in the present century, court-dancing has been the monopoly of the court no longer but has become available to the majority of the people, whilst conversely, folk dancing has begun to receive proper

In the period of the Nationalist Movement (1908-1945), the democratisation of court-dances became increasingly obvious, being manifested in the setting up of private dancing organizations which aimed at the cultivation and development of Indonesian dances. In spite of this, the feudal spirit and essence of the dances, which had originated in the court, was still conspicuous. It was not before Indonesia became an independent state in 1945 that Indonesian dances, both those originating in the courts and those that were people's dances, become truly democratic in character and spirit.

Search This Site

The development of Javanese dances in the Period of Modern Society has been mentioned in the Introduction and will be analyzed further in Chapter III. '

Broadly speaking, it can be said that Indonesian dancing in Java has developed quickly in this period. Indonesian dancing, which used to be simply a branch of art, has been promoted to become an independent branch of academic study. Scholarship and development are now centred in the Dance Conservatory of Indonesia and for the highest academic level, the Dance Academy of Indonesia, both of which are in Yogyakarta.