摘要：Wayang Topeng Pedalangan is one of the links in the chain of history of the performing arts in Java and is believed to have been in existence since the 7 th century. The art of topeng Panji, or the Panji masked dance, first emerged after the appearance of the Panji stories in the middle of the 13 th century during the era of the Singasari Dynasty. During the era of the Demak Dynasty, in the 15 th century, topeng Panji was developed by a number of religious leaders, including Sunan Kalijaga. The 16 th century marked the beginning of the masked dance being preserved and developed by traditional puppet masters, or dalang , and their relatives. These dalang passed on the art of topeng from generation to generation through their network of relatives who are referred to as Trah Dalang . The role and function of the dalang is connected with the style of the performance which is known as Pedalangan style. The influence of the dalang in topeng Panji is still evident today in the areas of Yogyakarta, Klaten, Malang, and Cirebon, each of which is of course adapted to suit its own regional style. Around the middle of the 20 th century, the art of topeng pedalangan was revived and reinterpreted by Krida Beksa Wirama to become a classical version of topeng in Yogyakarta style. A number of refinements were made to the techniques and form of the dance which adopted the style of classical Yogyakarta dance. Over time, and with the growth of various dance groups which performed classical Yogyakarta style dance, such as Yayasan Siswa Among Beksa, Mardawa Budaya, Pamulangan Beksa Ngayogyakarta, and Suryokencana, the classical style of masked dance was perfected by the artists of Yogyakarta. Keywords: Topeng, Dalang, Classical.
