History Bedhaya Dance

Historically, dance Bedhaya in its institutionalization is a classical dance very old age and is the original art Java. Bedhaya oldest dance is created by the Semang Bedhaya lane I in 1759, the story of the marriage of Sultan Agung of Mataram with Queen of the South's ruling in the ocean Indonesia. Institutionalization Bedhaya Semang dance is considered sacred because the marriages were regarded as sacred relationship. Because kesakralannya that, then Bedhaya Semang be assigned to the court very sacred. As a genre of dance, specifications Bedhaya among others, is the first, indicated by the use of female dancers, which generally amounted to nine and use makeup paced fashion twins. Second, Bedhaya as one of the Javanese dance genres, has been used as a source of reference in the preparation daughter dance at the palace of Yogyakarta. Third, dance Bedhaya has a symbolic meaning and philosophical charge high and deep, making it the most appropriate example for how to implement the concept of Alus-rough in Javanese dance.

Symbolic meaning philosophical charge is so high and inside of the dance Bedhaya , causing the dance genre is always placed as one of the most important art show in the Sultanate of Yogyakarta and Surakarta Kasunanan . The dance is even considered as one of the attributes of the king , which in turn also serves as a means to legitimize the power and authority of the sultans or sunan . The intention of each dance performances Bedhaya for state ritual , which can be seen in every kandha Bedhaya Srimpi , which has always been devoted to building the welfare and prosperity of the people and the state , the power of the king , and further enhance the authority and fame , as well as the hope that the king got grace longevity.

Since the reign of Sultan lane I until now ( Sultan H. B. X ) , the tradition has continued institutionalization Bedhaya . Each Sultan when reigning intentionally created or institutionalization perform the dance , not merely the interests pertunjukansaja , but as the embodiment of the inauguration of authority , and more to the ritual needs . The characteristics that can be seen for example where the play held in Ward Kencana and used for ceremonial purposes is important , for example, the king's birthday , the coronation , and the anniversary of the king's coronation . Sultan as the main witness and a story or theme is presented in content or any specific value . The dancers were brought must be clean in the sense of not menstruating.
In ceremonies or rites of the kingdom that is sacred by presenting dance Bedhaya it serves as a tool greatness of the king , together with the tools of greatness that others who have magical powers such as various kinds of weapons , umbrellas greatness , crowns , and other objects . Bedhaya and objects with magical powers contained in it , serves as regalia or royal heritage , which always helped to strengthen and provide protection , peace, prosperity to the king and all kawulanya . Such confidence has a meaning role of cosmic kings , palaces and government , the parallels between the microcosm and macrocosm . That is the palace as a microcosm trying to find harmony , the harmony and the harmony of life with the macrocosm , which is expected to reach the indestructibility kesejahteraandan prosperity of the kingdom
Along with the time shift and the development of science and technology, Bedhaya dance progressed, although it still has a symbolic meaning high philosophical. Developments institutionalization Bedhaya dance can be seen from several aspects, namely:

1. Dancers were brought dance Bedhaya

In the past that may be brought dance Bedhaya only the royal cemetery (descendants of the king), but now after experiencing growth, can also be danced by anyone who is interested and able to do so. This can be seen with the openness of the palace were willing to accept the parties outside the court who want to learn and explore dance Bedhaya.

2. Refinement time a dance performance Bedhaya

The time required to dance a dance Bedhaya (dance Bedhaya Semang) in antiquity is approximately 3 hours. Now after packaging, the time it takes 1 hour to 11/2 hours. However the rules of the dance as well as philosophical symbolic meaning remains unchanged.

3. Background story dance Bedhaya

The story is taken in the creation of dance Bedhaya experiencing growth , which was originally rooted in the wedding of the king and Queen of South thrives on stories chronicle , history , epic Mahabharata or Ramayana epic . Some examples of dance originating from the other story is :

a. Dance Bedhaya Surgical Madiun taken from the Chronicle story

b . Dance Bedhaya Ciptaning taken from the story of Arjuna Wiwaha

c . Dewa Ruci Bedhaya dance taken from the play Dewa Ruci

d . Dance Bedhaya Panca Krama taken from the epic Mahabharata

e . Dance Bedhaya Chinese woman taken from the story Menak

4. The terms of specialized dancers Bedhaya

At the time of demonstrating dance dancer Bedhaya normally required to be a girl , fast and in a state of purity ( menses ) . Now these provisions are not as tight as it was though they also made ​​where the dance for the coronation of the king and carried inside the palace .