The Tjandra Kirana Arts Student Activity Unit (UKM) Dance Team of Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA) once again achieved national recognition. Adelia Dwi Wulan Sari (Biology Education), Angelina Bertha Aprilya Putri Sabrina (Accounting Education), Shella Monica (Management), Aditiya Veri Wilyatan (English Education), and Angger Bagas Aryadinata (Primary School Teacher Education) successfully won 1st runner-up in the National Traditional Dance Competition organized by UKM Seiya IAIN Ponorogo on November 16, 2024.

The competition, part of the UKM Seiya 2024 Arts Festival, carried the theme BADAYAKARTASAMA, an acronym for “Building culture, creating works, achieving success together.” This prestigious national event served as a platform for expression and a means of preserving culture for young generations from various regions of Indonesia.

In the competition, they performed a dance entitled Niskala Seblang, a ritual dance of the Osing tribe in Banyuwangi, East Java. This dance portrays the traditional village cleansing ceremony and warding off misfortune, believed to purify the environment from negative energy and bring prosperity.

“This dance is believed to cleanse villages from negative energy, ward off disasters, and bring prosperity. The mystical elements are deeply embedded in this dance, where dancers often enter a trance or become possessed by ancestral spirits during the performance,” explained Adelia on behalf of the team in an interview on Monday, 14/07/2025.

Despite having only one week to practice before the competition, the team demonstrated exceptional dedication and enthusiasm. “The challenge for me was the very limited practice time. However, the support from friends and family became my motivation to give our best performance,” she added.

Sesaria Prima Yudhaningtyas, M.Pd., the advisor of the Tjandra Kirana Arts UKM, also expressed appreciation for the team’s achievement. She stated that this victory reflects their love for culture. “We provide full support from our academic community. This achievement proves that art can also be a path to success,” she said.

This accomplishment serves as evidence that the spirit of preserving local culture can lead to remarkable achievements. It is hoped that this success will inspire other students to continue exploring their potential and bringing the richness of Indonesian culture to a wider stage