VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Topeng ireng or known as Dayakan is a traditional art that has been thrived in the Magelang Regency area, Central Java for a long time. Topeng Ireng or Dayakan is a form of new creation folk dance. The name Topeng Ireng comes from the word Toto Lempeng Irama Kenceng. Toto means to organize, Lempeng means straight, Irama means tone, and Kenceng means loud. Therefore, in Topeng Ireng performances the dancers line up straight and are accompanied by loud and energetic rhythmic music.

Topeng Ireng dance is a form of traditional art performance that combines Islamic religious propagation and Pencak Silat. Not surprisingly, this dance is always accompanied by upbeat music and songs with Islamic verses. In addition to the propagation of Islam, this dance performance also describes the life of rural communities living on the slopes of Merapi Merbabu.

Topeng Ireng art is believed to have been developed in the community on the slopes of Merapi Merbabu since the Dutch colonial era. After that, the art of Topeng Ireng performance grows. When Muslims build a mosque, before the dome is installed, it will be paraded around the village. The procession will be followed by the entire community around the mosque with dances accompanied by tambourines and verses of praise. In its journey, the art developed into the art of Topeng Ireng.

Topeng Ireng dance has simple movements. There are no complicated gestures, because the main point of this dance is cohesiveness. The more dancers participating, the more beautiful the collaboration that is created. The dance also comes from modified Pencak Silat movements. This dance movement is not monotonous. From time to time new innovations are always made in every Topeng Ireng performance.