.jpg)
Baris War Dance
A Baris Tunggal dancer (that is, a solo Baris dancer) performs his stylised routine at the Balai Banjar Ubud Kelod in Bali.
Balinese dance is an integral part of life on this tiny Indonesian island.
Bali has a richness of unique culture that is immediately apparent to its many tourist-visitors. The productiveness of its lush, terraced rice fields and its relatively equitable division of food and labour have allowed the people time to develop and expand their religious and cultural traditions, and to express these through art, carving, music and dance.
In Bali, dance and drama are interchangeable: age-old dance-drama stories are depicted through precise, stylised movements: movements that include defined body-shape and placement; finger, hand and arm gestures; and the quick, bird-like motions of the neck, head and eyes. The makeup and costuming are as much a part of the ancient traditions as the dances themselves.
Balinese children learn the more important dances from an early age – “dancing” with their hands before they can walk. Formal training can start as young as age five. Legong (“leg” meaning “beautiful movements” and “gong” meaning “melodious sound”) dancers, in particular, were traditionally recruited from the ablest and prettiest children. By fourteen, these dancers were approaching retirement – although the performers in tourist shows these days tend to be older.
Basically, whether classical or contemporary, Balinese dances fall into three broad genres: 1) sacred religious and ceremonial dances, some rooted in Hindu epic stories – like the ubiquitous Ramayana saga depicting the divine Prince Rama’s efforts to rescue his wife Sita from a demon king ; 2) semi-sacred dances featuring masked dancers, and depicting battles between good and evil – like the mythical evil witch Rangda versus the lion or dragon Barong, who represents good; and 3) entertainment dances, including the classical Legong, performed at social gatherings and for tourists. In 2015, UNESCO inscribed these three form of dance as examples of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.
Of course, you don’t have to know any of this to enjoy a Balinese dance performance. My husband and I didn’t, when we bought our Rp.75,000 ($USD5.50) tickets for the Sunday evening performance of the Sanggar Pondok Pekak dance troupe at the Bale Banjar Ubud Kelod hall in Ubud. As my very old (1999) Lonely Planet Bali & Lombok (7th ed) put it: “The most important thing about Balinese dances is that they’re fun and accessible. Balinese dance … can be exciting and enjoyable for almost anyone with just the slightest effort.”
And it was true: the lively rhythms, wonderful costumes and comical facial expressions made the dances great fun to watch.
.jpg)
Banjar Ubud Kelod
The front of the Legong Dance performance hall is marked in typical Balinese style.
.jpg)
Wall Relief inside Banjar Ubud Kelod
The Empty Stage
As we find seats in the auditorium, we can admire the finish on the small stage.
The Musicians Enter
The first performers to take the stage are the musicians from the gamelan orchestra.
Gamelan Musicians
A gamelan orchestra includes metallophones, played by mallets, hand-played drums, …
Gamelan Musicians
… xylophones, flutes, gongs, voices, and strings.
Sekar Jagat Welcome Dance
The first dance is a group of young women in their fantastic makeup and headdress, making a ritual offering to welcome the audience – and any gods that might be in attendance.
Baris War Dance
Baris dances are traditional war dances in three parts: depicting the studied and careful movements of a young warrior before battle, glorifying the self-assurance of the triumphant Balinese warrior, and displaying the his commanding heroic presence.
Baris War Dance
The richly embroidered costume includes ornate fabric panels, known as awiran, which hang from his body over white leggings called celana.
Legong Dancer
Legong dances are characterised by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and exaggerated facial expressions.
Legong Dancers
The Legong Kraton (“Legend of the Palace”) Dance, features two identically dressed dancers and an attendant.
Legong Dancers
The pair of legong dancers in their tight silk and gold costumes mirror each another’s movements.
Gamelan Musicians
Kebyar Dancer
Kebyar dances are abstract non-narrative solo dances in which the focus is upon the dancer him- or herself.
Kebyar Dance
Much of the contemporary Kebyar Duduk (Taruna Jaya) dance from North Bali is performed in a sitting position.
Oleg Tambulilingan
Choreographed in 1952, Oleg Tambulilingan is a duet depicting the courtship of two bumblebees.
Oleg Dancer
Those eyes! The female bumblebee flits from flower to flower in a beautiful garden.
Oleg Tambulilingan
The male bumblebee tries to attract the female’s attention.
Jauk Dancer
The Jauk Dance is a classical solo mask dance dating to the 18th century. The masked dancer improvises as a playful, but sinister demon.
Taking Bows
At the end of an entertaining and eventful program of modern and classical pieces, the performers bid us good evening.
It was a most enjoyable glimpse into rich Balinese cultural and story-telling traditions, and it was without reservation that we booked into our next taste of Balinese performance: a Kecak show at Tanah Lot. More about that some other time (see: Tari Kecak, Uluwatu) …
Until then,
Happy Travels!
[…] Dance and drama are integral to guarding the traditional cultural stories and developing modern artistic expressions firmly rooted in the past: “In Bali, dance and drama are interchangeable: age-old dance-drama stories are depicted throug… […]