Sayaw VS Kembangan

[java]

Hi all,

I've watched the "sayaw2005.wmv" videoclip on sayoc website
and it makes me think a lot to the Pencak Silat "Flower dance" called Kembangan. The flow, the creativity, the specific way to move... that teach to the player how to fight empty hand or with weapons.

Is there any one who could tell me if the pedagogy behind the Sayaw is the same than in the pencak Silat Kembangan ??

I juwt can not wait the new Sama sama DVD....
Any idea when it will be released ??

Thanks a lot for your answers

Regards,
Salam Hormat
Java

[Airyu]

Hello Java,

Nice Post, and as with many martial arts and practices certain items will always be the same.

Stay tuned for the DVD release it will be happening sooner than later.

Gumagalang
Guro Steve L.

www.Bujinkandojo.net

[mcasto]

Hi all,

I've watched the "sayaw2005.wmv" videoclip on sayoc website
and it makes me think a lot to the Pencak Silat "Flower dance" called Kembangan. The flow, the creativity, the specific way to move... that teach to the player how to fight empty hand or with weapons.

Is there any one who could tell me if the pedagogy behind the Sayaw is the same than in the pencak Silat Kembangan ??

I juwt can not wait the new Sama sama DVD....
Any idea when it will be released ??

Thanks a lot for your answers

Regards,
Salam Hormat
Java

Personally, I would say that this depends on the specific Sayaw and Kembangan being compared. For instance, the Paleredan Kembangan from Tjikalong is a specific set of movements done in a specific order - a form (or, more specifically, many forms - 99 if memory serves). There are also some Sayaw - such as the "Shadowboxing" form from GM Bobby Taboada - that are preset forms.

At the other end you've got Sayaw and Kembangan that are completely freeform done according to what the practitioner feels at the moment.

Either of these methods (and the ones between) can be done as a form of "moving meditation" though I think the "formless" ones are more specifically intended for such usage.

But I'd say that specific correlations between mindsets and attitudes would depend on which specific method of Sayaw you were comparing to which specific method of Kembangan.

But in a broad, general way, I would say that Sayaw and Kembangan are animals of the same genus but of different species.

Mike

[Harley]

Greetins to All,

As Guro Mike covered, there are many different types of both Kembangan and Sayaw or Karensa.  Kembangan is normally from Indonesian and Sayaw or Karensa from the Philippines.

Both are done to music.
The musicians can follow the practioners movements or the practioner can dance to the music.

One of my Silat instructors, Pak Herman Suwanda, told me Kembangan was the flag of Pentjak Silat.  That to truely understand Silat you must understand Kembangan.  Later I came to understand that it was a method of demonstrating skill and understanding of the art without the need to preform the system on another human.  

There are preset versions of both, depending on the system you study.  In the Inosanto system we use it more as a free style version of shadow boxing the material covered in the art.

In Sayoc Kali, the Sayaw is used to help each practioner reach a state of oneness.  The other people go away during your dance, it's just the stars, the fire, you and your blade, and the earth.  these all blend into one as you dance.  There is no sense of performing or showing off, just a blending of movements and elements.

In the old days, Warriors would perform this Sayaw before battle, coming together in a common cause, creating a brotherhood, a bonding that would be necessary during the coming battle.

In today's terms, one of the things I enjoy most, aside from playing the drums for the Sayaw, is this is something you can do with your instructors.  Most often we preform for them, or vice versa, but this is something you do together.  When your out there, you are the same, a Warrior, moving together with the same cause, in the same spirit.  That alone would be worth the experience to me.

I hope this helps.  I know others may find the same spirit in Kembangan, but for me, I found it by the fire, dancing with my Instructors at Sama Sama.

Guro Harley Elmore
Sayoc Kali

[Ern-Dog]

The Sayaw at Sama Sama 2005 was my first. And to all those reading these posts, it may be hard to believe that you can achieve such a state of awareness, but you can.

I wasn't a believer until it happened to me. It's very hard to put into words, the feeling you get when you step into that circle. In the beginning you are very aware of the people and your surroundings. But as you start to move and listen to the music, everything changes. Like I said before, very hard to put into words....