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University of Plymouth PEARL https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk 04 University of Plymouth Research Theses 01 Research Theses Main Collection 2016 Embodying Topeng: Gender, Training and Intercultural Encounters Strawson, Tiffany http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/8168 University of Plymouth All content in PEARL is protected by copyright law. Author manuscripts are made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the details provided on the item record or document. In the absence of an open licence (e.g. Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher or author. Embodying Topeng: Gender, Training and Intercultural Encounters Tiffany Strawson A thesis submitted to Plymouth University in partial fulfilment for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Arts & Humanities Doctoral Training Centre September 2016 1 This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the author's prior consent. 2 Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank all of my teachers, both in Bali and in the UK for their efforts and time they have given me over the many years of this research; it is a real privilege to have created a document that in a small way honours all their hard work and their love and knowledge of performance which they have shared and gifted to me so patiently and generously. I would like to acknowledge the warm hospitality that I have always been welcomed with by Ida Bagus Alit and his wife Ibu Agung whilst in Bali. Beyond tuition they have really embraced me as a family member and this has been as valuable as any training on offer, especially when I was so far away from my own loved ones. Likewise I am grateful to I Madé Djimat for his interest in my research and the range of opportunities he offered. This research would not have taken shape without the inspiring support and guidance of my university Director of Studies, Victor Ramirez Ladron De Guevara. His attention to detail, critical wisdom, insight and his encouragement for me to take my time and to ‘ruminate’ and let ideas take shape slowly, was of enormous value and which continues to unfold. I thank my other supporting tutors, Prarthana Purkayastra, whose poignant remarks have opened up new lines of thought and critical engagement and Roberta Mock who has given detailed editorial feedback, structural advice and has simply cheered me up when I felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. I would also like to thank Roberta, for the part she played in awarding me the HuMPA bursary to fulfil my studies at Plymouth, without which the research would not have been possible. I would like to thank Rosalyn Maynard, director of the School of Experiential Learning for her 3 patience, kindness, inspiration and for introducing me to somatic practice and for so warmly encouraging collaborative practice. There are a number of friends and colleagues from the small world of Western topeng who have enabled me to work through ideas. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge John Emigh’s assistance in my research by sending me DVDs of his performances. I would like to thank Carmencita Palermo and Margaret ‘Jiggs’ Coldiron for agreeing to be on a panel for the ‘Women in Asia’ Theatre conference hosted by Lincoln University, and for our subsequent email conversations that became the springboard for a co-authored article. Jiggs especially has shown an interest in both my practical and academic work and has offered advice and opportunities to perform. They hjave both been supportive. ‘Also included within my topeng friends is Rucina Ballinger, who has shared the Balinese culture from her matchless perspective with enormous wisdom, laughter and generosity. I would like to say thanks to Ni Madé Pujawati (Puja) who visited me in Devon and collaborated with me in a Bali Un-Masked performance and in delivering topeng workshops; we had some wonderful conversations that were very inspiring. There are many friends and loved ones that have helped; too many to list but several particularly stand out. Rehane Abraham, Jane Turner and Harriot Beazley have inspired me and through their own experiences concerning Bali and scholarly interests were able to share a unique perspective. Gin Farrow-Jones, Jo-Jo Tasker 4 & Jessi Fusco-Naish encouraged me, recognised and understood my personal need to see this research completed. Other theatre friends Kate Webb, Camille Gingras and Jane Williams have also been incredible by reflecting back to me my progress when it has seemed like very little has been made. I would like to thank Jonny Croose and my older sister Heidi Strawson for the occasions when they read pieces of work when I felt under confident and restricted by my dyslexia. Their feedback and support really helped the process of writing out ideas. I would like to thank my parents, Bob Strawson and Jean Strawson for never limiting my goals and for the curiosity and work ethic that they have always promoted so that I could achieve them. My dad has always encouraged adventure, with the greatest of humour and endeavour; while my mum has always been practically supporting me so that I may achieve it. Without the childcare that she facilitated, the final write-up phase simply could not have happened. Also, I would like to acknowledge another act of selfless support from especially Jean, but Bob too, which is the patience showed to me over the long periods of absence from England prior to my Phd, when it was clear that topeng seemed more important than life in the UK but I simply could not articulate the reason. This thesis and the performances that go with it hopefully make some kind of sense of that. 5 In a similar way, I thank my husband, Olly Link, who has endured periods of very long distance relationship. He is the epitome of unconditional love and anchorage and I am indebted to his consistency, care and kindness always. Finally I thank our daughter Pearluna Lotus, to whom I dedicate this thesis. She is the most delightful, charming and welcome of distractions. Author’s Declaration At no time during the registration for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy has the author been registered for any other University award without prior agreement of the Graduate Sub-Committee. Work submitted for this research degree at the Plymouth University has not formed part of any other degree either at Plymouth University or at another establishment. This study was financed with the aid of a studentship from HuMPA (Plymouth University). 6 Presentations and Conferences Attended: ‘Embracing a Dark Moon: Change and Continuity in PaR Methodologies’ at TaPRA (Theatre and Performance Research Association), (performer training working group), Worcester University, September 2015. ‘Carving out (re)considerations of ‘his’-story; Post-traditional designs of the Balinese Mask’ for IIAS (International Institute Asian Studies) Summer School, Chang Mai University, Thailand. August 2014. ‘Grup Gedebong Goyang: Funny, Female and Foreign’ at the ‘Women in Asian Theatre’ conference, University of Lincoln. September 2013. ‘Dance training in Bali: Intercultural and Globalised Encounters’ for SEAPA (South East Asian Performing Arts) World Symposium; Bangkok University, Thailand. February 2013. ‘Actions speak louder than words; the contradictory comedic success of Grup Gedebong Goyang in Bali, Indonesia’ for ‘Continuity and Change’ SEASUK (South East Asian Studies UK), Durham University. September 2012 ‘Latihan Menari: The changing experience of training and teaching topeng pajegan in Bali and beyond’ for ‘Bali in Global Asia; Between Modernization and Heritage Formation’ IIAS (International Institute for Asian Studies); Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali. July 2012 ‘New Directions in Topeng Pajegan’ for ‘Compass Points’ ADSA (Australian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies); Brisbane, Australia. June 2012. ‘ 7 Publications under Doctoral Study: (2016) ‘Grup Gedebong Goyang: Funny, Female and Foreign’, Asian Theatre Journal. 33 (1), pp. 151-170. (2015) ‘Comfort: The First Step towards an Intercultural and Bespoke Training Regime’, [on line] Available http://theatredanceperformancetraining.org/ (2015) ‘Women in Balinese Topeng: Voices, Reflections and Interactions’, Asian Theatre Journal. 32(2), pp. 464-492. Co-authored with Coldiron, Margaret. Palermo, Carmencita C. and Strawson, Tiffany. (2014) ‘Dance training in Bali: intercultural and globalised encounters’ Theatre Dance Performance Training, 5(3), pp. 291-303 Word count of main body of thesis: 72,991. Footnotes: 5,314. Signed:…………………………………………………………………………………………… Date:…………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Abstract Embodying Topeng: Gender, Training and Intercultural Encounters Tiffany Strawson This research centres on the Balinese performance tradition known as topeng which translates as Balinese masked dance-drama. In Bali this genre is performed traditionally in spaces reserved for religious ceremonies. The research questions the extent to which, and how, it may be possible for a non-Balinese person to embody a culturally coded, sacred object (the mask) and how a woman is able to make meaning and express herself within a genre which is traditionally the preserve of men. The research has therefore sought to develop an individual and intercultural approach to both the design of new masks and their performance.

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