Synopsis:

The Beksan Golek Sukåretnå is a female dance and the style of the dance is the court dance-style of the Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat. The 'golek'-dances origin from the Yogyakarta Hadiningrat court (also see Java's Art of Classical Dancing), but the Surakarta sovereign Sri Padukå Susuhunan Paku Bhuwånå X (1893-1939) of the Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat ordered 2 of his court dancers to study the dance at the Yogyakarta court. Thus nowadays there are several kinds of 'golek'-dances in Surakarta-style, all named to the composition the choreography is created for. Compared to the average Javanese court dances the 'golek'-dances have a vivid character because the choreography of the 'golek'-dances is inspired by dances from outside the Javanese courts.
The 'golek'-dances were customary performed at the end of a 'wayang'-performance or other story to give the audience the opportunity to think about the symbolic message of the presented story. A comparable tradition occurs at a 'wayang kulit' performance (also see Java's Art of Classical Dancing), when a wooden puppet dances at the end of the performance. The Javanese word 'golek' means 'to look for' or 'to seek for' and so the audience is given the opportunity to seek for the symbolic meaning of the story during the 'golek'-dance.
'Sukå' means 'cheerful' and 'retnå' means 'lady', so 'sukåretnå' means 'cheerful ladies'.
All the 'golek'-dances depict court ladies who are preparing for a court festivity. They realise that one can be dressed with external beauty as well as with internal beauty. The ladies try to see through the meaning of beauty in human life, while observing themselves in the mirror.
The Beksan Golek Sukåretnå differs from the other 'golek'-dances in the used dance technique for some variations. These variations make use of the dance technique of the 'serimpi'-court dances and make the Beksan Golek Sukåretnå one of the most refined 'golek'-dances ever choreographed.

© The Wisma Ulah Budaya Foundation 1999