KUMARAJANA

Gandrung dance is a typical Banyuwangi dance performed as a manifestation of community gratitude after harvest. Gandrung means happy. It presented a traditional dance with typical musical accompaniment of Javanese and Balinese culture.

Gandrung Banyuwangi contains strong meanings and symbols as a language of divinity and unity. Gandrung dance is usually danced in Gandrung terob art all night long. Its existence until now makes Gandrung an icon of Banyuwangi tourism and culture both nationally and internationally.

Gandrung was first danced by a girl named Semi, at that time Semi was fulfilling her mother's vow because her sick child did not recover, so Semi was made into a seblang dancer who was then called Gandrung, therefore Gandrung is also closely related to symbols of prayer and hope.
From another historical point of view, Gandrung has been danced by male dancers since the VOC colonial era in Blambangan, then according to existing history, Gandrung dance was present as a medium of attack by tricking the colonisers in the form of Gandrung dance entertainment watched by the VOC colonisers at that time.