Cultural Inheritance System of the Tua Luh Mask Dance Created by I Made Djimat

Abstract

This study examines the cultural inheritance pattern of the Topeng Tua Luh dance created by the Balinese dance maestro I Made Djimat. The research aims to analyze how this contemporary mask dance is transmitted and sustained within its socio-cultural context. A qualitative method with an ethnographic approach was employed. Data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews, documentation analysis, and literature review. The findings indicate that Topeng Tua Luh, first performed at the 2019 Bali Arts Festival, represents a new creative development within the Balinese petopengan tradition. Functionally, it can be classified as bebali and balih-balihan dance. The dance demonstrates distinctive aesthetic characteristics, particularly in its female elderly mask design, costume elements, and choreographic interpretation derived from the traditional Topeng Tua repertoire. Although the dance experienced fluctuations in popularity following its premiere, revitalization efforts have emerged through familial transmission, community-based learning, and non-formal institutional education. The inheritance system reflects a mixed transmission model integrating family, social, and institutional mechanisms. This research contributes to the academic documentation of contemporary Balinese mask dance and provides a reference framework for sustaining artistic heritage in the modern era.