Dances and dramatic performances form an important
part of nearly every ritual on Bali. They are seen as an integral
part of Balinese religion and culture and are employed as an expression
of one's devotion to the gods (ngayah) as well as a means of instilling
centuries-old values in each new generation of Balinese, through
the medium of movement, music and words.
Training and taksu
Balinese children are exposed to dance at a very early age. They
are taken to performances long before they can walk, and begin
to take dance lessons soon after. Most take great pleasure in
this, whether or not they perform, as they are just as interested
in the learning experience as in the final product.
There are no warm-ups before a lesson begins, and the teacher
plunges right into the dance. The movements are not taught individually;
the child stands behind the teacher and follows her movements.
When the teacher feels that the pupil understands the basic sequence,
she will move behind the student, take her wrists or fingers and
move them through the desired positions. The student's body must
be both full of energy and relaxed - "listening" to
the teacher's fingers as much as to her words, which are sol-fa
syllables imitating the music.
After many hours of such manipulations, the movements are said
to have "entered" the student. He or she then dances
alone, with the teacher correcting from behind as needed. Only
after completely memorizing a dance will the student practice
with a full gamelan orchestra.
Balance is essential in Balinese dance, as in everything the Balinese
do; rarely do they trip or fall. Control is also important - the
dances demand control of every limb, muscle and emotion. The dancer
must learn how to express the character of his or her role as
opposed to expressing one's "true self' (a very non-Balinese
concept). One could say that dance involves a displacement of
the ego.
The most important aspect of dance is that of taksu or "divine
inspiration" - the electrifying presence that mesmerizes
audiences and transports performer and viewer to another time
and place. Taksu can transform a plain-looking dancer into a great
beauty and a technically deficient one into a great artist. A
dancer studying Topeng will often sleep with a mask above his
bed so he can study and absorb its character. Masks have their
own special taksu. One who lacks taksu is likened to a "weak
flame" - and dancers pray to the god of taksu before each
performance. It doesn't always come though; even the Balinese
have "off" nights.
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