Music, dance and drama are all closely related
in Bali; in fact drama and dance are synonymous. The most important
thing about Balinese dances, however, is that they're fun and
accessible. Balinese dances are not hard to find; there are dances
virtually every night at all the tourist centers.
The Gamelan
Balinese music is based around an instrument known as the gamelan.
The gamelan is such a central part of Balinese music that the
whole 'orchestra' is also referred to as a gamelan. Gamelan music
is almost completely percussion. Though it sounds strange at first
with its noisy, jangly percussion it's exciting and enjoyable.
Kecak
Probably the best known of the many Balinese dances, the Kecak
is also unusual in that it does not have a gamelan accompaniment.
Instead the background is provided by a chanting 'choir' of men
who provide the 'chak-a-chak-a-chak' noise.
Tourists especially enjoy the performance staged by the Kechak
dancers. This dance is also deeply rooted in local tradition and
Indian mythology and is inspired by Ramayana, an epic poem written
in Sanskrit. The dance brings to life the tale of King Rama, his
wife Dewi Sita and his brother Laksamana who were exiled to the
forest for 14 years following some complex scheming in a struggle
for power. In the forest, they are persecuted by Rahwana, the
ogre king who then abducts Dewi Sita and makes her a prisoner
of his palace on the Island of Lanka (Ceylon) . Rama strikes an
alliance with the monkey people whose army defeats Rahwana’s
troups, making it possible for King Rama to rescue his wife. In
each Kechak performance, a hundred or so dancers play the monkey
army while a few female dancers are assigned specific roles (Dewi
Sita, Trijata). The performance generally lasts one hour and takes
place in the evening, preferably around 7 PM.
Barong & Rangda
It's the most popular dance for tourists. A straightforward battle
between the good barong, and the bad rangda. The barong is a strange
creature, half shaggy dog, and 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.
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