Reog Ponorogo, Originate Culture from Ponorogo, East Java - Indonesia

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Reog is a cultural art performing by dance theater that has a high cultural value and unique. These traditional dance that become the main identity for Ponorogo regency. It is originated cultural art from Ponorogo district, East Java.

Reog conducted by a group of performers dance with various characters and characterization, the performance of Reog is always accompanying with some of gamelan players and singers who performed the song with the local language, called java tembang. Reog Ponorogo emerged as a form of magical ceremonies with local beliefs that would brought a thick aura of magic and mysticism, as the changing times, Reog Ponorogo was changed becoming a form of entertainment and theater folk art. Modern Reog usually performed in several events such as weddings, circumcisions and national major holidays.

Reog told about the struggle for a prince who will propose to a beautiful princess. Reog Ponorogo tells the story of a mythical battle between the King of Ponorogo and the magical lion-like creature called Singa Barong or Barong lion. Singa Barong is a large mask usually made of tiger's or leopard's head skin, upon the mask attached a large fan adorned with peafowl feathers. The Singa Barong mask was notoriously heavy, the dancer of Singa Barong bear the mask about 30 – 40 kg weight and supported by the strength of their teeth.

The show of Reog maid instruments that usually using kempul, tap, kenong, handheld, ketipung, angklung and especially salompret, who voiced tone and slendro which is giving a rise to mystical atmosphere, unique, exotic and uplifting. One group of Reog usually consists of a Warok old, some young warok, pembarong, dancers Bujang Ganong and King Kelono Suwandono. Number of reog group ranged from 20 to 30-person, the main role is in the hands of warok and pembarong.

On the scene, Barong lion or Singa Barong, where the actors wore masks performing by head of a lion with a crown made of peacock feathers. The players who wear the masks are commonly referred as "pembarong". Pembarong, must have an extra strength. He must have a good jaw strength, to withstand the bite of a burden called "sudden Peacock" which is forming of by tiger's head adorned with hundreds of strands of peacock feathers six feet tall and can weigh up to an 50-pounds during the show.

The scene in the art of reog usually do not follow a neat scenario. There is always interaction between the player and puppeteer (usually the leader of the group) and sometimes with the audience. Sometimes a player's performances can be replaced by another player when the main player had fatigue. The more overlooked in the staging of art reog is to give satisfaction to the audience. Until now people Ponorogo only follow what their heritage as a very rich cultural. In the experience of Reog Ponorogo art is copyright from human creations which formed as belief currents that is hereditary and awake.

Reog National Festival is held every years along the anniversary of Ponorogo regency and Grebeg Suro celebration. Reog dance is also staged full moon nightly in Paseban, Ponorogo Town Square.