The Srimpi ( jv, ꦱꦿꦶꦩ꧀ꦥꦶ, translit=Srimpi) (also written as Serimpi) is a ritualised

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, associated with the royal palaces of

Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...

and

Surakarta Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 44 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoh ...

. The ''srimpi'' dance is one of the classical dances of

Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...

. Along with the '' bedhaya'', ''srimpi'' epitomised the elegant ( jv, script=Latn, alus) character of the royal Javanese court, becoming a symbol of the ruler's power as well as the refinement of

Javanese culture Javanese culture is the culture of the Javanese people. Javanese culture is centered in the provinces of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java in Indonesia. Due to various migrations, it can also be found in other parts of the world, such as ...

Form and movement

The ''srimpi'' dance is usually performed by four female dancers, however other numbers such as two, six or eight dancers is also possible, depending on the type of ''srimpi'' being performed. Similarity in looks, height and body type among dancers is preferred to achieve better aesthetics. ''Srimpi'' demonstrate soft, slow and graceful movements, highly stylised hand positions, stances and body poses, coupled with the shoulder-baring ''

kemben ''Kemben'' ( jv, ꦏꦼꦩ꧀ꦧꦼꦤ꧀, Indonesian: ''kemban'') is an Indonesian female torso wrap historically common in Java, Bali, and other part of Indonesian archipelago. It is made by wrapping a piece of ''kain'' (clothes), either pla ...

'' outfit, to describe elegance, modesty, refinement, beauty and grace. The dancer moves slowly accompanied with serene

gamelan Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. T ...

music. The ''srimpi'' dances, being less sacred in nature than '' bedhaya'', are much better known and often performed, not only in the two Keratons, but also outside the courts for ceremonies and festivals of common Javanese people. Up until today, the ''srimpi'' dances are still a part of court ceremonies, as princesses routinely rehearse various types of ''srimpi'' in the

pendopo A pendhapa or pandhapa ( Javanese: ꦥꦼꦤ꧀ꦝꦥ or ꦥꦤ꧀ꦝꦥ, Indonesian spelling: pendapa, nonstandard spelling: pendopo) is a fundamental element of Javanese architecture unique in the southern central part of Java; a large pavilio ...

pavilion within the palace.

Gallery

Tari "Srimpi Dhempel" Puro Pakualaman.jpg, A srimpi dhempel dance performance, choreography by King

Pakubuwono VII Pakubuwono VII (also transliterated Pakubuwana VII) (28 July 1796 – 10 May 1858) was the seventh Susuhunan (ruler of Surakarta Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, In ...

KITLV 115029 - Isidore van Kinsbergen - Serimpi female dancers of the Regent of Bandung - 1863-1865.tif, Srimpi dancers of the Regent of

Bandung Bandung ( su, ᮘᮔ᮪ᮓᮥᮀ, Bandung, ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of West Java. It has a population of 2,452,943 within its city limits according to the official estimates as at mid 2021, making it the fourth most ...

(circa 1864) Serimpi 's, Java, KITLV 27443.tiff, Srimpi dancers in traditional costume in 1900 KITLV 3905 - Kassian Céphas - Serimpi of the sultan of Yogyakarta perform a dance called Semang II - Around 1885.tif, A srimpi performance at

Yogyakarta Palace The Royal Palace of Yogyakarta ( id, Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, jv, ꦏꦿꦠꦺꦴꦤ꧀ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠꦲꦢꦶꦤꦶꦔꦿꦠ꧀) is a palace complex in the city of Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. It is ...

in 1885 COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een van de zonen van Mangkoe Negoro van Solo met Serimpi danseressen TMnr 60005502.jpg, Prince of

Mangkunegaran The Duchy of Mangkunegaran ( id, Kadipaten Mangkunegaran) is a small Javanese princely state located within the region of Surakarta in Indonesia. It was established in 1757 by Raden Mas Said, when he submitted his army to Pakubuwono III in Fe ...

with srimpi dancers in 1885

Notes

References

Revaluing Javanese Court Dances (Srimpi and Bedhaya) within the Current Social and Cultural Context
by Michi Tomioka

External links

Video of Serimpi dance in Kraton Yogyakarta
on YouTube
Video of Serimpi Ludira Madu dance in Kraton Surakarta
on YouTube {{Dance of Indonesia Dances of Java Javanese culture

Form and movement

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links