Mysticism in Saman Dance

Saman dance. Almost all of senior high schools in Indonesia have this kind of extracurricular. To get known more about this extracurricular, almost all of the participants are dominated by students from middle class and above. It may be due to the cost of bringing the coach of Saman dance is quite expensive. SMAI Al Azhar and SMAN 2 Kota Tangerang Selatan are the best schools which usually won the festivals of the dance, just like when the celebration of A 100 Years of National Awakening which was held in Gelora Bung Karno - dominated by Saman dancers from SMAN 2 Kota Tangsel.

If we watch thoroughly Saman dance performance, it is often happened that we carried away by the atmosphere of emotion, chills and even magical, because from the beginning to the end of the round, it always brings dance movements, sounds and mystical aura. The preliminary round started with Persalaman (Greetings) which is consisted by Rengum and Salam. Rengum is the murmured sounds from all of the dancers. Although it does not sound clearly, but in fact they praise and raise the name of Allah with lafaz; "Hmm la ho laila, laila la ho Hmm, Hmm there is no god but Allah, Hmm there is no god but Allah".

Rengum, uttered in a low voice but echoing is able to vibrate the souls of the stage as well as the dancers and the audience. There was silence and solemnity directly created because the audience is drawn into the Tauhid pronunciations. Rengum dance itself is still limited and humble with the heads in bowed position and the hands act as if they are worshiping. Rengum shows the surrender to God, also plays a role to unite vocal and concentration. After the creation of solemnity atmosphere, and then it is followed by Persalaman. Greetings directed to the audience and the entire universe by saying Assalamualaikum; ask permission to play Saman.

After Persalaman then go to Ulu Ni song. Literally actually Ulu ni song means the head song. In Ulu ni song round, the movement starts varying, the compounds between gestures, pats chest - slowly body and the head movements. The solemn atmosphere is highly awakened. This round is the warm up phase before entering into other fast motions. Then Sheikh in a high voice will give the cue at the end of Ulu ni song’s motion that signifies the round which is immediately switched into the changing movement and get into a faster rhythm using a poem; "Inget-inget pongku - male i guncang, Remember friends, it will be shaken".

What will happen then is the peak of Saman dance. The dancers have to concentrate optimally with excellent stamina because in addition to having to move faster, this round is also interspersed with the vocals simultaneously (Derek). The complete movement can be seen in the speed and accuracy of hand movement that stomping on the chest, thighs as well as pat, up-down movements the body simultaneously as well as crossed, body tilted to the left - to the right as well as left simultaneously crossed (Singkeh Kuwen), faster nodding head movements as well as movements below spinning head (Girik), as well as the thrumming of fingers. Interspersed with the slow movements which is begin by the greeting words of the conductor, Sheikh.

This movement is repeated between fast and slow, with the companion of a few songs that will bring the dancers into ecstasy kind of feelings, the audiences also feel the thrill when they are following the changing of the rise and fall movement and rhythm dances as well. This is the enchanted part of the beautiful motion in Saman dance.

Next we are asked to release the tension in the Uak Ni Kemuh’s round which literally means the medicine of movement which is accompanied by a modest singing in low tone without force. If the condition of the dancer has recovered, and then the faster movements can be started again which is lead by the Sheikh along with other various movements. At the peak of the movement, which is fast and powerful, suddenly the accompaniment of vocals is stopped leaving it only the movements. There is no other sound except the sounds of pats, stomps, claps, pats the thighs which are done in fast. This is the peak of magical aura which gives the goose bumps and sacred nuance both to the dancers and the audiences.


The closing round is a simple movement as this is actually the main movement in the poem which tells about some quotes, the goodbye’s sayings, apologizes to the audiences and some important guests also the goodbye’s movement to the cosmos of universe. 

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