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Skill requirement for Javanese shadow puppet master

The Javanese shadow puppet master, which called Dalang, is the one who play all the shadow puppets. As he (the dalang usually man, although in this time, this has developed that not only man, there are woman even child can be dalang) play the theater all night long, he has to have good stamina. But not only that, there are lot of skill which need to be mastered if someone want to be a skilled dalang.

There are five major skill, which popular as 5G:

1. Gendhing
   Skill of instrumental art play. This skill is to know each song characteristic and when to use it according to the play situation/event in the shadow puppet play.
2. Gendhe’ng
   This skill means that the dalang has to be able synchronize with all the song/instrumental aspect during the shadow puppet theater. And also, he has to be the leader/guide for all of the play time.
3. Gandhung
   The dalang has to have self confident.
4. Gendheng
   The dalang has to have superiority self believing. Means that, he has think that he is the only one who right opinion, others are wrong. Gendheng is the Javanese word of mad.
5. Gandhang
   The dalang has to have good intonation and articulation, so the audience will heard clearly all of the dalang says.

Beside all that mentioned above, there are some skill necessary o fulfill. I will write about them in next post.

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