Aesthetic Deconstruction in the Creation of the Bedhaya Suryasumirat Dance at Pura Mangkunegaran

Abstract

The bedhaya dance is a classical Javanese court performance that holds a privileged position as a symbol of royal authority. Traditionally, the version with nine dancers is an exclusive right of the king, as regulated by longstanding cultural norms. However, under the reign of Mangkunegara IX, Pura Mangkunegaran—a princely court—introduced Bedhaya Suryasumirat, a new composition featuring nine female dancers. This innovation challenged established conventions and symbolic systems associated with bedhaya tradition. This article explores how aesthetic deconstruction is reflected in the creation of Bedhaya Suryasumirat and investigates the motives behind it. Using a qualitative method and an ethnochoreological approach, the study views dance as a cultural text shaped by sociopolitical dynamics. The findings reveal that through the creation of Bedhaya Suryasumirat, Pura Mangkunegaran introduced a significant innovation that marked a departure from the normative rules traditionally upheld in the presentation of bedhaya dances. This innovation is realized through the alteration in the number of dancers—from the customary seven dancers used in the bedhaya dances of princely court to nine dancers, a format historically reserved for kings. By presenting nine dancers in Bedhaya Suryasumirat, Mangkunegaran made a strategic move that signified a bold renegotiation of its cultural identity, while simultaneously responding to the socio-cultural shifts in post-independence Indonesia. This initiative can also be interpreted as an effort to reassert the symbolic position of Mangkunegaran as a center of Javanese culture.