Indonesian Dance Traditions

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1. What happened in 1918 that facilitated a wider knowledge of Javanese court dance? The Javanese king invited Western dancers to visit as cultural ambassadors and learn the dances. Isadora Duncan chose to incorporate Javanese style into her company's works. The Sultan appointed his brothers as teachers in a school of dance. The Javanese government crumbled and fleeing royals subsequently spread the dance traditions.

2. Utdets and sampours are both scarves used in Javanese court dances, but what is the difference between them? Utdets are worn by women, and sampours by men. Utdets are much smaller than sampours. Utdets are always lighter in color than sampours. Utdets are worn on the head, and sampours on the waist.

3. Traditional Javanese dance is distinguished as either Surakarta or Jogjarkarta style. What do these words refer to? Surakarta and Jogjarkarta indicate the gender of the dancer. Surakarta and Jogjarkarta were the rival dance teachers. Surakarta and Jogjarkarta were the sons of the king who opened the first public dance school. Surakarta and Jogjarkarta are regions of the kingdom.

4. 'Joged bumbung' is a social dance still performed in Bali. What is unique about this dance when seen in the context of other Balinese dances? It is unusually fast. It is unusually masked. It is unusually sensuous. It is unusually slow.

5. Balinese dance generally only makes use of a single sort of prop. What is this prop? silk fan sword scrolls pistol

6. Which of these does NOT take place as part of the Balinese exorcism trance dance 'sang hyang jaran'? The dancer steps on glowing embers. The dancer rides a hobby-horse. The dancer is accompanied by a chorus. The dancer strips and shreds his clothing.

7. The Sumatran 'indang' dance shows the Islamic influence on the region. How so? The men dance with tambourines. Women and men are never allowed to dance in the presence of the other gender. Women always dance with their bodies fully covered. The long dance is structured around the necessary interruptions for prayer.

8. What distinguishes the Bissu of Sulawesi from other dancers? The Bissu are usually handicapped in some way and play the drums. The Bissu are generally understood to be beginners in the art. The Bissu are inhabited by spirits during the dancing. The Bissu are non-native dancers.

9. What does the term 'topeng' refer to in terms of Indonesian dance? A 'topeng' is a dance wherein the performers act out mating rituals. A 'topeng' is any kind of dance that is done without costuming. A 'topeng' is a masked dance. A 'topeng' is a ritualistic dance performed at births.

10. What is the gamelan? The gamelan is the term used in Sumatra for the male dance teacher. The gamelan is the musical accompaniment used for dance. The gamelan is the term used in Sulawesi for the female headdress. The gamelan is the male costume for the dance of combat.