Dagger in Hand: Bali’s Baris Keris Dance
Baris dance is one important dance usually performed as the opening to a sacred ritual or big religious ceremony in temples in the villages of Bali. The dance plays an important role as it symbolises the welcoming of deities, gods and goddesses that are believed have come down from heaven to witness the rituals. The
Rejang Renteng: A Dance of the Older Generation
Balinese dances eloquently charm audiences with their signature basic movements, eye movements and curvy nature of the female dancers. Almost all of the dances on the island boast bright colours and glittery costumes. All of this is not presented in Rejang Renteng. Rejang Renteng is a variation of the Rejang Dance – the sacred dance
Kepayang : Dance The Romance
Watching a dance performance makes my heart content. And if we trace it back, it is the sweet ripe fruit of days of hard work. For the artist, their sore legs and arms are nothing to compare with thundering applause by the audience. To perform in one of Bali Art Festival’s stage is a big
Sendratari : Balinese Art, Theatre and Dance Rolled into One
In Bali, we also have musical dramas, a combination of dance and theatrical performance that also contains dialog in the Balinese language. The performance is called Sendratari, which is actually an abbreviation of Seni, Drama and Tari which translates to English as “art, theater and dance”. Sendratari is an all Balinese favorite. It is both
More Than Just A Dance: The Welcoming Ritual of Balinese Dances
So much more than just a form of art, traditional dances in Bali are a welcoming ritual, performed to mark the start of religious ceremonies or rituals that take place in the temples, to welcome the deities and ancestors that come down to the earth whenever the ceremonies take place and also to show gratitude
The Margapati Dance: A King and Death Meet
In Bali, the island’s culture has strong ties to the surrounding natural environment. The religious rituals are delivered as a give back to the ancestors and nature for the entire ceremony and life. The sacred rituals involve beautiful offerings and eye-catching cultural performances. Every art form was born as an offering to the gods and
The Janger Dance: From the Rice Field to the Sea
In the creation of art performances, the Balinese have been inspired by everything in their surroundings, including nature, myths and legend. In fact, some daily activities have been brought to the stage in the form of eye catching dance performances. Before the massive growth of tourism in Bali, the Balinese people used to live on
Nawanatya Cultural Carnival Begins
On the 3rd of March 2018, situated at the heart of Denpasar, right in front of the governor’s official residence, a cultural art carnival was held as part of a series of activities to mark the opening of Bali MandaraNawanatya 2018, an annual event held in Bali Art Centre in Denpasar on the weekend starting
Tragic Love in the Stories of Balinese Dance
Love is an absurdly warm feeling full of complexity. Love stories can end up being happily ever after or, alternatively, manifest into agony and hatred. Romance is a sedative that triggers the creative mind to express oneself, a great inspiration for artists. In the hands of talented artists, a bloody war caused by love can
Witnessing The Lingsar: A Journey Across the Sea
Every Balinese dance has a story, including The Lingsar, which shares the history between Lombok and Bali. The King of Karangasem sent Anak Agung Ketut Karangasem to the land of the Sasak, Lombok Island, with a troop of followers. Ida Pedandan Ketut Sebali, a holy man also accompanied Ketut Karangasem on this journey. After days
Balinese Living Arts: Ubud’s Newest Cultural Performances
Immerse yourself in a brand new cultural exposé in Ubud with Balinese Living Arts; two daily performances that blend drama, dance and music to present some of the island’s most treasured stories. Not a day goes by in Bali when a traditional dance is not being performed, whether it is the youthful apprentices practicing in the village
Bima Ruci: The Dance of the Mahabharata
The epic of Mahabharata is popular in Java and Bali as the layers of the stories in the narrative includes historical reference and moral sample based on Hindu teachings. The epic spread to Indonesia in the 11th Century under the rule of King Dharmawangsa. The narrative is about the kingdom of Hastinapura under the rule
Jarandut: Balinese Dance From the Island of Lombok
The traditional dances in Bali have been flourishing, and new generations of traditional dancers and gamelan musicians are continuously being born. The dignity of taking part in such cultural performances is very much alive in this digital age and intense technological era. The dances of Bali are not only learned and developed by the Balinese
