Traditional Balinese Dance

Watching Traditional Balinese Dance is one of the recommended things you must do. It is because Bali has a variety of spectacular dances to enjoy. Imagine how great it would be to enjoy the dance with the sunset, sea, sky, or fantastic scenery as the background.

It is even so romantic for those who are taking Bali honeymoon tour packages. Let’s talk about the recommended traditional Balinese dances you can watch while you are in Bali.

Traditional Balinese Dance

Kecak Dance

Kecak Dance is one of the most phenomenal traditional dances in Bali. It seems you are not visiting Bali if you don’t watch the Kecak dance performance. This dance is also attractive because of the number of dancers and the use of fire.

Imagine that Kecak dance involves dozens of male dancers. They enter the stage and sit in a circular formation. This dance is called Kecak because the dancers scream the word “Cak” in harmony while raising their hands.

The choreography of this dance is taken from the epic ancient story entitled Ramayana. It is the scene where a group of monkeys help Rama to fight against Rahwana. Some dancers act as other characters, such as Rama, Shinta, Rahwana, Hanoman, and Sugriwa.

Kecak dance also represents religious meaning for Balinese. It is believed that the dancers are trance during the performance. During this time, the dancers are communicating with the gods and their ancestors.

You can enjoy the Kecak dance performance in several places in Bali, including Uluwatu, Melasti Beach, Batubulan, and Ubud. It sounds great to enjoy the Kecak dance while seeing the fantastic sunset moment.

Baris Dance

Indeed, Kecak dance is not the only dance performance you can enjoy in Bali. You can also enjoy another great traditional Balinese dance known as Baris Dance. Some Bali tour packages by reputable travel agencies guide their guests to places that perform this dance.

Baris dance is a theatrical performance that talks about a group of soldiers. The choreography of this dance shows the toughness and compactness of the soldiers. That’s why the movement of the dance is dynamic and straightforward.

Since this dance is about soldiers, the dancers also use a spear during the performance. Just like the Kecak dance, the Baris dance is also performed by male dancers. A group of Baris dancers consists of 8 to 40 male dancers.

Balinese often perform this dance at the Yadnya God Ceremony. You can watch and enjoy Baris dance in some areas of Bali, such as Badung, Bangli, and Gianyar.

Pendet Dance

Pendet dance is a great alternative after watching the Kecak and Baris dance performances in Bali. Interestingly, you are about to enjoy the oldest traditional Balinese dance! Imagine that this dance has been performed by Balinese dancers since 1950.

Pendet dance is more than just a dance performance for Balinese Hindus. At first, the dancers performed this dance to worship the Gods. That’s why the Pendet dance is a common performance in most Hindu temples in Bali.

The choreography of the dance represents the welcome of the Gods on the earth. As time goes by, two dancing maestros from Bali known as I Wayan Rindi and Ni Ketut Reneng arrange the traditional Pendet dance into a modern one. As a result, people can enjoy this dance even if there is no specific ceremony in Bali.

Balinese even use this dance as a welcome dance to anyone who comes to Bali. For example, the Pendet dance was performed at the Asian Games opening ceremony in 1960. In contrast with Kecak and Baris dance, Pendet dance is not only performed by male dancers but also by female dancers.

The number of Pendet dancers is two to five dancers. In a special ceremony such as the Asian Games, the Pendet dance was even performed by up to 800 dancers! You can also enjoy this dance in Buleleng, Denpasar, and other areas of Bali.

Barong Dance

Barong dance is also one of the Balinese dances you must watch while in Bali. the Barong dance performance is so attractive and spectacular! Imagine that the dancers wear a unique costume known as Ket or Keket.

This costume is a combination of a lion, tiger, and sheep. You will see a variety of ornaments on the costume, including leather, glasses, fur, and Pandan leaves. This dance is performed by two dancers. The first dancer is in the front to play the head and front foot of the Barong. The second dancer is in the back to play the back foot and the tail of the Barong.

This dance also has a religious meaning for the Balinese. Balinese believe that Barong dance is a fight between Barong and Rangda. Balinese Hindu explains that Barong dance is a fight between Dharma (goodness) and Adharma (badness). Besides the two main dancers, other dancers act as Monkey, Kunti, Sadewa, and Rangda’s soldiers.

Looking for the Barong dance performance in Bali is easy today. You can find this dance performance in most areas of Bali. Yet, you can go to Batu Bulan village, Gianyar or Kesiman, Denpasar to enjoy this dance. These two areas always perform Barong dance performances for the visitors.

Indeed, you will get a new experience enjoying the traditional dances with fantastic scenery and atmosphere as the backdrop. You can ask the Bali tour guide first if you want to watch one of the traditional dances above. As a result, they will give you packages that bring you to the areas where you can enjoy the dances.

They also deliver you to the location on time so you can enjoy the dance from the beginning until the end. Plus, you still have enough time to enjoy the surroundings of the area before watching the performance.

It is critical to consult your plan to watch traditional Balinese dance with the tour guide since you must buy a ticket. Sometimes, you also must wear a specific cloth to watch the performance. The most important thing is that you know the areas that perform the dances regularly since not all areas dance every day. Joining a specific tour will help you to manage your holiday in Bali well so you can enjoy the destinations and attractions, including the dance performance.