Javanese Dance
Classical court dance from Yogyakarta
Javanese dance is the dances and artforms that were created and influenced by Javanese culture. These expressive dances comes in two formes, ‘tari kraton’ (palace dances) and ‘tari kawulo’ (commoners’ dances). The palace dances are usually associated with the courtly, refined and sophisticated culture of the Javanese kratons; mainly the Yogyakarta and Surakarta sultanates, the patrons of Javanese Mataram culture. They are used for both moral education, emotional expression, and spreading of the Javanese culture.
Kraton dances employs sets of rules about certain dance movements, body and hand gestures that requires discipline to learn. Gamelan orchestra accompanies court dance performances, as well as for other Javanese artforms such as Wayang performances. The serene elegance, slow pace and constrains of its movements give Javanese court dance a meditative quality. These dances are heavily influenced by Javanese Hindu-Buddhist legacy, and as a result the costumes, jewelry and story often reflects the Hindu epic tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
This Javanese palace dance, photographed 25 March 2010, was performed by Maria Vincentia Ika Mulatsih SS, accompanied by the palace gamelan music ensamble. It was held in the Srimanganti Pendopo, an open (performance) pavillion in the main body of the Yogyakarta Kraton (Sultan’s Palace), which is the royal palace and seat for the Sultanate. According to Javanese belief, the ruler is the centre of the universe, and the Kraton thus both the capital of Yogyakarta province as well as the hub of the cosmos.