Bali Dances

Bali dance culture

2010-09-18T19:30:00.001-07:00

Bali, a tropical island in the Indonesian archipelago, is so picturesque and immaculate it could almost be a painted backdrop. It has rice paddies tripping down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soaring up through the clouds, dense tropical jungle, long sandy beaches, warm blue water, crashing surf and friendly people who don't just have a culture but actually live it. In Bali spirits come out to play in the moonlight, every night is a festival and even a funeral is an opportunity to have a good time.

Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. The Balinese people are proud of having preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, the dominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in day to day life and can be seen in the numerous ceremonies, Balinese festivals and magnificent temples and palaces. Some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.

Bali Island is a shopper's paradise particularly for casual and tailored clothing, locally made jewellery, handicrafts, antiques and artifacts. Leather ware is one of the unexpected local bargains with everything from handbags through to tailor made leather jackets and coats, all at unbelievable prices. In fact, prices are so inexpensive, you're sure to need more room in your suitcase! Try bargaining at the street markets of Kuta, Sanur of Nusa Dua or fixed price shopping at a Denpasar department store. Bali has it all.

For those that want to stay wet, Bali Island has world class scuba diving, snorkelling and wonderful day trips out to Nusa Penida for beach sports and coral viewing.

When the sun sets, the choices are still hard to make - a quiet romantic moon lit dinner or watch the spectacular Balinese Fire Dance or Kecak Dance. For those that want to party, Bali Island has it all with bars, discos and nightclubs.

As a truly international destination attracting visitors from all over the world, restaurants in Bali are extremely cosmopolitan yet inexpensive. Experience not only local delicacies like Nasi Goreng and Sate Campur but also Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, Italian/European Greek, Moroccan and even Mexican cuisine. We must not forget Bali's wonderful seafood - local lobster at such prices that you will want to keep coming back for more.

For those more culturally inclined, Bali can offer the peace and tranquility of Ubud high in the hills; the spectacular Mother Temple at Besakih; the ancient capital of Bali, Singaraja and the floating palace at Ujung near the pretty beach area of Candi Dasa. The Scenery is nothing less than spectacular. Jungle, picturesque hillside rice terraces and the awesome magnificence of Kintamani Volcano.

The more active, wanting a break from the idyllic beaches, can experience wonderful golf courses in the mountains at Bedugul and beachside at Nusa Dua, the thrill of white water rafting or kayaking down the beautiful Ayung River; mountain cycling amid scenery you will never forget and organized rice paddy and jungle treks to see the side of Bali most tourists never encounter.

Bali Island, a truly international destination, offers every standard of accommodation ranging from charming yet modest bungalow style hotels in lush tropical gardens for the budget minded through to arguably amongst the most exclusive and sophisticated hotels in the world!

Bali Dance

2010-04-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Trunajaya dance describes the emotions of a young man through love and passion. The dance movements reflect the theme of courtship and love.

Truna meaning 'single' and jaya meaning 'to win' immediately gives an understanding of the dance. Ironically, the dancer are young women who take on the role of young men. The women wear a 'destar' normally worn by men and an unusual loin-cloth called a 'kancut'. The Trunajaya is normally danced by a single female but sometimes two, dancing together in synchronous movements and to the mesmorotic sounds of the 'Gong Kebyar', a fast, rhythmic beat which goes in harmony to the dance. The dance was created by Wayan Wandres, from Singaraja, Northern Bali.

The Semarayana Dance

2010-04-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

As we know, there exists many art forms such as music, painting, poetry, drama, sculpture, etc. and, of course, dancing is yet another and is a popular form of expression. Artists will take a certain aspect of a medium, build on it to form another. This is the case of the Semarayana dance developed in 1994 as a subject for a thesis submitted by Ms Ni Nyoman Sri Armita to the Indonesian Arts Academy of Denpasar for her graduation.

The main character is Dewi Chandra Kirana, a princess from the kingdom of Daha who disguised herself as a male youth so she could venture out and seek her beloved who had disappeared without a trace.

With shoulder length hair, commonly used centuries ago throughout Java and Bali, the princess was unrecognisable as a female. The symbol of manhood which fooled people she met on the road, was the use of the Balinese male headgear called the Destar. It is made from material that wraps around the head and has an artistic formation of bunched material at the front.

Balinese males still use the destar when attending ceremonies. The feature of the destar is the decorative use of gold lines.

Dewi meets her beloved but due to her disguise and the fact that he is partly obscured when they meet, a fight develops. In the ensuing melee, the princess's destar is knocked from her head and her sweetheart, Raden Inu Kertapati, recognises her and rushes to her side to embrace her.

And, of course, they lived happily ever after.

The Yudapati Dance

2010-04-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Yudapati is a dance which depicts a male character but is performed by female dancers. The word Yudapati is derived from Yuda which means war and Pati which means death. The dance represents the kamikaze warrior in defending the truth. The dance was created in 1987. It is based on the Baris dance.

The dancer wears typical male attire, headcloth, shirt, carved leather belt and other jewellery. The reason for a male being performed by a female is that the choreographer wishes to reveal all the subtle gestures and movements in the dance by using the flexibility of a woman's body.

Male dance performed by females is called Bebancihan. A number of other dances have been created in the s style, such as Margapati, Trunajaya, Prawireng Puti, Wiranata and Danur Dara. They require masculine interpretation and expression which is quite hard for female dancers. Yudapati dance was originally performed for religious purposes but nowadays is performed regularly as a tourist attraction in some restaurants.

Art of balinese

2009-11-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

The arts community in Bali is a complex element that appear to be Bali unique.That looks as though the whole of a society dominated Bali. Bali region is very rich in the arts field. All branches of art grow and develop in the life of the community that includes Balinese art, performance art and art literature.
Sculpture is one of Balinese skill which inherited by their ancestors.Balinese people have experienced a long development, namely (1) sculptures that have the character that comes from megalithic pre Hindu era and is seen as the man with the power of the ancestors and nature, (2) statue of gods, as the media with human deities, and this is a type of Buddhist Hindu influence; (3) theme figures sculpture from the Ramayana and Mahabrata; (4) forms of relief that sculpture on the wall and the pillar of a house or on the door, (5) naturalist sculptures .As well as painting, they have also experienced a long journey. At the beginning their paintings are about a symbolic magical such as painting on parba, palate and ider-ider, than move to the naturalist paintings.

According to the traditional function,Balinese dances are classified into three types: (1) tari wali (sacred dance), dance which is show in a sacred religious, (2) tari bebali, the ritual dance , (3)Balih-balihan the dances that serves as an entertainment. Type of sacred dance is referred to (a)Sanghyang Dedari dance; (b)Rejang sutri dance ; (c)Pendet dance.Literature is the art of noble heritage and is a source of reference and other forms of art.Overall art literature is in the age of Ancient Bali literary , Balinese Hindu, Bali, Bali and New Bali Modern.

Tentang tarian bali

2009-11-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

Bali tarian tidak bisa dipisahkan dari setiap kegiatan keagamaan, namun dengan anggapan seperti ini bukan berarti setiap orang Bali bisa menari. Ada yang memang lahir mempunyai bakat ini, biasanya juga bapak dan ibu ataupun kakeknya dulu juga penari.

Tari Oleg (seperti yang tampak pada gambar disebelah), salah satu tarian Bali yang paling terkenal. Tarian ini diciptakan oleh I Ketut Maria atau lebih dikenal dengan nama Mario. Mario yang berasal dari Tabanan ini juga telah menjelajah berbagai negara di kala itu (sekitar 1958) untuk memperagakan kepiawaiannya menari.

Sebagai orang Bali aku tentu saja mencintai kesenian Bali, terutama tarian-tariannya, yang perempuan begitu anggun, kalau yang laki akan tampak gagah seperti pada tari Baris. Nah jika keindahan seperti ini dipagari oleh sebuah peraturan tentang pornographi tentu saja tidak pada tempatnya. Bener gak?

Balinese Arja

2009-06-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

A balinese activities by a good ardja ensemble is a social event in the village. It is at ardja shows that young people meet and love affairs are started, helped by the romantic atmosphere of the love stories and the late hours. The performance never begins before midnight, and the villagers wait patiently, gossiping, flirting, listening to music, or munching peanuts until the actors have eaten their interminable dinner and are finally dressed.

The play begins with the appearance of the tjondong, the female attendant of the putri, the eternal princess. The part of the tjondong is usually played by a middle-aged, homely, male actor dressed as a girl, who walks in an effeminate way, singing praises to his mistress and begging her to come out. She is finally persuaded; the curtains of the little booth at the end of the dancing-space part and the much heralded beauty appears.servant occasionally kneeling before the princess, all the while singing and talking in high, wailing voices. After this, they go “ off-stage “ simply by sitting on a mat in front of the orchestra.

Deep hollow laughter is heard from behind the curtain, followed by a song announcing the patih, the prime minister of the great prince, the hero of the play. The patih draws back the curtain and after what seems like unsuccessful attempts to come out, he finally emerges, very impressive and sure of his importance. He struts and grins, singing his own praises, laughing pompously. His abused and browbeaten younger brother Kertalah comes out meekly after him. He is a pitiful little figure dressed in an old football sweater and what look like the old clothes of the patih. Instead of a gold kris, he carries a stick or some sort of agricultural implement. Ills face is crossed with (labs of white paint over his nose and upper lip to indicate that he is a clown.

They hold long dialogues, giving hints of the story to follow. The patih in his hollow, pretentious manner postures and struts like a turkey; Kertalah lisps or stutters. Thev joke about topical and local matters, much in the stvle of circus clowns, with the patih playing “ straight “ and acting as foil for the clown. They are the favourites of the crowd and every time an “ off-colour “ joke is made, it is the women and children who laugh the loudest, while the men blush.

Finally it is time for the prince, the ratti, to appear; the patih recites his praises and with clasped hands begs him to enter. He describes the prince's beauty as contrasted with his own ugliness, and flatters him, in standard phrases such as: “ I am so happy to be the patih of such a prince, ha, ha, ha! Come out, Excellency, the road is clear, please come out, I wait for my master.”
The prince appears, glittering with gold and tinsel, singing in kawi, dancing in the refined style. The patih and Kertalah follow every one of his gestures in awe, trying to imitate them, but succeeding

In progressive ardjas she may be a young girl dressed in gold, with a great flower head-dress; but generally beautiful young girls cannot sing very well and in “ good ” ardjas the part is played by a male actor famous for his high falsetto. Slowly the two work their way across the stage, dancing and posturing, the are romantic episodes of memorable love affairs of princes and princesses, generally full of fantastic situations and with a distinct erotic flavour. The distinguished characters speak and sing in kawi, which is translated into common Balinese by the comedians for the benefit of the unscholarly crowd. The comedy is incredibly funny and rough slapstick, sprinkled with all sorts of bawdy jokes.

Besides the traditional stories, there are popular new plays such as Sampik and Tuan Wei, adaptations of Chinese love stories that started in 1924 as bastard performances with actors in European clothes playing on mandolins. Eventually these stories became thoroughly Balinese and were incorporated in the ardja.

Bali Dancer

2009-05-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

Wherever you travel in Bali, atmosphere filled by gamelan sound. People play gamelan in the quasi-religious ceremony is underway, in the village hall, and in the streets when the procession went to the temple ceremony, or the grave. Gamelan even sometimes also played for the high government officials who are visiting.

Gamelan usually equipped by some dancers. For the ceremony in the temple dancers, dancers usually represent several generations. Age and does not go through formal training is not a hindrance. In a ceremony in the temple you may only see the women dancing with elderly gemulainya. So you can see a little girl dancing with her mother's mouth is open because too many daub coloring lips. Sons, women, men and women are all dancing. Not all of them through formal education in terms of dancing before able to dance in public. The point they all danced. But why they are dancing?

If we are talking a matter of offering, what is in our mind is flowers, fruit, pastry, and so forth. For the Bali is a dance is also offered. The main purpose of the dance is for God and dedication to the gods, not as a spectacle for the public.

In a ceremony at the temple, to welcome the gods group of dancers (mostly women) danced around the main shrine three times. While dancing in a simple but elegant movement they also carry some supplies such as water sacred ceremony, the fire, the fabric in various colors, and so forth. Dancers, dancers follow this berkitar lap counter-clockwise direction as a symbol of the mountain. Gamelan group gamelannya play follow-dancers and dancers toss some other songs to praise God.

Bali Dance

2009-01-28T18:06:00.001-08:00

Art is everywhere in Bali. From the intricate flower decorations in a Barong dancer's headdress, to elaborately carved temple facades and beautiful oil paintings. Bali's performing arts are also an integral part of Balinese culture.

Music and dance play a huge part in significant rituals and religious ceremonies. Known as " the Island of the Gods" hardly a day goes by without a ceremony or festival taking place. Traditional dances with full gamelan orchestras are performed for tourists daily in addition to the day to day religious ceremonies. Definitely worth seeing.

Barong Dance
The Barong is triumphant display of graceful movement and vibrant colour. The dance is basically a contest between the opposing forces of Rangda - chaos and destruction, and Barong - order. (Basically good and evil.)

Performances
Suwung and Kesiman, in the suburbs of Denpasar.
Batubulan: Daily from 9:00 or 9:30 a.m.
Banjar Abasan, Singapadu: Daily from 9:30 a.m.
Puri Saren in Ubud: Fridays from 6:30 p.m.

Legong Dance
The Legong is a very difficult dance requiring great dexterity and is generally performed by young girls. The dance is choreographed to the finest detail, to a set pattern with no improvisation allowed.

Performances
Peliatan Stage, Friday from 6:30 p.m.
Pura Dalem & Puri Peliatan, Saturday from 6:30 p.m.
Pura Peliatan in Ubud, Sunday from 7:30 p.m.
Puri Saren, Ubud, Monday from 7:30 p.m.
Banjar Tegal, Kuta, Saturday and Tuesday from 8:00 p.m.

Kecak Dance
The kecak is a ritual dance which was created in the early 1930's for the movie "Island of the Demons" by the German painter and intellectual Walter Spies. The dance combines the chorus of the "Sanghyang" trance dance with a dance story from the epic "Ramayana."

It is extremely impressive with its circular chorus of sometimes over 100 bare-chested male singers.

Performances
Arts Center, Denpasar, daily from 6:30 p.m.
Banjar Buni, Kuta, Sunday from 8 p.m.
Banjar Tegal, Ubud, Sunday from 6:00 p.m.

Fire Dance
This dance is an exorcism dance form against spirit possession, where barefooted girls in trance dance among glowing coals.

Performances
Bona Kangin, Gianyar, Friday. Monday and Wednesday from 6:30
Bonasari, Gianyar, Friday, Monday and Wednesday from 7:00 p.m.
Batubulan, daily from 6:30 p.m.

Ramayana Dance
This highly entertaining dance form plays out the epic legends of the Ramayana. There are occasional performances in Banjar Buni, Kuta

Gopala Dance

2009-01-12T00:50:00.000-08:00

The Ghopala Dance

This dance provides the audience with an interesting insight into the lives of people who live in a simple and pure manner in an environment of blissful tranquillity. This dance originated in 1984 and usually performed by five boy dancers. The characters of the Ghopala dance are especially funny and will draw laughter from the audience.

The Ghopala theme depicts the world of children herdsmen who gleefully meet and play along the boundaries of rice fields while tending their cows. Their lives are filled with happiness as they dance and play in a way which highlights their individual characters. They never tire of their duties as herdsmen, faithfully defending the lives of their cattle. Thus the audience are transported to a distant time when people lived in peace and contentment, an age which had not yet become influenced by the bustle of business which now constantly steals our time.

The Semarayana Dance

As we know, there exists many art forms such as music, painting, poetry, drama, sculpture, etc. and, of course, dancing is yet another and is a popular form of expression. Artists will take a certain aspect of a medium, build on it to form another. This is the case of the Semarayana dance developed in 1994 as a subject for a thesis submitted by Ms Ni Nyoman Sri Armita to the Indonesian Arts Academy of Denpasar for her graduation.

The main character is Dewi Chandra Kirana, a princess from the kingdom of Daha who disguised herself as a male youth so she could venture out and seek her beloved who had disappeared without a trace.

With shoulder length hair, commonly used centuries ago throughout Java and Bali, the princess was unrecognisable as a female. The symbol of manhood which fooled people she met on the road, was the use of the Balinese male headgear called the Destar. It is made from material that wraps around the head and has an artistic formation of bunched material at the front.

Balinese males still use the destar when attending ceremonies. The feature of the destar is the decorative use of gold lines.

Dewi meets her beloved but due to her disguise and the fact that he is partly obscured when they meet, a fight develops. In the ensuing melee, the princess's destar is knocked from her head and her sweetheart, Raden Inu Kertapati, recognises her and rushes to her side to embrace her.

And, of course, they lived happily ever after.

Bali Dance Competition

2009-01-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

Move Your Body, Expression Your Talent, And Show It Here…… Dance competition yang diselenggarakan 12 Juli 2008 kemaren membuka kesempatan bagi orang-orang yang berkompeten di dunia dancer. Ajang ini baru pertama kali diadain kampus kita STMIK Stikom Bali yang dilaksanakan serangkaian dengan Diesnatalis ke-6. Dance Competition ini di peruntukkan untuk umum, acara ini disambut dengan baik terbukti dengan jumlah peserta 11 tim yang mengikuti kompetisi ini dan tentunya antusias penonton yang menyaksikannya.
Acara dimulai pukul 15.00 para peserta mulai menampilkan perform mereka yang sangat aktraktif sehingga juri-juri merasa agak kesulitan untuk menilai penampilan mereka dilihat dari score yang di peroleh berbeda tipis. Juri-juri yang didatangkan sudah sangat berpengalaman tentunya terbukti yang menjadi juara memang peserta yang sangat perfect diantara peserta lainnya yaitu Juara I : U.V dancer, Juara II : Lil Funky dancer, dan Juara III diraih oleh Cappoera dancer, banyak hal yang dinilai disini baik segi kostum,keserasian lagu dan gerak, namun yang terpenting adalah expresi mereka pada saat perform mereka.
Acara ini tidak sebatas kompetisi semata, kompetisi ini bertujuan memberikan kesempatan bagi mereka yang berbakat. Acara ini juga dimeriahkan dengan game-game seru, para penonton juga bisa mendapatkan hadiah dari sponsor yang mendukung acara ini. Penampilan dari RX-C band, Voice 69, dan Guest star dari Tissue band diiringi oleh model-model yang menggunakan busana dari Mama & Leon yang merupakan puncak acara dance competition kali ini.
Dance Competition kali ini di sponsori oleh STMIK Stikom Bali, TELKOMSEL, Mama & Leon, Honda 99 Hayam Wuruk, Artic Studio, Mihotplet, InulVista, Irene Wardrope, Phoenix Radio, Cassanova FM, BCFM, Elkoga Radio.

The Oasis Benoa Tanjung Benoa - Nusa Dua Bali

2008-12-17T22:55:00.003-08:00

The Oasis Benoa Bali is located on the southern coast of Bali right on the golden sandy beach of Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua Bali. The roof top with sundeck and two swimming pools own stunning view of the blue ocean. The sea breeze sweeps the entire of hotel area with the fascination of the white sandy beach are synchronizing the hotel features that make it the ideal place for relaxation, refresh and vacation in Bali. It is designed with three storey building to cover the modern style of swimming pool that is located in front of each room.

A Beach Resort in Magical of Tanjung Benoa

The Oasis Benoa is a modern boutique resort situated in on the white sandy beach of Tanjung Benoa, southern coast of Bali. It is blessed with a magnificent view of the blue ocean with warm and calm seawater. The sunrise is one of the spectacular view and hotel features with soft tropical atmosphere flow to the entire hotel area. The Oasis Benoa is just 30 minutes drives from Bali's International Airport to the south part of Bali.

ROOM RATE (Based on Single or Double Occupancy)
Room Type	LOW SEASON 01 April - 31 July' 08 01 Sep - 21 Dec' 08 06 Jan - 31 Mar' 09	HIGH/PEAK SEASON 01 - 31 August' 08 22 Dec' 08 - 05 Jan' 09
Superior room Deluxe Room Ocean Suite Pool Suite Extra Bed	US$ 55 US$ 65 US$ 110 US$ 140 US$ 20	US$ 75 US$ 85 US$ 130 US$ 160 US$ 20

Traditional Japanese theater and Bali dance

2008-12-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

Traditional Japanese theater and Bali dance refined in passion. Colorful court dance from strong dance of religious element. Mask play of which theme is history of epic and dynasty. The dance in Bali is various. Legong Dance that is deprived of a colorful angel. fantasticKecak Dance that sounds at dark night and is overwhelmed to extending powerful cheer. Barong Dance that expresses fight without end of good and evil. It might be good because a regular performance is done in various points around Ubd every evening if going out after the schedule like a day of the week and time, etc. is checked in beforehand.

Performance on Monday

Recommend・・・Sadha Budaya

Being held on Monday is Legong Dances. It is a magnificent court dance where women dance. It is the one that it is assumed to be a start that the angel who had seen while a king lord Sekawati at that time is meditating in the 19th century dances and reproduced. This Sadha Budaya boasts of a top level in the sing and dance group of Ubud with the number, and is acknowledged in the ability of the performance and the dance perform in 1986 also in Tokyo.

◆Performance on Monday
(1)Sada Budaya	Legong Dance	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(11)Sandi Swara	Barong & Keris Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(12)Krama Desa Adat Ubud Kaja	Kecak Ramayana	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(10)Krama Desa Adat Junjungan	Kecak fire Dance	Rp.55,000	19:30～
(13)Luh Luwih	Women Perfomances	Rp.50,000	19:30～

Performance on Tuesday

Recommend・・・Semara Ratih

Ramayana・・・The epic 'Ramayana' of India that consists of about 24,000 Shisets is tales of adventure of the prince Rarma who makes friendship, courage, and love a theme. When actually performed, all of the story are not performed but a part in that is picked up. Gorgeous clothes that weave money of beautiful princess Sheeta are one of the viewpoints.

◆Performance on Tuesday
(14)Semara Ratih	Spirit of Bali	Rp.75,000	19:30～
(8)Sandi Swara	Kecak & Trance Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(1)Bina Remaja	Ramayana Ballet	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(15)Wayang Kulit Kerta	Wayang Kulit	Rp.65,000	20:00～
(9)Genta Bhuana Sari	Legong Dance	Rp.75,000	19:30～
(12)Sekaa Gong Karyasa	Legong Dance	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(5)Chandra Wati	Women Gamelan With Child Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(13)Nritta Dewi	Trance Culture	Rp.75,000	19:00～

Performance on Wednesday

Recommend・・・Yamasari

Yamasari was formed Mr.Cokirda Alit Hendrawan who known all over the world as famous composition. He is composer and musician with gamuran and he has benn continued announcing the novel music that took in the music of various genres musici. 　He choose an expert player and a spirited young person among the peliatan village, and hard practiced for ten years.

◆Performance on Wednesday
(16)Yamasari	Gamelan Ensemble	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(3)Oka Kartini	Wayang Kulit	Rp.100,000	19:00～
(1)Pantya Arta	Legong & Barong Dance	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(2)Trene Jenggala	Kecak & Trance Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(4)Arma Group	Topeng Jimat	Rp.75,000	19:00～
(12)Yowana Swara	Jegog	Rp.60,000	19:00～
(17)Krama Desa Adat Taman Kaja	Kecak Ramayana	Rp.50,000	19:00～

Performance on Thursday

Recommend・・・Desa Adat Sambahan

It's held of Pura Batu Karu Temple, north of Puri Saren Agung. A characteristic of this dancing group is size of a scale. Sambahan Villagers more than 100 people join to this dance as a dancer. As for this dance, a chorus of men is only music.So you can enjoy a powerful chorus shaking the ground there is much number of dancers. 　The men who only wearing futa play a role as orchestra and stage direction.　A choir of a hundred men or more sitting in concentric circles, swaying, standing up, lying prone as the story develops.

◆Performance on Thursday
(7)Desa Adat Sambahan	Kecak & fire Dance	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(1)Pantya Arta	Legong Trance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(18)Semara Madya	Kecak Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(14)Anangga Sari	Legong Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(12)Sekaa Raja Peni	Barong & Keris Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(5)Cenik Wayah	Spirit of Gamelan	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(8)Sandhi Swara	Kecak & Trance Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～

Performance on Friday

Recommend・・・Tirta Sari

Boasting of the seat of the highest peak of a famous Bali dance is Tirta Sari worldwide . It has Japan in the sing and dance group that the old man of reason Mandira who had been called the maximum this century made up and it has the fan in all parts of the world of the start. Complete Legong Lassam is performed most colorfully in Bali in Legong Dance, and not only a charming dance but also the performance of the first class is a valuable sing and dance group to appreciate. The charm of the capability refined wonderfully surely.

◆Performance on Friday
(9)Tirta Sari	Legong Dance	Rp.75,000	19:30～
(1)Sada Budaya	Barong Dance	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(12)Krama Desa Adat Ubud Kaja	Kecak Ramayana	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(19)Padang Subadra	Kecak & fire Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(3)Oca Kartini	Wayang Kulit	Rp.50,000	20:00～
(6)Suara Sakti	Jegog	Rp.80,000	19:00～
(4)Sekehe Dlod	Barong & Keris Dance	Rp.75,000	17:30～
(13)Kiduling Swari	Legong Dance	Rp.75,000	19:30～

Performance on Saturday

Recommend・・・Bina Remaja

Meaning 'Young person's representative' Bina Remaja. It is a group in which Chocold of the royal family coming from serves as the coordinator, and the dancer who grew up in the village with whom the talent overflows gathers. It is symbolical existence of the typical Ubd opera group where the number exists.

◆Bali Dance on Saturday
(18)Bina Remaja	Legong Dance	Rp.80,000	19:30～
(1)Gunug Sari	Legong Dance	Rp.75,000	19:30～
(2)Trene Jenggala	Kecak & Trance Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
(12)Semara Ratih Legong	The Beauty of Legong	Rp.60,000	19:30～
(15)Wayang Kulit Kerta	Wayang Kulit	Rp.65,000	20:00～
(5)Chandra Wirabuana	Legong Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(13)Pondok Pekak	Frog Dance	Rp.75,000	19:30～
(17)Krama Desa Adat Taman Kaja	Kecak Ramayana	Rp.50,000	19:30～

Performance on Sunday

Recommend・・・Jaya Swara

Group being composed by young man performer in Ubud village. A unique, novel performance has something to be amazed. The content is new Legong Dance that obtained the story of Mahabrata.

◆Bali Dance on Sunday
(1)Jaya Swara	Legong of Mahabrata	Rp.55,000	19:00～
(2)Trene Jenggala	Kecak & Trance Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(3)Oka Kartini	Wayang Kulit	Rp.50,000	20:00～
(4)The Peliatan Masters	Legong Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(5)Cahya Warsa	Janger	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(6)Suara Sakti	Jegog	Rp.80,000	19:00～
(7)Desa Adat Sambahan	Kecak & fire Dance	Rp.50,000	19:30～
(8)Pondok Pekak	Legong Dance	Rp.75,000	19:30～
(9)Sekaa Gong Wanita Mekar Sari	Dancers and Musicians of Peliatan	Rp.50,000	19:30～

Dance at Temple

Tanah Lot Temple

Tanah Lot Temple is one of most popular sightseeing spot in Bali. In Tanah Lot, you could watch Kecak Dance every saturday night.

Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu temple is popular sightseeing spot as same as Tanahlot temple. At Uluwatu Temple, built on the cliff of Indian Ocean, can watch beautiful sunset like postcard. The Kecak Dance while look this sunset is every night performed and very popular.

◆Dance at Temple
Tanah Lot Temple	Kecak Dance	Rp.50,000	19:00～
Uluwatu Temple	Kecak Dance	Rp.50,000	18:00～

Everyday

Recommend・・・Catur Eka Budhi

A Barong dance to be able to watch from the morning is this place. The access is distinguished because it is Sanur Area. The dance of the welcome, the comedy are performed before the Barong dance. Besides, you can take a photograph with Barong on the stage after the end! Because it is popular very much, we recommended that you arrive earlier to get nice seat.

Bukmasang Barong Dengjalan	Balong Dance	Rp.55,000	9:00～
Catur Eka Budhi	Balong & Kris Dance	Rp.50,000	9:00～

Full Moon and New Moon

Recommend・・・Cak Rina

October performance/14、29
November performance/12、27
December performance/12、27

Kecak Dance perform only at the full moon and the new moon . Atmosphere is considerably different from the one of other sing and dance groups. It is overwhelmed to flitting cheer of Kecak, light of the torch, dance with the flame and power, and the stage. It is overwhelmed to fantastic atmosphere only on special night when power stays in the entire Bali.

(4)Cak Rina

Kecak Dance

Rp.50,000

19:00～20.00

How to see the dance performance
Bali travel agency of “PT.HIRO-chan Tours”is managed by Japanese.We will assist you with complete information during your holiday on the island.Please join in our tours!We will guide you to see your favorite dance performance.
■Driver Service PT.HIRO-chan Driver Service provides many kinds of car models such as Karimun,Avanza,APV,Elf etc.FromUS$40~/8hours includes driver,gasoline and insurance cover.
Driver Service 8hours US$40~ (Includes gasoline &insurance cover)

■Traditional Balinese Dance Performance in Ubud We will guide you to see dance performance in Ubud.US$40/person including dinner and shopping at a supermarket,and for you who feel tired,take 2 hour spa on optional.
Dance performance in Ubud 　US$40（Includes gasoline, insurance, guide, dinner, entrance fee）

■Kecak Dance at Ulu Watu Kecak dance in famous Uluwatu Temple. Will you go out according to the holding time in the evening ? After it shops lightly, we will guide it to the Uluwatu buddhist temple. It pushes and paving Seafood dinner after a certain bearing looking Kecak Dance ends. And, it stops by the local supermarket and it returns to the hotel.
Kecak Dance at Uluwatu 　US$40(Includes gasoline, insurance, guide, dinner, entrance fee）

■Legong Dance & Indonesian Dinner The tour takes you to see the most graceful Balinese dance of Legong dance(dance of the palace)performed by girl dancers,while enjoy Indonesian dinner.It is a dinner time that you can enjoy only in Bali.

Bali Dance Festival 2009

2008-11-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

30th BALI ART FESTIVAL Legong Leko dance Jun 21, '08 1:44 AM
for everyone
Legong is a long-established genre of Balinese dance that
achieved its modern form between about 1915 and 1935. The genre is
regarded as a treasury of the movements for Balinese women’s dance,
and no dancer’s training is complete if she lacks a solid grounding in
legong. In the past, legong dances were presented as a secular entertainment
for the village nobility—hence the name legong keraton, which
means palace legong. Legong is now performed for Balinese as an entertainment
at festivals and major social events. It is most often presented
at temple ceremonies, where, being a secular dance (tari balih-balihan),
it is relegated to the outer courtyard, a nonsacral space. It is given also
at concerts specially organized for tourists. In these, the legong dance
is one of a potpourri of dances most of which
Tari Leko or Leko dance is basically is a kind of legong dance come from Tista Village Tabanan regency - Bali

Hindu Dance

2008-11-06T16:24:00.000-08:00

In Hinduism, dance is an accompaniment to the perpetual dissolving and reforming of the world. The creative and reproductive balance is often personified as Shiva's wife, Durga, sometimes called Uma, Parvati, or Kali. This has significance in Balinese Hinduism, since the common figure of Rangda is similar in many ways to Durga^[1]. In Bali there are various categories of dance (i.e. barong, legong, kecak)^[2] including epic performances such as the omnipresent Mahabharata^[3] and Ramayana. Bali dancers learn the craft as children from their mothers as young as age 4 (see a nine years old dancer on the right). In Balinese dance the movement is closely associated with the rhythms produced by the gamelan, a musical ensemble specific to Java, Bali^[4] and Malaya. Multiple levels of articulations in the face, eyes, hands, arms, hips, and feet are coordinated to reflect layers of percussive sounds. The number of codified hand positions and gestures, the mudras^[5]^[6]^[7], is higher in India than in Java or Bali. It has been speculated that they have been forgotten as the dance was transmitted from India to Java^[8]. Hand positions and gestures are nonetheless as important in Javanese and Balinese dance as in India^[9]. Whether in India, Indonesia or Cambodia, hands have a typically ornamental role and emphasize the dance's delicate intricacy.

The creation of Bali and javanese dance

2008-11-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

TARI PAJEMBRAMA
This is a Balinese dance of welcome. Perfomed in Bali at
the beginning of an artistic ceremony.
It permits the temple dancers to welcome
the visiters and to pay them homage with a rain of flower petals.

OLEG TAMBULILINGAN
This is a Balinese dance that evokes the love between two bumblebees.
This dance is one of the last creations of the celebrated dance teacher, I Mario, in the 1950's.

TARUNAJAYA
This Balinese dance expresses the character of a young man who is proud and sure of himself, in the prime of his life. "Taruna" means "young man" and "Jaya" means "victorious". But his mood changes quickly, sometimes he is smiling and sometimes angry or provocitive. This dance is from Northern Bali known for its fast and dynamic music.

TARI BELIBIS
This is a new Balinese dance creation which represents young herons
with their mother in the middle of a pond flying here and there looking for food.

WIRA PERTIWI
This is a relatively recent creation by a renowned central Javanese choreographer,Bagong Kusiardjo, whose compositions are inspired by the basic gestures and expressions of Balinese and Javanese dance. This dance represents a woman warrior armed with a bow and arrow."Wira" means "warrior" and "Pertiwi" means "homeland".

JAIPONGAN
Jaipongan is a danse style of working-class origins from the Sunda region in west Java. It integrates martial art movements but in a "hidden" way. The music and singing have Arabic infuences.Originally this dance wae performed in the villages for weddings. A female dancer would improvise and then invite the guests to dance.The Jaipongan has again become very popular and is performed for diverse occasions.

Balinese and Javanese Dance

2008-11-04T16:28:00.000-08:00

Of Hindu origin, in which dance signifies creation, dance traveled to Indonesia where it found its own means of expression.The Balinese and Javanese dances that we know today have existed for centuries. The first evidence of these dances can be seen in the bas-reliefs on the Borobudur Temple, in central Java, constructed in the 8th century A.D. borobudurBalinese dance is tightly connected to religion. The peak is situated somewhere around the 16th century during the era of the great Hindu kingdoms. During the 1920's and 1930's Balinese dance found a new élan. New dances, which were shorter and used in non-religious occasions, were created from the old forms.Javanese dance was originaly a court dance, performed during ceremonies in the court.Starting at the beginning of this century and especially during the last few decades many new dances have been created from more modern inspiration.

Bali Spirit Festival-Dance of Love

2008-10-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

INHALE-March 8th-12th.This retreat will offer strong Anusara (inspired)yoga classes daily with Andrea (Andi)Franchini, Inspired Qi Gong classes with Ken Yamaguchi- Clark. He brings this ancient form to you as a divine sacred dance and with special guest Mama Kia who will speak on living life fully " off the mat" through Seva along with practical steps to take for receiving the support needed to live a life in service to others. This is truly an integration of healing , performing and living arts!
10% of the proceeds will go to Casa de Milagros in support of Mama Kia and her extensive projects and inspiration.
EXHALE-March 13th-16th. Series of workshops in yoga, dance, martial arts,drumming with nightly concerts ,kirtans, and performances. Our climax is a half-day celebration featuring performances by all of the incredible artists participating in this festival. On the Morning of the final day, we will enter the Sacred Monkey Forrest for a mass blessing by local Balinese priests in the inner santuary of the temple.

* private bodywork sessions will be available during the entire portion of the festival with Ken Yamaguchi-Clark. The session incorporate a variety of modalities including: breathwork, Qi Gong/movement meditation, skilled touch and energy work; guided meditation; skeletal-muscular work; Swedish and Deep Tissue massage; assisted stretching and Thai Yoga Massage; as well as
personal coaching for practice building. The sessions will leave you with deeper awareness (and in many cases significant personal insights) as well as greater openness, ease and mobility and relief from pain and tension and some next steps to maintain a more relaxed and open state for work, life, performance, artistry, activism and or personal practice.
Pre-festival Nyepi Celebration( day of silence): March 5-7th
(optional for early arrivals on March 5/6)
* The spirit that unites this festival is an offering, a celebratory means of honoring our spiritual-selves while giving back to Bali.

Culture Dances

2008-10-22T01:08:00.000-07:00

In legends, Legong is the heavenly dance of divine nymphs. Of all classical Balinese dances, it remains the quintessence of femininity and grace. Girls from the age of five aspire to be selected to represent the community as Legong dancers.

Connoisseurs hold the dance in highest esteem and spend hours discussing the merits of various Legong groups. The most popular of Legongs is the Legong Kraton, Legong of the palace. Formerly, the dance was patronized by local rajas and held in e puri, residence of the royal family of the village. Dancers were recruited from the aptest and prettiest children. Today, the trained dancers arestill- very young; a girl of fourteen approaches the age of retirement as a Legong performer.

The highly stylized Legong Kraton enacts a drama of a most purified and abstract kind. The story is performed ' by three dancers: the condong, a female attendant of the court, and two identically dressed legongs (dancers),who adopt the roles of royal persons. Originally, a storyteller sat with the orchestra and chanted the narrative, but even this has been refined away in many Legongs. Only the suggestive themes of the magnificent gamelan gong (the full Balinese orchestra) and the minds of the audience conjure up imaginary changes of scene in the underlying play of Legong Kraton.

The story derives from the history of East Java in the 1 2th and 1 3th centuries: when on a journey the King of Lasem finds the maiden Rangkesari lost in the forest. He takes her home and locks her in a house of stone. Rangkesari's brother, the Prince of Daha, learns of her captivity and threatens war unless she is set free.

Rangkesari begs her captor to avoid war by giving her liberty, but the king prefers to fight. On his way to battle, he is met by a bird of ill omen that predicts his death. In the fight that ensues he is killed. The dance dramatizes the farewells of the King of Laserm as he departs for the battlefield and his ominous encounter with the bird. It opens with an introductory solo by the condong. She moves with infinite suppleness, dipping to the ground and rising in one unbroken motion, hertorso poised in an arch with elbows and head held high, while fingers dance circles around her wrists. Slowly, her eyes focus on two fans laid before her and, taking them, she turns to meet the arrival of the legongs.

The tiny dancers glitter and dazzle. Bound from head to foot in gold brocade, it is a wonder the legongs can move with such fervent agitation. Yet, the tight composure of the body, balanced by dynamic directive gestures-the flash of an eye, the tremble of two fingers blend in unerring precision.After as hort dance, the condong retires, leaving the legongs to pantomime the story within the dance. Like a controlled line of an exquisite drawl ing, the dancers flowfrom one identity intothel next without disrupting the harmony of t dance. They may enter as the double image one' character, their movements marked tight synchronization and rhythmical verve Then they may split, each enacting a separate role, and come together in complementary halves to form a unified pattern, as in the plan ful love scene in which they "rub noses The King of Lasem bids farewell to his queen, and takes leave of Rangkesari. She repels his advances by beating him with he fananddepartsin anger. lt is then the condong reappears as a bird with wild eyes fixed upon the king. Beating its golden wings to a strange flutter of cymbals, it attacks the king in a vain attempt to dissuade him from war. The ancient narrative relates: ". .. a black bird came flying out of the northeast and swooped down upor the king, who saw it and said, 'Raven, hoi come you to swoop down on me? In spiteo; all, 1 shall go out and fight. This 1 shall do, oh raven!... With the king's decision understood the dance may end; or the other legong may return on stage as his prime minister, and shimmering unison, they whirl thefinal stepsi: war.

Balinese Dance

2008-10-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

Balinese Dance

Theater and dance is an integral part of Balinese culture. Balinese dances are famous all over the world and the Balinese themselves take them very seriously. Birthdays, weddings, and temples festivals are all occasions for dramatic performances and dance is inextricably linked with the Balinese religion. The commercial performances for tourists that are today offered on a daily basis in several places of Bali do, of course, not have the same religious significance and atmosphere of a dance that is performed at a real temple festival.

	The Kecak is an unusual Balinese dance for a couple of reasons. First, there is no musical accompaniment. The gamelan is not there. Rhythm is provided by a chanting 'monkey' chorus. The polyrhythmic sound of the chanting provides the name, 'Ke-chak'. For reservation, please contact 99Bali

	If black magic prevails, a village fails into danger, and extensive purification ceremonies become necessary to restore a proper equilibrium for the health of the community. Dramatic art is also a mea of cleansing the village by strengthening its resistance to harmful forces through offerings, prayers and acts of exorcism. Such is the symbolic play of the two remarkable presences-the Barong and Rangda. Barong, a mystical creature with a long swaybackand curved tail, representstheaffirmative, the protector of mankind, the glory of the high sun, and the lavorable spirits associated with the right and.white magic.

	He took the costume from Kebyar Legong, but to move in a squatting position he had to hold up the train with one hand as he moved and this became the hallmark of the dance. The mood of Kebyar Duduk is determined by the music, and the dancer works in close co-ordination with the entire gamelan to interpret its shifting colors.

	In legends, Legong is the heavenly dance of divine nymphs. Of all classical Balinese dances, it remains the quintessence of femininity and grace. Girls from the age of five aspire to be selected to represent the community as Legong dancers.

bali Ladies do a dance

2008-10-22T00:18:00.000-07:00

Dancer Ladies

2008-10-22T00:13:00.001-07:00

Legong dance

Considered as the most dazzling of all Balinese Dances. Swathed in cocoons of gold-plaited fabrics, dancers perform interpretations of litteraly classics.
Two prepubescent young girls is choosen for good looks and supple physiques. If they look alike, is much better. Their training begins at the age of four or five and they retire at about the age of 13.

They are bound tightly in sarongs and chest cloths of opulent green or pink with gilded crowns filled with frangipani blossoms on their heads.
Extraordinary muscular control, including the ones of the eyes, and great physical endurance are required in this dance.
A good Balinese legong dancer can be judge solely by the suppleness of of her little finger.

The performance begins with a solo dance by the condong, a court lady dressed in pink and gold. She then welcomes the two legong with a pair of fans. dressed identically in bright green and gold, the two legong play the stor, adopting and swaping characters apparently at random. At the climax, the condong returns as the raven, with pink wings attached to her costume.

Sejarah Tari Janger

2008-10-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

Pada abad ke-19, di Banyuwangi hidup suatu jenis teater rakyat yang disebut Ande-Ande Lumut karena lakon yang dimainkan adalah lakon Andhe-Andhe Lumut. Dan dari sumber cerita dari mulut ke mulut, pelopor lahirnya Janger ini adalah Mbah Darji, asal Dukuh Klembon, Singonegaran, Banyuwangi kota. Mbah Darji ini adalah seorang pedagang sapi yang sering mondar-mandir Banyuwangi-Bali, dan dari situ dia tertarik dengan kesenian teater Arja dan dia pun berkenalan dengan seniman musik bernama Singobali yang tinggal di Penganjuran, dari situlah kemudian terjadi pemaduan antara teater Ande-Ande Lumut dengan unsure tari dan gamelan Bali, sehingga lahirlah apa yang disebut Damarwulan Klembon atau Janger Klembon.

Semenjak itu, mulai lahir grup-grup Damarwulan di seantero Banyuwangi. Mereka bukan hanya memberikan hiburan, namun juga menyisipkan pesan-pesan perjuangan untuk melawan penjajah dengan kedok seni. Di masa revolusi, kerap kali para pejuang kemerdekaan menyamar sebagai seniman Janger untuk mengelabui Belanda dan para mata-matanya.

Menurut Dasoeki Nur, seorang pelaku kesenian Janger, teater ini juga sempat berkembang hingga melampaui wilayah Banyuwangi sendiri. Bahkan menurutnya lagi, pada tahun 1950an pernah berdiri dua kelompok Janger yang berada di wilayah Samaan, dan Klojen, kota Malang.

Tari Legong (Legong Dance)

2008-10-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

legong dance

The Legong dance might be the most interesting and graceful dance in the island, A legong is a girl, a young girl not older than early teens. According to the legend, this dance was inspired by the imagination of a king in 19 century. Others said that Legong was inspired by the dream of a King about goddess, the King then search the entire kingdom to find dance gurus and train them hard to make the dream close to reality.

The Legong Dance is a classic dance that has a very complex library of movement that flow along with gamelan. The word “Legong” is from the word “leg” mean elastic, elegance, and the word “gong” mean the music, so the Leg - Gong is a dance represents the epitomy of grace and femininity. The dancer has to let all the energy of the gamelan’s sounds flow to their body untill you feel shaking. The hands are the most mesmerizing, as the arms move up and about, the fingers are doing a dance of their own. They can make individual pairs of fingers flutter simultaneously, at the same time, the eyes are darting from left to right.

The story behind legong is very stylized and symbolic, involves three dancers, the two legong and their attendant, the congong. The legongs are beautifully dressed tightly with gold brocade that so surprising they can move so rapidly.

Bali dance,music and theater

2008-09-15T01:12:00.001-07:00

Dance, music, and the theater of wayang are other forms of expression laden with religious connotations. The Trance Dance, for example, is performed when a village is suffering, say from an epidemic or bad harvest. The dance is intended to appease the gods and goddesses, with the hope that they will bless the village. Other dances also manifest the great complexity of Balinese daily lives which are never detached from their religious beliefs. Throughout the year, you can regularly find scheduled dance performances, especially the Balih-balihan or entertainment dances.

Dances

Along with the Hindu religion, the Indian influence in Balinese dances is also significant. Balinese strong identity adapts these various influences with indigineous religion of animism and folklore traditions, creating an expression distinctively flavored by Balinese ethnicity.

Much like the training of gamelan orchestra players, dance training begins when one is still very young. The teacher will stand in front of the children and start dancing. The children will follow her every movement. Once the teacher feels that a child understands the basic sequence, she will stand behind the child, and direct the child by holding her wrists. Practicing with a gamelan orchestra will only happen when the dance is considered to have entered the student. The dancer must learn to fully express the character that she is dancing for; self expression is not a known concept.

Bali Dance & Shadow Puppet Guide

2008-09-03T19:02:00.001-07:00

Barong, Legong, Kecak, Fire Dance

Art is everywhere in Bali. From the intricate flower decorations in a Barong dancer's headdress, to elaborately carved temple facades and beautiful oil paintings. Bali's performing arts are also an integral part of Balinese culture.

Music and dance play a huge part in significant rituals and religious ceremonies. Known as " the Island of the Gods" hardly a day goes by without a ceremony or festival taking place. Traditional dances with full gamelan orchestras are performed for tourists daily in addition to the day to day religious ceremonies. Definitely worth seeing.
Barong Dance

The Barong is triumphant display of graceful movement and vibrant colour. The dance is basically a contest between the opposing forces of Rangda - chaos and destruction, and Barong - order. (Basically good and evil.)

Performances
Suwung and Kesiman, in the suburbs of Denpasar.
Batubulan: Daily from 9:00 or 9:30 a.m.
Banjar Abasan, Singapadu: Daily from 9:30 a.m.
Puri Saren in Ubud: Fridays from 6:30 p.m.
Legong Dance

The Legong is a very difficult dance requiring great dexterity and is generally performed by young girls. The dance is choreographed to the finest detail, to a set pattern with no improvisation allowed.

Performances
Peliatan Stage, Friday from 6:30 p.m.
Pura Dalem & Puri Peliatan, Saturday from 6:30 p.m.
Pura Peliatan in Ubud, Sunday from 7:30 p.m.
Puri Saren, Ubud, Monday from 7:30 p.m.
Banjar Tegal, Kuta, Saturday and Tuesday from 8:00 p.m.
Kecak Dance

The kecak is a ritual dance which was created in the early 1930's for the movie "Island of the Demons" by the German painter and intellectual Walter Spies. The dance combines the chorus of the "Sanghyang" trance dance with a dance story from the epic "Ramayana."

It is extremely impressive with its circular chorus of sometimes over 100 bare-chested male singers.

Performances
Arts Center, Denpasar, daily from 6:30 p.m.
Banjar Buni, Kuta, Sunday from 8 p.m.
Banjar Tegal, Ubud, Sunday from 6:00 p.m.
Fire Dance

This dance is an exorcism dance form against spirit possession, where barefooted girls in trance dance among glowing coals.

Balinese Dances History

2008-08-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

After the Majapahit warriors subdued Ball in the 14^th century, Javanese mini principalities and courts soon appeared everywhere, creating that unique blend occur and peasant culture, which is Bali highly sophisticated, dynamic and lively. The accompanying narrative for dance and drama is to a large extent based on court stories from pre-Majapahit Java. Even the Indian epics, another favorite of the stage, especially the wayang, use Javanese, complete with long quotes from the ancient Javanese Kakawin poetry. So Javanese culture, which disappeared from Java following Islamization in the 16th century still survived in Bali in a Balinese for which became classical ~Balinese culture. However, colonization brought about the fall of classical Bali. With the rural courts defeated and with new lords of the land, the centre of creativity shifted to village associations, and to the development of tourism. The 30's and 50's were particularly fertile decades; while the old narrative-led theater survived, lively solo dances appeared 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. Source: Visitor Guide to Bali.

Movement and Dance

The typical posture in Balinese dance has the legs half bent, the torso shifted to one side with the elbow heightened and then lowered in a gesture that displays the suppleness of the hands and fingers. The torso is shifted in symmetry with the arms. If the arms are to the right, the shifting is to the left, and vice versa. Apart from their costumes, male and female roles can be identified mostly by the accentuation of these The women's movements. Legs are bent and huddled together, the feet open, so as al a sensual arching of to reve the back. The men's legs are arched and their shoulder pulled up, with more marked gestures, giving the impression of power. Dance movements follow on from each other in a continuum of gestures with 110 break and no jumping (except for a few demonic or ,animal characters). Each basic posture (agem), such as the opening of the curtain or the holding of the cloth, evolves into another agem through a succession,, of secondary gestures or tandang. The progression from one series to the other, and the change from right to left and vice-versa, is marked by a short jerky emphasis called the angsel. The expression is completed by mimicry of the face: the tangkep. Even the eyes dance, as can be seen in the baris and trunajaya dances. Source: Visitor Guide to Bali.

Balinese Dances Click here

Complete you need about Balinese dances: Topeng, Barong and Rangda, Baris, Oleg, Kecak, Joged, legong, Jangger, jauk, Cupak, barong landung, Wayang, etc.

Bali Barong

2008-08-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

Barong & Rangda
It's the most popular dance for tourists. A straightforward battle between good, the barong, and bad, the rangda. The barong is a strange creature, half shaggy dog, half lion, propelled by two men like a circus clown-horse. The widow-witch rangda is bad though and certainly not the sort of thing you'd like to meet on a midnight stroll through the rice paddies.

The Barong dance is truly a triumphant display of bright colors and graceful movements. Greatly appreciated by the tourists, special performances are staged for their benefit, generally in the morning, and last one hour. The villages of Batubulan as well as Tegaltamu and Singapadu, small towns located 30 minutes from the capital, are known for putting on the best performances. There is, however, more to the Barong dance than the folkloristic dimension, It is, in fact, an integral part of the island's culture and has an evident sacred connotation. It isn't rare, in fact, to see the Balinese dancing the Barong during their religious ceremonies, regardless of the presence of tourists. Inspired by an episode taken from Mahabharata, an epic poem written in Sanskrit. the dance evolves around the character of the Barong, the king of the jungle. A mythical animal, not clearly identified (perhaps a lion), he is the symbol of virtue and good, subject to the continuous struggle against the evil forces that threaten life and the integrity of the forest, this being an element very dear to the Balinese population. In detail, the Barong embodies everything that can be beneficial to man, and help him defeat illness. black magic and any other kind of misfortune. The evil entity against which he must relentlessly fight is personified by Rangda, queen of death and devourer of children. She is characterized by a dark and gloomy mask from which a red tongue of fire hangs. The entire dance is centered around the struggle between these two rival characters. The Barong is interpreted by two dancers whose rhythmic movements bring to life the beautiful and elaborate cos tume they wear. a large animal head skillfully carved out of wood, brightly colored in red, white, black and gold. It is adorned with a crown extending outwards from the sides of the head, and by a prominent necklace which hangs from the neck, The final touch of the costume is a tail made out of bison leather which is elaborately finished and guilded. The first character to appear on the stage is the Barong with his swaying gait: his dance is meant to express the joy of living. He is followed by a group of armed supporters who stand ready to defend him.

When Rangda strikes her terrible blows. It isn't at all rare for the dancers playing the Barong's followers to become so engrossed in the sacredness of the per- formance that they go into a real trance. A cloud of characters surround the Barong on stage. Rangda, goddess of death, personification of evil, the young girl servant Kalika; Dewi Kunti, queen of the kingdom of Hastina and her stepson Sadewa who will be sacrificed in order to placate the anger of Rangda, the minister Dewi Kunti; Patih who ex- presses sorrow for the fate of Sadewa (Rangda will have to enter his soul in order to make him accept the sacrifice), and then the monkey supporters of the Barong, producers of palm tree wine (nira). A very important element in the entire dance is the large orchestra, known as gamelan, which is essential to underscore the ritual nature of the performance. Many are the instruments that make up the orchestra: some metal xylophones which stand out not only because they are so numerous but because of their power ful and imperious sound; there are also drums as well as flutes, the rebab (a type of violin) and the gender (typical xylophones). All together, these instruments are essential in guiding the dance and underscoring the rhythm of well coordinated movements. These along with the joyful colors are the most alluring elements of this remarkable perfor mance. At the end of the dance, the masks of the Barong and of Rangda, as proof of their sacred nature, are stowed in a special room inside the temple. They are covered very carefully, especially Rangda's mask, because its deadly powers are greatly feared. It's a way of saying that the ritual victory of the Barong, that is of good, which marks the end of the dance, is only temporary: tomorrow the eternal and unresolved conflict could begin again.

The end of the Barong dance is like an entirely separate performance. Also known as the Kris dance, it is named after the famous Malese dagger. The idea is based on the philosophical concept rwa bhineda. good and bad, evil and goodness which have always been present and have always existed together albeit in a constant and inevitably unre solved conflict. Nothing will change in the future. While man is left free to try to develop his positive attitudes and let them win over the negative ones, he must nonetheless resign himself to the fact that the presence of both good and evil is a law of nature and as such must be accepted. When the dance is performed, Rangda is the evil spirit which enters the bodies of his victims, usually followers of the Barong, and pushes them to the edge of suicide. The dancers attempt to stab themselves in the chest with their krises until they are finally stopped by the beneficial appearance of the Barong. It is he who will save these unfortunate beings by revealing that the notion of good and evil will always be inevitably present in the world and in everyone's life and that they must therefore accept it.

Dance & Drama in Bali

2008-08-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Dance is the main art form of Balinese culture and is performed at main temple festivals and ceremonies, especially for the cycle of life and death. Taught and kept in secrecy in villages, halls and palaces, the dances that tourists witness in hotels and specially constructed stages are merely a fraction of the dance scene, although most of the dancers come from village groups.

The Kecak Dance

Its name is derived from the sound "cak", pronounced "chok", which is chanted in complex interlocking patterns that are like the rhythmic patterns played on the gamelan. The modern form of kecak originated from Gianyar village of Bedulu in the 1930s as a result commissioned by the German expatriate artist, Walter Spies. He wished to create a performance that could be enjoyed by a small coterie of expatriate artists like himself, as well as friends and guests to the island.

The modern performance of Kecak is a sensational sight to behold. Hundreds of barechested men sit in a circle with a flickering single oil lamp in the middle. "Cak - Cak - Cak", the chant begins and the men start dancing and swaying to the rhythmic reverberation of their own voices. Hands raised to the sky, bodies shaking in unison, the chorus performs the highly structured piece of vocal music for about an hour. This unique dance holds the title of being the most popular dance in Bali.

The Barong Dance

"Lord of the forest" and magical protector of Balinese villages, the Barong is a mythical, shaggy half-dog, half-lion creature, with a long mane, fantastic fangs, and bulging eyes. It is propelled by two men who maneuver the costume with whimsical and mischievous movements to express its fun-loving nature. The Barong's opponent is Rangda, the evil witch who rules over the spirits of Darkness. The Barong dance epitomizes the eternal struggle between good and evil. The fight of Barong and Rangda is also a topic of traditional narratives performed in temples and takes various forms. The Barong will snap its jaws at the gamelan, prance around a bit, and enjoy the acclaim of its supporters - a group of kris-wielding men. Then ferocious Rangda will then appear lolling her long tongue, baring her threatening fangs, her neck draped with human entrails...not a pretty sight.

The duel begins. Each opponent tries to overcome the other with magical powers but when things do not look too good for the Barong, supporters will lunge at Rangda with krises to weaken or stall her. In retaliation, Rangda would put them all into a trance with her mystical powers and make them stab themselves with their weapons. Fortunately, the Barong possesses magic that is strong enough to cast a spell on the krises from harming the men. This part would be the highlight of the dance; the gamelan rings madly and intensely as the men rush back and forth waving their krises in a frenzy, sometimes even rolling on the ground in a desperate attempt to stab themselves. Often, there seems to be a plot to terrify the audience in the front row! Eventually, Rangda will retire, defeated. And once again, good will reign over evil.

Legong Keraton

The most graceful of Balinese dances, this is the epitome of classical Balinese female dancing. A legong, as the dancer is known, is often a young girl of eight or nine years, rarely older than her early teens. It was first created in the 18th Century and is usually the first dance to be taught to beginners. There are many forms of Legong, the most frequently performed dance being the Legong Keraton or Legong of the Palace.

The story of the Legong is very stylized and symbolic and one should know the story before actually watching the performance. The Legong involves three dancers - two legongs and their 'attendant', the condong. The legongs are identically costumed in gold brocade, which is bound so tightly that it is a mystery such agitated and rapid moves could be made. With elaborately made-up faces, plucked eyebrows that are boldly repainted, and hair decorated with frangipanis, the dancers relate the story with captivating movements.

A king takes the maiden Rangkesari captive. When her brother comes to release her, Rangkesari begs the king to free her rather than go to war. The king refuses and chances upon a bird carrying ill omens on his way to battle. However, he ignores the bird, meets Rangkesari's brother, and was thus killed in the fight.

The roles of the dancers may change according to the narration. However, the dance usually begins with the king's preparations for battle and ends with the bird's appearance.

Baris

A male equivalent of the Legong, Baris is a warrior's dance. Executed with energetic and warlike martial spirit, the Baris dancer has to convey the thoughts and emotions of a warrior preparing for action as well as confronting an enemy in battle. This dance is performed solo and requires great energy, spirit and skill. The warrior's changing moods have to be displayed through facial expressions and movements; he should be able to depict chivalry, pride, anger, prowess, and a little regret. Baris is said to be one of the most complex of all Balinese dances.

Balinese Dances with Orchestra

2008-08-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

Tunas Mekar performs "Oleg Tambulilingan" on the semaradana orchestra, Metropolitan State College of Denver Visiting Artist Series, King Center Concert Hall, Denver, Colorado 2007. Photo by Charla Bevin. © Tunas Mekar, Inc.

Located in Denver, Colorado, USA, Gamelan Tunas Mekar is a community orchestra under the direction of Balinese composer and Artist-in-Residence I Made ananda Yoga . Tunas Mekar performs the indigenous music of the island of Bali, Indonesia. Modeled after typical village groups found throughout Bali, and learning by traditional methods, Tunas Mekar provides American audiences with an authentic glimpse of one of the world's most fascinating cultures.

Tunas Mekar performs regularly at music festivals, schools and specially produced concerts throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Tunas Mekar is also available to perform at private events. Email :rajendrayoga93@gmail.com for more information.

Topeng Dance

2008-08-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

A Topeng Dance is one in which the dancers have to imitate the characters represented by their masks. A full collection of Topeng masks may number 30 or 40.

Kecak Dance

2008-08-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

A serpentine stream of bodies coils itself, circle within circle, around a large, branching torch. The half-seen multitude waits in silence. A priest enters with offerings and blessings of holy water. One piercing voice cracks the suspense; the circle electrifies. No other dance is so unnerving as the amazing Kecak: dozens to hundreds of men who, by a regimented counterplay of sounds, simulate the orchestration of the gamelan. The now-famous Kecak dance was created in the early 20th century by the famous German painter, Walter Spies, who was resident in Bali at the time. It represents Spies' reincarnation of the male chorus of the ritual Sanghyang trance ceremony. Choreography transforms the ingeniously simple chorus into ecstasy. The cries, the erratic pulses of sound, and the sublimated violence of the kecak are perfectly contained in the precise use of a few basic motions of heads, arms, and torsos.

Various parts of the dance merge in a startling continuum of grouped motion and voice. Many words and gestures have no meaning except as incantations to drive out evil, as was the original purpose of the Sanghyang chorus. Kecak includes a play amidst a periphery of men -- a virtual living theatre. Accompanied by the bizarre music of human instruments, the storyteller relates the episode enacted within the performance. When demon-king Rawana leaps to the center, for example, the chorus simulates his flight with a long hissing sound. When monkey-man Hanuman enters the mystic circle, the men become an army of chattering monkeys.

Legong Dance

2008-08-13T22:35:00.002-07:00

In legends, Legong is the heavenly dance of divine nymphs. Girls from the age of five aspire to be selected to represent the community as Legong dancers.

The most popular of Legongs is the Legong Kraton -- 'Legong of the Palace'. Formerly, the dance was patronized by local kings and held in a residence of the royal family of the village. Dancers were recruited from the aptest and prettiest children. Today, the trained dancers are still very young; a girl of fourteen approaches retirement as a Legong performer.

The highly stylized Legong Kraton enacts a drama of a most purified and abstract kind. The story is performed by three dancers: a female attendant of the court and two identically dressed legongs who adopt the roles of royal persons. The suggestive themes of the magnificent gamelan orchestra and the minds of the audience conjure up imaginary changes of scene.

The story derives from the history of East Java in the 12th and 13th centuries. A king finds the maiden Rangkesari lost in the forest. He takes her home and locks her in a house of stone. Rangkesari's brother, the Prince of Daha, learns of her captivity and threatens war unless she is set free.

Rangkesari begs her captor to avoid war by giving her liberty, but the king prefers to fight. On his way to battle, he is met by a bird of ill omen that predicts his death. In the fight that ensues he is killed. The dance dramatizes the farewells of the King as he departs for the battlefield and his ominous encounter with the bird.

The tiny dancers glitter and dazzle. Bound from head to foot in gold brocade, it is a wonder the legongs can move with such fervent agitation. The dancers flow from one identity into the next without disrupting the harmony of the dance. They may enter as the double image of one character, their movements marked by tight synchronization. Then they may split, each enacting a separate role, and come together again. In a love scene in which they rub noses, for example, the King takes leave of Rangkesari. She repels his advances by beating him with her fan, and he departs in anger, soon to perish on the battlefield.

Pendet Dance

2008-08-13T22:35:00.001-07:00

Pendet is the presentation of an offering in the form of a ritual dance. Unlike the exhibition dances that demand arduous training, Pendet may be danced by anyone. It is taught simply by imitation.

Younger girls follow the movements of the elder women, who recognize their responsibility in setting a good example. Proficiency comes with age. As a religious dance, Pendet is usually performed during temple ceremonies.

All dancers carry in their right hand a small offering of incense, cakes, water vessels, or flower formations. With these they dance from shrine to shrine within the temple. Pendet may be performed intermittently throughout the day and late into the night during temple feasts.

Jangger Dance

2008-08-13T22:33:00.002-07:00

The flute begins an eerie tune, and faraway voices chant a strange song that flows from a loud melody to a nearly inaudible high pitch. Two girl singers appear wearing splendid, floral crowns with multi-coiored spikes. They advance, allowing another pair to enter, until twelve girls have filed on stage.

Slowly they kneel opposite each other, cocking their heads and darting their eyes to accent the rhythm of the orchestra. As the chanting continues, young men silently repeat the girls' entrance. In contrast to feminine delicacy, their movements are deliberate and strong. All wear painted moustaches.

Suddenly, the male formation breaks into frenzied activity of twists, jerks and lunges. Instantly, the shock wave ceases, the men freeze in their positions, and the lonely flute carries the dance back to the soft sways and chanting of the girls.

A folk dance introduced to the island in the thirties, the origin is in the Sanghyang trance ceremony in which the women chant the Sanghyang song and the men alternate with the gruff sounds of the Kecak.

Baris Dance

2008-08-13T22:33:00.001-07:00

Just as the Legong is essentially feminine, the Baris, a traditional war dance, glorifies the manhood of the triumphant Balinese warrior. The word baris means 'line' or 'file' and refers to the warriors who fought for the kings of Bali. There are numerous kinds of Baris, distinguished by the arms borne by the dancers.

Originally, the dance was a religious ritual: the dedication of warriors and their weapons during a temple feast. From the ritualistic Baris Gede grew the dramatic Baris, a story prefaced by a series of exhibition solo dances that show prowess in battle. It is from these that the present Baris solo takes its form. A good Baris dancer must undergo rigorous training to obtain the skill and flexibility that typifies the chivalrous elegance of the dance.

A Baris dancer must convey fierceness, disdain, pride, alertness, compassion, and regret -- the characteristics of a warlike noble. The Baris is accompanied by gamelan orchestra, and the relationship between dancer and orchestra is an intimate one; the gamelan must be entirely attuned to the changing moods of the warrior's will.

At first, the dancer's movements are studied and careful, as if he were seeking out foes in an unfamiliar place. When he reaches the middle of the stage, however, hesitation gives way to self-assurance. He rises on his toes to his full stature, his body motionless with quivering limbs. In a flash, he whirls on one leg and his face renders the storm of passions of a quick-tempered warrior.

Dances of Bali

2008-08-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

Dances of Bali

The island of Bali probably has more traditional dances per square mile than any other real estate in the world. Some are solemn and graceful, while others border on slapstick. The town of Ubud is particular famous as a center of dance performances. Whether its a performance for tourists or a spectacle at a temple ceremony, you're pretty much guaranteed access to a dance performance every day in central Bali.

	Xylophone musicians in a gamelan orchestra warm up the audience before the dances begin.		Gamelan musicians are incredibly skilled, individually performing complex rhythms that blend together at a frenetic pace.
	At the beginning of this performance, a priest leads the perfomers in a procession onto the stage.		Two dancers are carried to the stage.
	Masked dancers.		Sometimes it's har to tell whether men or women are performing a particular dance.
	One of the many demons featured in Balinese dance.		In this epic dance, the evil witch Rangda, on the right, is plotting to kill a Balinese king.
	The Rangda is quite the evil beast; she sports a collection of human entrails as a necklace.		Rangda tries to make the king vulnerable by casting a spell on his bodyguards so they try to kill themselves...
	... But the good demon Barong, performed by two men in a giant costume, protects the bodyguards by casting a spell making it impossible for their daggers to penetrate their skin.		The Barong in all of its glory.
	The Barong and the king, whose life has just be saved.		In this dance, the Barong performs solo, playfully prancing around the stage.
	A group of young women imitate a group of deer playing in the forest.		In a related dance, these girls perform as butterflies.
	Every movement a dancer makes is choreographed, down to the position of the hands.		A jauk dance. The jauk is a playful, but sinister demon in which the dancer gets to improvise and even sometimes interact with the crowd.
			The jauk may look dangerous, but no members of the audience were hurt during this performance.
	A legong dancer. Legongs are traditionally young girls, but you're more likely to see young woman dancing in performances for tourists.
	Another legong dancer.		Legongs are well known for their dramatic eye movements.

	In this dance, a legong performs intricate movements with a paper fan, closing her eyes throughout the performance.
	In a Kebyar Trompong dance, a male dancer is also a musician, playing solos on a gamelan gong with the rest of the orchestra.		The Kebyar Trompong dancer twirls his drumsticks.
	The Kebya Trompong dance was made famous in the 1920s by a flamboyant dancer named Mario.
	The same dancer performs another Kebyar dance known as the Kebyar Duduk, which is performed in a sitting position.

	In this dance, a group of young women start off the night's performances by showering the stage with flower petals, carried in a metal bowl.
	Flower petals fall to the stage.
	A dance based on a story from the Ramayana in which a prince falls in love.
			The old king, father of the prince.

Bali Things to Avoid

2008-08-09T01:45:00.000-07:00

Immigration : geckobttn6.gif - 1422 Bytes
Make sure that when you fill in the immigration form and you proceed through customs in Bali , that when you are given a small piece of the form ( COPY ) back in your passport that you don't LOSE it as this may cost you a major headache and some cash when you go to leave Bali. You need it then !!!

Local Water : geckobttn11.gif - 1436 Bytes
Make sure that the water is boiled before you use it. This includes personal hygiene like brushing your teeth. Bottled water is very cheap from the supermarket and is available in 4 Ltr down to 300 ml sizes. Drinks with ICE , I have never had a problem with but I dont eat the ice after the drink is finished.

geckobttn8.gif - 1431 Bytes Money Exchangers :
Watch when they count out your money. Have your own calculator. Exchange in $50 or $100 dollar increments so its easy to work out the exchange rate in your head if you dont have a calculator.
EG : $100AUS at an exchange rate of 5200RP to the dollar will be 520,000 RP

geckobttn5.gif - 1428 Bytes When Bargaining :
Never make an offer on a item with no intentions of purchasing it. Once you have made an offer , you have started the negotiation process to acquiring the item. ( commonly known as bargaining ) It's a very big insult to NOT purchase the item once you have made an offer especially if you get the item down to the price you offered. ( see : Shopping for the "art" of bargaining )

Hawkers : geckobttn3.gif - 1438 Bytes
If you are walking the streets and you don't want to be hassled by the street hawkers , avoid looking at their wares and eye contact with them ... be polite , say no thank you , smile and keep walking.

Arguments : geckobttn6.gif - 1422 Bytes
Avoid a heavy confrontation with the locals. This is seen as a loss of self control and is looked down upon in Asia.

Drugs : geckobttn9.gif - 1456 Bytes
DON'T !!! Its very simple...don't buy any drugs from locals - this includes marijuana. The police have locals that will sell you the drugs , pocket the money and then report you , get the drugs back from the police and resell them to another sucker. The penalties in Bali are VERY severe and the prison certainly isn't a luxury condominium.

geckobttn11.gif - 1436 Bytes Alone at night :
Avoid the back streets if you are under the influence. Although I have never had a problem traveling at night , I have never traveled the back streets drunk either. It's just a precaution I think is worth mentioning.

Bag Snatchers :
Unfortunately there are more and more petty crimes in Bali. Avoid walking on the footpath with a bag over the same shoulder as the road is on. There are reports of people on motor bikes riding past and grabbing your bag from your shoulder and riding off into the sunset while you are picking yourself up off the road. While on the subject - take care of your bumbag and watch out when little children surround you selling postcards and beads.

Balinese rice offerings : geckobttn4.gif - 1418 Bytes
The streets at night will be littered with good luck offerings to the gods by the Balinese people. It's nice to avoid standing or kicking their offerings. I think it's a basic politeness to respect their beliefs.

geckobttn2.gif - 1427 Bytes Car Insurance :
Don't drive a car or ride a bike without insurance. Insurance is obtained from the point of hire. Also carry the vehicle's registration papers with you.

Tourism of Bali

2008-08-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

The THK Based-Tourism of Bali

Tourism industry, in the opinion of I Gede Ardika, is not anything new or bizarre. Aside from being a Balinese man who was born and grew up in Bali and has made the tourism as his leading sector, he is also the former Minister of Tourism and Culture of the RI.
According to him, the essence of tourism of Indonesia is humanity with the purpose not only for leisure but also more on the improvement of living standards. In tourism, humans become the generator where the things that are moving and meeting are humans along with their entire aspects. “Without the human element there will be no tourism. This matter is assuredly shored up with the basic principles of tourism namely disparity, uniqueness and attraction,” he said.
Furthermore, this smiley man affirmed that Indonesia having diversity of tribes and culture constitutes important investment. “I entirely agree with the opinion of Prof. Dr Fuad Hassan appealing to us to make such disparities as a model that should not be compared,” he uttered.
Bali as a world destination should also realize its position in the order of international community. Then he also added, “Bali possesses an indigenous wisdom having universal characteristic namely Tri Hita Karana (THK) and this must not only be implemented in Bali, but it could also give contribution to the world community.”
As a matter of fact, the concept of indigenous wisdom has become the philosophy of Indonesian tourism. The harmony of human relationship to God (Parhyangan) means the tourism activity may not infringe upon the glorious values of religion. The harmony of human relationship to fellow humans (Pawongan) is realized through the behavior of mutually appreciating and loving, inter-tribes friendship and establishing peace for all. Meanwhile, in the matter of relationship of human to its environment (Palemahan) is carried out through preservation, utilization and development of natural resources in balance and sustainably. “Greedy or covetous behavior should be avoided here,” he revealed at the end of his conversation with Bali Travel News. (BTN/008)

Traditional Balinese dance

2008-08-07T01:28:00.000-07:00

Bali Dance Crown
Bali Dance Crown.
A Balinese headdress worn during the “Arja”, a traditional Balinese dance. Sports a beaked front design extending up in golden leaf shapes, mounted by a fretwork arching design.

Leather & Rattan Dance Crown
Leather & Rattan Dance Crown.
Named after the “Oleg” dance style, a swaying form of Balinese dance. Covered with lacy flowers and embellished with faux gems and glittery mirrors, and bathed in gilt, this crown is meant to symbolize the beauty of women.

Duck Dance Headwear
Duck Dance Headwear.
A traditional headdress with arched contours which are designed to almost fully cover the head. Worn by performers of the “Belibis”, “duck” dance, it this dance crown is redolent of centuries Balinese culture.

Bali Dance and Drama bali

2008-08-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

The lifestyles of Balinese people is expressed in their dance. Not only do we learn about the Balinese religion from their dance creations but also we can come to understand the flow of cultural events and activities that belong to everyday life. We can discover Balinese attitudes, how they look at nature, and how they regard their fauna and flora.

The very essence of the Balinese culture is dance and drama, which is performed during temple festivals and in ceremonies. The dances performed in hotels is a small fraction of what Balinese dance has to offer.

Balinese dance goes as far back as Balinese written history with much of the heritage originating from Java. Ironically, as a result of the Islamisation of Java, the Javanese culture has disappeared but has still survived in Bali and has become part of classical Balinese culture.

Balinese dance cannot be separated from religion. Even the dances for the tourists are preceded by many dancers praying at their family shrine for taksu (inspiration) from the gods.

Dance fulfils a number of specific functions: It may be a channel for visiting gods or demons, the dancers acting as a sort of living repository. It may be as a welcome for visiting gods. It may be entertainment for visiting gods.

The typical posture of Balinese dance has the legs half-bent, the torso shifted to one side with the elbow raised and lowered in a gesture that displays suppleness of the hands and fingers. The torso is shifted in symmetry with the arms. If the arms are to the right, the shifting is to the left and vice-versa.

The Ramayana

The story of the Ramayana greatly inspires the Balinese. Many of their dances are based on this great story which is often depicted in a ballet.

The Balinese version differs from the Indian Version. It is told that Rama, as the first son in a family, was the heir to the Ayodya kingdom but the king's second wife, through her treachery forced the king to crown her own son as the King of Ayodya and asked him to send Rama and his wife into exile.

Because he respected his father, Rama went with his wife called Sita and his beloved younger brother, Laksmana into a forest called Dandaka. Usually the first act of the ballet depicts Rama and entourage in the heart of the Dandaka forest.

Rahwana, the evil King of Alengka, enchanted by the beauty of Sita, wanted to have her as his concubine. He sent one of his knights, Marica, to temp Sita by transforming himself into a golden deer. Sita, captivated by her curiosity, asked her husband to catch the golden deer.

The next act explains how Rama succeeds in hunting the golden deer but as his arrow struck the golden deer it transformed back into Marica. Meanwhile Sita heard a distant cry for help. Laksmana, who had been asked by his brother to look after his sister-in-law, tried to explain to her that the cry sounds very suspicious. But nevertheless, Sita was convinced that someone was in need of help. So she sent Laksmana to look for this person and to help whoever it is. In his desperate attempt, Laksmana asked Sita, no matter what would happen, to stay inside the guarding circle that he created.

Rahwana, knowing that Sita was protected by the circle transforms himself into an old priest. He approaches Sita and asks her for a drink. Sita, without hesitation, extends her hands beyond the circle to hand him the water. Rahwana takes the advantage, snatches her hand and takes her to his palace in Alengka.

On the way, Rahwana encounters a mighty eagle Jatayu. By every means possible, Jatayu tries to rescue Sita from the evil king but fails and is killed by Rahwana.

Rama and Laksmana find the dying Jatayu who tells them the whole story of what had happened to Sita.

In his attempt to release his wife, Rama seeks the help from Hanoman and his monkey soldiers. Hanoman finds Sita in the palace's garden. She had been asked by Rahwana to marry him but she would rather die. Hanoman convinces Sita that he is Rama's messenger and talks of a plan.

Rahwana catches Hanoman and burns his tail but in so doing, set fire to the palace's' gardens. The pyrotechnics can be very impressive.

In the last act, Rama and his troops are depicted attacking Rakhwana's palace. Finally Rama manages to kill Rahwana and therefore takes his wife back to his country.

The abridged version ends here but if you see paintings in Kamasan style based on the Ramayana story, you would notice that in the last of serialised paintings, Sita had to prove she was still pure, and had not been tainted by Rahwana, by plunging herself into a fire. Because of her faith in her husband, God saved her from the fire and she lived happily ever after with Rama.

The Indian version reveals a very different ending with Sita saved by Mother Earth, never returning to her husband.

The Welcome Dance - Tari Panyembrama

The Panyembrama is probably the most popular Balinese social dance. In keeping with its meaning in the Balinese Language, Panymebrama is frequently staged to welcome guests of honour who are making a visit to this islands of the Gods.

Four or eight young girls bearing a bokor, a heavily engraved bowl made from silver or aluminium, laden with flowers, dance expressively to the accompaniment of vibrant gamelan music.

During the dance, the flowers are scattered over the guest or audience as an expression of welcome. The Panymebrama has taken many of its movements from temple dances, such as the Rejang Dance, Pendet and Gabor, which are considered sacred and performed exclusively for God. There is an analogy between the secular Panymebrama and the religious temple dances, as all these dances are welcoming dances, the difference being in the place in which they are stage.

The Tari Panymebrama comes under the Balinese classification of Legong (individual dances), because it has no connection with other dances, has no story and was specifically created for welcoming and entertainment purposes.

The hospitality and friendliness conveyed through the smiles of the Panymebrama girls, charms the audience and so is very fitting as an opening for a show, etc.

The Yudapati Dance

Yudapati is a dance which depicts a male character but is performed by female dancers. The word Yudapati is derived from Yuda which means war and Pati which means death. The dance represents the kamikaze warrior in defending the truth. The dance was created in 1987. It is based on the Baris dance.

The dancer wears typical male attire, headcloth, shirt, carved leather belt and other jewellery. The reason for a male being performed by a female is that the choreographer wishes to reveal all the subtle gestures and movements in the dance by using the flexibility of a woman's body.

Male dance performed by females is called Bebancihan. A number of other dances have been created in the s style, such as Margapati, Trunajaya, Prawireng Puti, Wiranata and Danur Dara. They require masculine interpretation and expression which is quite hard for female dancers. Yudapati dance was originally performed for religious purposes but nowadays is performed regularly as a tourist attraction in some restaurants.

The Ghopala Dance

This dance provides the audience with an interesting insight into the lives of people who live in a simple and pure manner in an environment of blissful tranquillity. This dance originated in 1984 and usually performed by five boy dancers. The characters of the Ghopala dance are especially funny and will draw laughter from the audience.

The Ghopala theme depicts the world of children herdsmen who gleefully meet and play along the boundaries of rice fields while tending their cows. Their lives are filled with happiness as they dance and play in a way which highlights their individual characters. They never tire of their duties as herdsmen, faithfully defending the lives of their cattle. Thus the audience are transported to a distant time when people lived in peace and contentment, an age which had not yet become influenced by the bustle of business which now constantly steals our time.

The Semarayana Dance

As we know, there exists many art forms such as music, painting, poetry, drama, sculpture, etc. and, of course, dancing is yet another and is a popular form of expression. Artists will take a certain aspect of a medium, build on it to form another. This is the case of the Semarayana dance developed in 1994 as a subject for a thesis submitted by Ms Ni Nyoman Sri Armita to the Indonesian Arts Academy of Denpasar for her graduation.

The main character is Dewi Chandra Kirana, a princess from the kingdom of Daha who disguised herself as a male youth so she could venture out and seek her beloved who had disappeared without a trace.

With shoulder length hair, commonly used centuries ago throughout Java and Bali, the princess was unrecognisable as a female. The symbol of manhood which fooled people she met on the road, was the use of the Balinese male headgear called the Destar. It is made from material that wraps around the head and has an artistic formation of bunched material at the front.

Balinese males still use the destar when attending ceremonies. The feature of the destar is the decorative use of gold lines.

Dewi meets her beloved but due to her disguise and the fact that he is partly obscured when they meet, a fight develops. In the ensuing melee, the princess's destar is knocked from her head and her sweetheart, Raden Inu Kertapati, recognises her and rushes to her side to embrace her.

And, of course, they lived happily ever after.

The Barong Dance

The are several versions of the Barong Dance, as Bali has an abundance of myths and legends. There is Barong Ket, Barong Asu (Dog Barong), Barong Macan (Tiger Barong), Barong Bangkal (Pig Barong), Barong Gajah (Elephant Barong) and others.

One of the well known stories on which the Barong Dance is based, is the Kunti Seraya. The plot is very intriguing, showing the effect of the Gods intervention upon the people through supernatural powers.

It is told that Dewi Kunti, from the royal family of Hastinapura, was very ill. As a devotee of the Goddess Durga, she seeks help, however, the Goddess tells her that the price of health is her own son, Sahadewa. It seems that the Goddess fancied Sahadewa's young and luscious flesh for her dinner.

Dewi Kunta recovers from her illness and it is time to pay the price. She regrets her decision to pay the price but a promise is a promise. One of the Goddess's followers put her into a trance and enters her body. She becomes a terrifying creature and unconsciously beats Sahadewa mercilessly. She then takes him to an unpenetratable jungle and ties him to a tree. Later Sahadewa is given immortality by God and she overcomes the wrath of the Goddess and she is able to release her son.

The Sanghyang Jaran Dance

The unique feature of the Sanghyang Jaran dance is the courage of the dancers who in a state of Kesurupan or trance, calmly step and trample on red hot coals just as if they were walking in cold water.

This dance is believed to have the power to invite the gods or sacred spirits to enter the body of the dancers and put them in a state of trance. It dates back to the ancient Pre-Hindu culture, a time when the Balinese people strongly believed that a dance could eliminate sickness and disease. The is dance is usually performed in the fifth or sixth month of the Balinese traditional calendar as it is believe that during these particular months, the Balinese are vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses.

The War Dance - Gebug Ende

The Gebug Ende is a combination of dance and trial of prowess. It is usually performed by two to sixty male dancers who dance and fight on stage in pairs. Each dancer/fighter carries a one and a half metre long rattan stick as as a weapon and a shield called an ende. During the performance the two men try to beat one another with the stick while using the ende to protect themselves. The dance is called Gebug Ende as it literally means beating the ende or shield. One cannot afford to make mistakes in this dance as otherwise injury results.

The Gebug Ende is quite unique as it has certain rules that have to be followed by the participants. Led by a jury, this dance starts with two dancers, while the rest sit in a circle, cracking jokes and singing, while waiting their turn. The jury decide which of the two contestants loses the game and has to leave the stage. Then they will call the next men to the stage. This continues until all have had a turn. Sometimes the fight becomes very fierce and the dancers get thrown of the stage from the blows of the rattan stick. Bruises and wounds are common in this ritual.

Legong Trunajaya - The dance of love and emotions

The Trunajaya dance describes the emotions of a young man through love and passion. The dance movements reflect the theme of courtship and love.

Truna meaning 'single' and jaya meaning 'to win' immediately gives an understanding of the dance. Ironically, the dancer are young women who take on the role of young men. The women wear a 'destar' normally worn by men and an unusual loin-cloth called a 'kancut'. The Trunajaya is normally danced by a single female but sometimes two, dancing together in synchronous movements and to the mesmorotic sounds of the 'Gong Kebyar', a fast, rhythmic beat which goes in harmony to the dance. The dance was created by Wayan Wandres, from Singaraja, Northern Bali.

Dance in bali island of gods

2008-08-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

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