HISTORY OF THE BALINESE DANCE

In the 14th century, the defeat of Bali by Majapahit led to the creation of mini-principalities and courts. As a result a blend of Javanese court and peasant culture was created in Bali. The present day accompanying narrative for dance and drama is to a large extent based on court stories from pre-Majapahit Java.

The Indian epics are another favourite of the stage and the Javanese influence can be seen especially in the wayang where long quotes from the ancient Javanese Kakawin poetry are recited out.

The 16th century brought Islamization to Java, resulting in much of the Javanese culture vanishing from its own land. However, it transformed in Bali, becoming classical Balinese culture. But this didn't live too long until colonization.

The rural courts were defeated and replaced with new lords of the land, shifting the center of creativity to village associations and to the development of tourism. The Balinese cultural dance was in its hype of activities especially during the 30's and 50's.

The fertile decades helped survive the old narrative-led theatre while letting loose solo dances almost everywhere, accompanied by a new, dynamic kind of music called gong kebyar.

This trend continued in the 60's and 70's with the creation of colossal sendratari ballets, representing ancient Indian and Javanese stories adapted to the needs of modern audiences

Balinese dance is inseparable from religion. A small offering of food and flowers must precede even dances for tourists. Before performing, many dancers pray at their family shrines, appealing for holy "taksu" (inspiration) from the gods.

In this rural tradition, the people say that peace and harmony depend on protection by the gods and ancestors. Dance in this context may fulfil a number of specific functions:
as a channel for visiting gods or demonic gods, the dancers acting as a sort of living repository. These trance dances include the Sang Hyang Dedari, with little girls in trance, and the Sang Hyang Jaran, a fire dance.
as a welcome for visiting gods, such as the pendet, rejang and sutri dances
as entertainment for visiting gods, such as the topeng and the wayang.

In some of these dances, the role of dancing is so important that it is actually the key to any meaning to be found in the ritual. In wayang performances, the puppeteer is often seen as the "priest" sanctifying the holy water.

As well as their use in religious ceremonies, dance and drama also have a strong religious content. It is often said that drama is the preferred medium through which the Balinese cultural tradition is transmitted. The episodes performed are usually related to the rites taking place; during a wedding one performs a wedding story; at a death ritual there is a visit to "hell" by the heroes. Clowns (penasar) comment in Balinese, peppering their jokes with religious and moral comments on stories whose narratives use Kawi (Old-Javanese).

Most Populer Bali Dances

DATE ENTERTAINMENT, LOCATION AND TIME

BARONG DANCE

The Barong is the magical protector of Balinese villages. As "lord of the forest" with fantastic fanged mask and long mane, he is the opponent of Rangda the witch, who rules over the spirits of darkness, in the never ending fight between good and evil. During the Galungan Kuningan festivals, the Barong (there are many types, including barong ket, barong macan, and barong bangkal) wanders from door to door (nglawang) cleansing the territory of evil influences.

The fight between Barong and Rangda is also the topic of traditional narratives, usually performed in the temple of the dead. The most famous is the story of Calonarang, a widow from Jirah who is furious because she cannot find a suitable husband for her daughter Ratna Manggali. All the eligible young men are scared of her black magic, so she gets revenge by wreaking havoc over the kingdom of Daha. The king, Erlangga, tries to punish her, but all his attempts fail. She kills all the soldiers he sends to destroy her. Then Rangda decides to destroy Daha. She summons all her disciples and in the still of night they go to the Setra Gendrainayu cemetery, to present offerings of dead flesh to Durga, the goddess of death. Durga agrees to the destruction, although she warns the witch not to enter the city of Daha.

But the witch does not heed Durga's advice and the kingdom is soon hit by grubug (a plague) and the villages quickly become cemeteries, people dying even before they can bury their dead. Corpses are scattered everywhere and the stench is unbearable.

The only person who can defeat the witch is Mpu Bharadah. At the king's request, Bharadah sends his disciple Bahula to steal Calonarang's magic weapon. Bahula pretends to ask for Ratna Manggali's hand in marriage, and while the witch is away, Bahula steals the magic weapon with the help of Ratna Manggali. Then he gives the stolen weapon to his teacher Bharadah. The weapon turns out to be a manuscript containing the key to ultimate release (moksa) which has been used upside-down by Calonarang.

Bharadah goes to Daha to challenge the witch. With the help of the Barong, she is defeated. Before being killed, she asks to be released from her curse and purified.

Suwung Everyday ( 09.30 - 10.00 ) am
Kesiman Everyday ( 09.30-10.00 ) am
Batubulan Village Everyday ( 09.30 - 10.00 ) am
Br. Abasan Everyday ( tba )
Singapadu Everyday ( 09.30 - 10.00 ) am
Padang Galak Everyday ( 09.30 - 10.00 ) am

KECAK DANCE

"Cak-cak-cak." The obsessive sound of a choir, from beyond the dust of ages suddenly rises between, the lofty trees. Darkness looms over the stage.

Hundreds of bare-breasted men sit in a circle, around the flickering light of an oil lamp chandelier. "Cak-Cak". They start dancing to the rhythmic sound of their own voices, their hands raised to the sky and bodies shaking in unison. This is the unique Kecak, perhaps the most popular of all Balinese dances.

Visitors rarely leave the island of Bali without first seeing a kecak performance. Originally the kecak was just an element of the older Sang Hyang trance dance. It consisted of a male choir praying obsessively to the souls of their ancestors. At the initiative of painter Walter Spies, this religious choir was transformed into a dance by providing it with a narrative. The ballet is the Ramayana epic. The prince Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Laksmana are exiled in the middle of the forest. Rama goes hunting a.golden deer at the request of his wife, who saw the strange animal and has asked him to catch it. While he is away, she is kidnapped by Rahwana and taken to the latter's island kingdom of Alengka.

Rama allies himself with the monkeys and in particular with the white monkey Hanoman. They build a bridge and cross to the island. War ensues until finally Rama defeats Rahwana and is again united with his faithful wife.

Uluwatu Temple Every Monday, Wednesday,
saturday ( 18.00-19.00 ) pm
Art Centre Denpasar Everyday ( 18.30-19.30 ) am
Padang Tegal Ubud Every Sunday (18.00-19.00 ) am
Desa Baha Mengwi ( On Request )


Kecak & Fire Dance

Bona Kangin Everyday Monday
Gianyar on Wednesday and Friday ( 18.30-19.30 ) am
Batubulan Everyday ( 18.30-19.30 )

LEGONG DANCE

The dynamic Legong Dance is the epitome of classical female Balinese dancing. A court dance, it was created in the 18th century in the circles of the principality of Sukawati. Now including a variety of modern "free creations" (tari lepas), the legong is usually the first dance taught to beginners. Months of training are needed to master the perfect mix of posture (tangkep), movements and mimicry. Three dancers in glittering costumes - one condong lady-in-waiting and two princesses whose roles change according to the narrative - usually perform it. The ancient legong used to have a storyteller's accompaniment, but these days they are only dance performances.

Peliatan Stage Ubud Every Friday (18.30-19.30 ) pm
Puri Dalem Puri Ubud Every Saturday ( 18.30-19.30 ) pm
Puri Peliatan Ubud Every Sunday ( 19.30-21.30 ) pm
Puri Saren Ubud Every Sunday ( 19.30-21.30 ) pm

SHADOW PUPPET

The wayang puppet show is perhaps the most famous show in Balinese theatre, albeit the most difficult to understand. Basically an epic narrative, it is the key to Bali's unique world of myths, symbols and religious beliefs.

The puppet master, or datang, tells his story by projecting the shadows of the puppets he manipulates behind a white screen and a large lamp. He plays several characters at once, shifting from Old-Javanese to High-Balinese, singing and hitting a box to mark the rhythm. A good dalang is a one-man-show, being in turns smart, funny and melancholic.

The datang borrows the frame of his narrative from the great epics of the Indo-Javanese tradition, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, although other stories may sometimes be used. He then creates his own episodes, usually concerning a hero's quest for a magical weapon, heavenly secret or partner. The hero, accompanied by buffoons, succeeds eventually after tortuous adventures in the wilderness and fights with evil giants. The two sets of puppets - the heroes on the right, villains on the left - symbolise the eternal struggle between good and evil. But for the audience, the datang's ability to poke fun at everyone through the mouths of the buffoons is no less important than the narrative.

Oka Kartini Every Saturday
Show Tebesaya 20.00-2100
(Wayang Kulit) Peliatan

JOGED DANCE

The Joged Bumbung is one of the few exclusively secular dances of Bali, in which the brightly-dressed dancer invites men from the crowd to dance with her in a pretence of seduction. The music is made with bumbung (baMboo) instruments. This dance is very popular with tourists.

The dance begins with a long opening sequence by the female dancer. Then, long shawl in her hand, she selects a man from the audience by either pointing with her fan or touching his waist. He (the pengibing) comes on stage to hoots from the audience, and is expected to be as adept at teasing as the women dancer. The better he is, the louder the cheers and roars from the crowd. He may try to pinch her, dance hip to hip with her, or even behave like an angry lover and try to hit her.

Penjor Restaurant, Every Wenesday ( 20.15 - end )

TEKTEKAN DANCE
Puri Anyar On Request
(Puri Night : Dance Kerambitan
& Traditional Dinner) Tabanan

LEKO & JANGER
Puri Anyar On Request
Dance Kerambitan
Tabanan

BIMANYU DANCE
Panca Arta, Ubud Every Thursday Drama ( 20.00 - ... )

GABOR DANCE
Ubud Kelod Ubud, Every Thursday

THE MAHABRATA
Br. Teges Every Thursday Epic Peliatan (18.30-20.00) pm

RAJA PALA DANCE
Ubud Kelod Every Thursday (10.30-20.00 ) pm

CALONARANG DANCE
Hotel Menara, Ubud Every Friday ( 20.00 - end ) pm

RAMAYANA DANCE
Ubud Kelod Every Wednesday ( 19.30-21.00 ) pm

FROG DANCE
Penjor Restaurant, Every Sunday ( 19.00 - end ) pm

PARWA RAMAYANA DANCE
Hotel Menara Ubud, Everyday-Tuesday- Wednesday ( 20.00 - ... )

JANGER DANCE
Penjor Restaurant, Every Friday ( 20.15 - end )

TOPENG DANCE
Penjor Restaurant, Every Wenesday ( 20.15 - end )

GENJEKAN
Sangeh Vilage Everyday ( 16.00-17.00 ) pm

20 DEBUS AND REPTIL DEMONSTRATION
Br Werdi Buana Mengwi, Everyday ( 10.30-11.30 ) am