LEGONG DANCE TJONDONG DANCER (BALI)

 

A single master is used to currently depict the 3 Legong dancers in SET A1 Balinese Legong and Kebyar Dancers.

 

The Legong dance actually comprises 3 dancers – two Legong dancers and a Tjondong dancer. The Tjondong dancer comes on first. She dances and eventually picks up the fans and hands them over to the Legong dancers. Some fascinating videos on this can be seen at these links:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVG7aEeDnvg&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZJvcgBop9g&feature=related

 

  

        

Tjondong Dancers

 

The Tjondong represents the attendant to the princesses (the Legong) and sometimes, she is dressed differently from the Legong dancers by having a split stole tied in front, whereas the Legong dancers would have a single stole tied in front. The Tjondong dancer also tends to wear a rounded decorated collar piece with red frills or pom-poms. On the back of the tightly wound sash are hung several oddments representing garuda symbols.

 

The body and head castings from the Legong Dancer were used to play around with ideas. The arms were selected and twisted to create new poses.  The front stole was cut into two and glued into place.

 

Castings used for the Tjondong

 

 

Two prototype figures assembled and with re-sculpted collar pieces

 

The collar piece was resculpted using epoxy putty. Two new figures were created.

 

 

TJ1                                    TJ2

Front view

 

TJ1                                    TJ2

Back View

Completed prototypes of the Tjondong dancer

 

These prototypes will be used as reference patterns for Tjondong dancers.