Ngelawang: The Door-to-Door Ceremony
Galungan and Kuningan, the two big holy days of the Balinese Hindus, are celebrated in a very special way. Galungan always takes place on the Wednesday the week before Kuningan. Various processions, such as Penampahan which is characterized by women preparing offerings and men decorating temples, are held before Galungan. Meanwhile Kuningan is always on
The Ballet of Abimanyu
With the arrival of Hinduism to the Indonesian archipelago came the great epics from the India Sub-continent, which also served as a vehicle to spread the Hindu teachings. The epics, which have been passed down from generation to generation, have influenced the Hindu moral standards about good and bad as well as giving an understanding
A Dance Celebrating Life in Ubud
The weather in Ubud was cool, with a soft breeze flowing through the town, it was perfect weather for a night in the enchanting Ubud Palace. I sat quietly in the courtyard, surrounded by a dozen or so people; all of us longing for the next performance – we had already watched two stunning fable
Kebyar Terompong
In 1925, I Mario, a legendary dancer from Tabanan, created a jaw-dropping dance named Kebyar Duduk. Most of the routines are performed while the dancers squat close to the ground – a difficult position indeed. To make things more difficult, each routine is danced in a blink of an eye! A male dancer, elegantly dressed
Legong Trance
It was 6 pm when two men started arranging the red plastic chairs at the front yard of PuriSarenUbud, a palace owned by the Ubud royal family. Members of the royal family still live here, within theinner compound, but allow the community to use the front patio for cultural performances in the evening. The Legong
Jauk Keras
At first glance, one may think that all the Balinese mask dances look the same, but in fact they each have their unique qualities. In Bali, there are perhaps more than a dozen variations of mask dances. These mask dances are one of the many cultural performances that are passed down from generation to generation.
Tari Topeng (Mask Dance)
The performing arts in Bali were once performed solely as offerings to the Gods and deities. Nowadays, some dances are used to entertain devotees during religious events in the temple and some are performed to project social and spiritual messages to audiences. Tari Topeng (Mask Dance) is one of those which uses acting as a
