Gianyar, Regency

Ayu Raka, Dancing
Between Three Palaces

She was called a palatial dancer since she was specially assigned to dance in the palace. Not a royal palace but a presidential palace. Indonesia has three presidential palaces, Merdeka Palace (Jakarta), Bogor Palace (West Java) and Tampaksiring Palace (Bali). There, Gusti Ayu Raka danced when there was foreign guests visiting Indonesia.
Gusti Ayu Raka was born at Tengah hamlet, Peliatan village and frequently went to and fro to the palace since she was ten. “I got the epithet of a ‘palatial dancer’, but some others called me a ‘flying dancer’. Of course, because I often flew Jakarta-Bali, especially for dancing,” recalled Ayu when being visited at her home.
According to Agung Asrama, Assistant Director of Museum Arma, the role of I Gusti Made Sengong in teaching was extremely high. It was he who ‘made’ Ayu as a Condong Legong dancer who had no parallel in the decade of the 1950s.
Due to her prowess in dancing Condong Legong made Ida Bagus Made Poleng, the prominent painter of Tebesaya Peliatan was consistently present to watch her genius wherever she made a show. “The painter must be present if Ayu dances,” added Asrama.
Meanwhile, Wayan Wijaya, chief of Arma studio added that Ayu along with Gunung Sari gamelan troupe was the first art group that promoted Balinese art to America and Europe. It occurred in 1952. They made a visit to the two continents for nearly a year (11 months). “It is noteworthy in the development of Balinese art,” said Wijaya who just arrived a week ago from Europe accompanied by the Arma studio.
It is said that a month prior to making the visit to America and Europe, Puri Mandala Peliatan was very busy. A.A. Mandra, the founder and chief of Gunung Sari gamelan troupe invited the choreographer of Oleg Tamulilingan dance, I Ketut Maria. His task was to train Ayu in the Oleg dance.
In fact, mastering the Oleg dance for Ayu was not so difficult since she was used to dance Legong. “I just recite the order of the dance, pertaining to the variations I myself develop it,” Ayu said while adding that Maria was very proud of her as in less than a month she had already mastered the Oleg dance.
It needs noting that Ayu was the first student of the maestro I Ketut Maria. Apart from Maria who had momentous role to lift the name of Ayu was I Wayan Sampih, a man who was born at Bongkasa, Badung. Sampih and made an ideal couple for Ayu. “He was an extraordinary male dancer. Apart from dancing Tamulilingan, he was also good at dancing Kebyar Duduk. In short, he was very good,” Ayu said while raising both her thumbs.
Nowadays even at 65 years her countenance is still alluring and stays young. In her older age, she is still active as an artist. At Museum Arma, she is the appointed dance adviser. On Wednesdays and Sundays, you can meet with her there. Should you like to learn dancing, she is still ready to do it. Recently she was selected as one of the jurists in the International Oleg Dance Festival. On being asked, what is the recipe for staying young, this lecturer extraordinaire of STSI said,” Just eat when you are hungry, go to sleep when sleepy and relax when need to.”
(BTN/Made Suambara)