Sang Penari, which is based on a best-selling novel called Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk, is a movie that will educate you about the cultural significance of ronggeng dance in Indonesia. Directed by Ifa Isfansyah, this classic film is set in the year 1953 in Dukuh Paruk, a small village in Banyumas, central Java. This movie will take you back to a time when ronggeng was a sacred tradition and will show you the cultural, traditional, and historical values that were attached to it.
The main protagonist of the movie is Srintil. After the death of the previous ronggeng, Srintil was chosen to be the next ronggeng of Dukuh Paruk. Though she was ambitious and talented, the old caretaker didn’t believe that Srintil was the right choice. This forced Srintil’s childhood friend, Rasus, to help her prove her worth with the help of the previous ronggeng’s heirloom. Srintil soon became the new ronggeng, which brought great joy to the village.
But becoming a ronggeng was not that easy, and it comes with many responsibilities, including being “shared” by the men in the village. To preserve tradition and culture, it was part of the ronggeng’s duty to provide sexual services to the village men. However, Rasus couldn’t accept this fate for Srintil and interfered with her ceremony by being her first man before her “customers” arrived.
They both tried to continue with their relationship, but this brought about problems when Rasus joined the army and was sent away for duty. While he was away, a communist group infiltrated the village via ronggeng performances that were unaware of their subversive intentions. This caused a disruption among the residents of Dukuh Paruk, and many people were imprisoned and accused of being communist followers.
Srintil was accused of being part of the communist group, and she was jailed, along with other innocent villagers. After ten years of searching, Rasus finally saw a dancer who looked like Srintil and had the same heirloom from the previous ronggeng. Even though the ronggeng didn’t recognize him, Rasus believed that his love was finally fulfilled.
Conclusion:
Sang Penari is an excellent movie that educates us about the Indonesian tradition that is Ronggeng dance. The movie’s captivating storyline is sewn together with a colorful cultural tapestry, which is an insight into the traditional and historical values of the Indonesian culture. The meticulous recounting of the tale is a perfect recipe for an intriguing movie that will take you through the changing cultural landscape of Indonesia. Through this movie, you will get a glimpse of the past, understand the present, and hope for an even richer future.
