VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Meras Gandrung Banyuwangi art performance was held again at the Taman Gantung Terakota (TGT) park, Banyuwangi, East Java province on 20 January  2024. This arts and cultural attraction is done regularly at the park. The  Sendratari Meras Gandrung is a colossal performance, which depicts the procession of a dancer's struggle in dealing with challenges and tests in order to "graduate" to becoming a Gandrung dancer. This performance is even more iconic because it is held at the park  with a panoramic view of hundreds of Terakota statues of gandrung dancers on three hectares of productive rice fields in the area of  Mount Ijen slopes. The ballet performed by passionate dancers ranging from children to adults was held at an amphitheater in the Terakota area. Gandrung Dance is a typical Banyuwangi dance. This dance was originally danced during the main harvest as an expression of gratitude for the harvest gained. The word Gandrung in the local language means “fascinated.” This meaning is aimed only at Dewi Sri, the Goddess of Rice, who has provided prosperity for society. That's why, this dance is performed after the harvest on a large scale, as a sign of gratitude to Dewi Sri. However, now this dance has become an entertainment art for the local community. Head of the Banyuwangi Culture and Tourism Service, Muhammad Yanuarto Bramuda explained that the Meras Gandrung performance at Taman Gantung Terakota park has become part of a popular tourist attraction. This attraction complements the tourist attraction in the Ijen Mountains area, which is famous for its Blue Fire. The performance of the Meras Gandrung Ballet is also part of a series of arts and culture activities held on a scheduled basis for 2024. In January, February and March the Meras Gandrung Ballet performance is held free of charge for TGT visitors. Meanwhile, for the January schedule itself, the performance was held on Saturday, January 20 2024, at 2 PM (Western Indonesia Time) at Taman Gantung Terakota park.