Javanese dance and Yogyakarta and Surakarta gagrak have always put forward the harmony of Wiraga, Wiratma, and Wiratma, of gestures, rhythms, and feelings.

The accompanying karawitan music always harmonizes its melody with the philosophical meaning of the lyrics and the gendang (trans. gong) as the beat.

Who created Bedhaya?

According to tradition, Bedhaya was a temple dance called Lenggotbawa created by Bethara Wisnu with an accompanying music called Lokananta.

Over time, Bedhaya is no longer danced in temples to worship the gods, but in palace gazebo to pay respect to the reigning king, accompanied by gamelan music.

Matahari Bedhaya then became a heritage dance because it is performed only once every year for the tingalan dalem jumenengan ceremony. It is composed of unique combination of music, dance, and atmosphere, such as one created by the strumming of rebab that follows the dancers’ footsteps towards the gazebo.

With solemn gaze and graceful movement, once they arrive in front of the king on the throne, they sit cross-legged and perform sila sembahan.

Bedhaya is a ceremonial, religious, sacred dance.

Bedhaya is a heritage dance of Javanese royal palaces. Each royal palace has its own aesthetics and grandeur, such as Bedhaya Ketawang from Kraton Kasunanan Surakarta Hadiningrat; Bedhaya Semang from Kraton Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, Bedhaya Anglir Mendung from Puro Mangkunegaran Surakarta, and Bedhaya Angron Akung from Puro Pakualaman Yogyakarta.

Before the modern era, Bedhaya dance had a specific function in culture. According to Raffles in his book History of Jaca, Bedhaya dancers used to be concubines. In Wrido Pradonggo, it appears that every regent or abdi dalem from each kingdom/sultanate would present their daughter or granddaughter to be part of the nine Bedhaya dancers as an act of solidarity in the kingdom.

It was mentioned in Wrido Pradonggo that the nine leaders represented the nine pillars of the kingdom, and each Bedhaya dance was a reminder of their merit. Bedhaya is a heritage, symbolic through the lyrics sung by the pesinden (trans. singer).

As one of the cultural preservation and development centres in Java, Kadipaten Pakualaman Yogyakarta has an important role to research and introduce heritage and culture to the wider public, and one of the ways is through dance. One of the dances or beksan presented here is Bedhaya Angron Akung beksan. From its title Angron Akung, it consists of two words, the former meaning leafy and the latter meaning romance. It means a beautiful romance blossoming like the evergreen leaf.

Bedhaya Angron Akung is an excerpt from a romance story between Panji Inu Kertapati and Swi Sekartaji. The two lovers were separated, but later re-united through their mutual love, loyalty, and trust in the Almighty, as was written in beksan Angron Akung’s accompanying text: (Javanese text), which reads, “by the grace of the eighth Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Aryo Paku Alam, the bedhaya putri dance was created to revitalize the previous lelangen dalem Paku Alam,” and then it continues to read that this lelangen beksan was for a consolation. During the tenth Jumemeng Dalem Kanjeng Gusti Paku Alam, Bedhaya Angron Akung was performed with the hope that life within kadipaten Paku Alaman to be blithe and prosperous through the power of love, sincerity, and determination as was told in the story of Bedhaya Angron Akung.