The Bedhaya Dance of the Yogyakarta Keraton.

The Bedhaya Dance of the Yogyakarta Keraton

###The Bedhaya Dance of the Yogyakarta Keraton: A Sacred Legacy of History and Philosophical Movement

 Introduction

In the heart of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat stands as a living testament to Javanese royal heritage, where ancient rituals and artistic expressions intertwine with the rhythms of gamelan music. Among its most revered treasures is the Bedhaya dance—often spelled Bedhoyo in local dialects—a sacred, ritualized performance that embodies the elegance and mysticism of the Javanese court. Performed exclusively by nine unmarried female dancers, the Bedhaya is not merely a spectacle but a profound meditation on harmony, power, and the divine. While its counterpart, the Bedhaya Ketawang, holds primacy in the Surakarta palace, the Yogyakarta variant, particularly forms like Bedhaya Semang and Bedhaya Gandakusuma, carries unique historical and philosophical weight within the Keraton Jogja. This article explores the dance's origins and its intricate movements, revealing the deep philosophical layers that connect the earthly realm to the spiritual cosmos.

## Historical Origins: From Mythic Unions to Royal Heirlooms

The roots of the Bedhaya trace back to the Mataram Dynasty, the foundational Islamic sultanate of Java established in the late 16th century. Tradition attributes the dance's creation to Sultan Agung (r. 1613–1645), the third and most influential ruler of Mataram, who is credited with blending Hindu-Buddhist aesthetics with Islamic mysticism to forge a distinctly Javanese court culture. Some accounts suggest the dance evolved from even earlier forms, possibly as old as the Majapahit Empire (13th–16th centuries), where female dances known as *bedhaya* served ritual purposes. However, its modern iteration crystallized during Sultan Agung's reign, inspired by a visionary encounter during meditation: a celestial hum from the sky, interpreted as divine inspiration, led to the choreography's birth.

Central to the Bedhaya's lore is the mythic union between Panembahan Senopati, the dynasty's founder (r. 1584–1601), and Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, the ethereal Queen of the Southern Sea. This supernatural romance symbolizes the sultan's spiritual marriage to the ocean's forces, granting him *sakti*—mystical power over land and sea. In Yogyakarta's narrative, the dance commemorates this bond, with the nine dancers representing the goddess's spirits manifesting in human form. After the 1755 Treaty of Giyanti divided the Mataram Sultanate into the Kasunanan Surakarta and Kasultanan Yogyakarta, cultural heirlooms were apportioned. Surakarta retained the Bedhaya Ketawang, the most ancient and sacred variant, while Yogyakarta developed its own, such as Bedhaya Semang—a ritual dance last performed before 1920 and now subject to reconstruction efforts—and Bedhaya Gandakusuma, which recounts the romantic conquest of Madiun by Senopati and his union with Princess Retno Dumilah.

In the Keraton Jogja, Bedhaya performances were historically reserved for pivotal ceremonies: coronations, the sultan's birthday (*tingalan jumenengan*), or anniversaries of ascension. Dancers, selected from palace *abdi dalem* (servants) or noble relatives, underwent rigorous preparation, including week-long fasts and offerings of flowers and incense to honor Ratu Kidul. Taboos abound—rehearsals demand ritual purity, with menstruating dancers seeking the goddess's permission through seclusion and prayer. By the 19th century, external influences crept in; European visitors prompted adaptations like male dancers in female attire or the incorporation of pistols as props, blending colonial novelty with royal assertion. Today, under Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the dance endures as a *pusaka* (heirloom), performed sporadically to preserve its sanctity amid modernization.

## Philosophical Essence: Harmony, Divinity, and the Javanese Cosmos

At its core, the Bedhaya is a philosophical treatise in motion, encapsulating Javanese concepts of *alus* (refined elegance) and *manunggaling kawula gusti* (unity of servant and lord, or human and divine). Far from entertainment, it serves as a meditative rite, guiding performers and spectators toward self-realization and cosmic balance. The number nine holds profound symbolism: it evokes the nine bodily orifices, the nine heavens in Javanese cosmology, and the nine siblings of Ratu Kidul, underscoring themes of completeness and spiritual ascent. Each dancer embodies a facet of the sultan's *sakti*, channeling the goddess's energy to legitimize royal authority while fostering inner peace and moral discipline.

The dance's structure mirrors life's philosophical journey: seven scenes (in some variants) represent the seven stages of spiritual elevation, from earthly attachment to divine union. Accompanied by archaic *gendhing* (gamelan pieces) like *Ketawang Ageng* in pelog or slendro scales, the performance unfolds in three acts—entry, union, and parting—echoing the mythic narrative of Senopati and Ratu Kidul. This progression philosophically affirms *rwa bhineda* (duality of opposites: good and evil, human and god) resolving into harmony, a cornerstone of Javanese thought influenced by Hindu-Buddhist and Sufi syncretism. As a tool for character formation, it instills *joged Mataram* principles: *greget* (fervent commitment), *sengguh* (confident self-control), and *ora mingkuh* (resilient determination), teaching dancers—and viewers—to navigate life's dualities with grace.

Psychologically, the Bedhaya facilitates *self-inquiry*, akin to Jungian individuation, where synchronized movements dissolve the ego, revealing the interconnected self. In Yogyakarta's context, it reinforces the Keraton's role as a microcosm of the universe, where the sultan's palace mirrors Mount Meru, and the dance invokes ancestral protection for the realm's prosperity.

## The Dance's Movements: Graceful Gestures of the Soul

The Bedhaya's choreography is a masterclass in restraint and subtlety, with movements executed at a glacial pace to evoke introspection. Dancers enter in a *kapang-kapang* procession, knees bent in an S-curve (*picis*) that symbolizes serpentine fluidity and grounded humility—the body as a vessel bridging earth and ether. Hands, adorned with Indian-derived *mudra*-like gestures, flow in streamlined arcs: fingers interlace in *sami swara* (harmonious unity), palms rise in *sembah* (prayerful reverence) to greet the divine, and subtle undulations of the torso (*colotomic pulses*) mimic ocean waves, honoring Ratu Kidul's aquatic domain. Formations shift geometrically—lines to circles, evoking cosmic cycles—while footwork remains minimal, emphasizing internal poise over external flair.

In Bedhaya Semang, gestures grow more intimate: veiled sensual flourishes in the "union" act, with hips swaying like gentle tides, allude to sacred consummation without overt eroticism, embodying *nritya* (expressive subtlety). The Yogyakarta style, distinct from Surakarta's, incorporates sharper *ayunan* (sways) and elongated *twists*, reflecting the sultanate's martial heritage. Accompaniment enhances philosophy: soft gong cycles (*kethuk 4 arang*) pulse like a heartbeat, while *pathetan* vocalises intone Ratu Kidul's longing, blurring performer and myth. Exiting in reverse procession, dancers kneel, palms joined in final *sembah*, sealing the ritual's contemplative arc.

## Conclusion: An Enduring Ritual of the Spirit

The Bedhaya of the Yogyakarta Keraton transcends time, weaving history's threads into a tapestry of philosophical depth. From Sultan Agung's celestial vision to its role in affirming royal *sakti*, this dance remains a sacred dialogue between the mortal and the mystical. Its measured gestures invite us to ponder unity amid duality, urging modern audiences to reclaim *alus* in a chaotic world. As the Keraton endures, so does the Bedhaya—a timeless heirloom, whispering eternal truths through every poised step. In an era of flux, it reminds us: true power lies not in conquest, but in harmonious surrender to the divine rhythm of existence.