Traditional Dance from Yogyakarta : Serimpi

Serimpi dance is a classical dance from Yogyakarta. This dance is performed by four female dancers are beautiful and graceful. Serimpi word itself means four. But there are also Serimpi danced by five dancers are on Serimpi Renggowati. In addition to means of four, the term serimpi also associated with the word 'IMPI' which means dream. That is, someone who saw this dance will probably feel like being in a dream.

Serimpi dance performances usually last for ¾ hour to 1 hour. The composition of the four dancers representing the four cardinal points and the four elements of the world. Elements of the world include grama (fire), wind (air), Toya (water), and earth (ground). Classical dance was originally developed only Kraton. According to belief, Serimpi is a noble art and the heritage palace. In this dance, the theme of which are served by the same real dancers with dance Bedhaya Sanga. This dance depicts a conflict between two things: between right and wrong, passion and reason, and right and wrong.

Serimpi dance performed by four daughters who each represent elements of life and the direction of the wind. In addition, these dancers also have the name of each role that Buncit, Dhada, Gulu, and Batak. Currently Serimpi dance, dancer composition form a rectangle. This form is not without significance, but symbolizes pole rectangular Hall.

The emergence of this dance is said to come from the kingdom of Mataram when the reign of Sultan Agung. This dance is considered very sacred because only done within the palace for a state ceremony and memorial sultan ascended the throne. In 1775, broke into two Mataram Sultanate of Surakarta and Yogyakarta Sultanate. It is also an impact on this dance. Although dance is still the same core, but Serimpi in Yogyakarta become Serimpi Dhempel, Genjung, and Babul screen. While in Surakarta be Serimpi Bondan and Anglir overcast. Although this dance has been around a long time, but the dance is only known by the public about the '70s because it was so close to divinity dance palace.

The theme of war in this dance is actually a philosophy of life of eastern culture. War in this dance is symbolic battle that never run out of between evil and good. Even in war dance movements express, dance is seen more clearly as two Pasanga soldiers against other soldiers with the same movement with the equipment dibandu dance form of weapon. Property dance used in them are jebeng, cundrik or small dagger, pistol, arrow and spear.

In terms of clothing, the clothing worn by the dancers also experienced growth from the previous. If initially the clothing worn like a palace princess wedding dress with a bun bowl as a headdress and dodotan, currently turned-dancer costume sleeveless clothing, fried bun with flower decoration, and cassowary feather headdress. Characteristics of Serimpi dancer is wearing a small dagger tucked in the front of the cross to the left.

In addition to a dagger, the dancers Serimpi also sometimes use a kind perisak jembreng. During the reign of Sri Sultan HB VII is the 19th century, there is also the tool Dance Serimpi fired a gun battle in the form below. This dance accompaniment patterns using gising sabrangan for entry and exit of the dancers accompanied by the sound of drums and brass. At the time of dancing with ageng or mid-piece is then entered gising ladrang. Furthermore, crane fly and srebengannya diguanakn to accompany the battle scene.