Balinese dance performance
Last night we went to see a Balinese dance performance at Ubud Palace. They have performances there every night at 7.30pm and last night it was Legong and Barong Dance which we paid 80 000Rp (48 SEK/€4.80) for the 1.5 hour show.
The show first had three different types of traditional performances, Legon Kraton Dance, Bapang and Telek Dance, before a story line in 4 acts were performed. The costumes were amazing and the dancing incredibly detailed. The way the used their fingers positions and movements and even more so their eyes to express themselves was truly amazing.
Legong Kraton Dance:
This is a classic dance which is usually staged in the palace courtyard to entertain the king.
The dance originates from the 19th century as a royal entertainment. Legend has it that a prince of Sukawati fell ill and had a vivid dream in which two maidens danced to gamelan music. When he recovered he arranged for such dances to be performed in reality.
Bapang:
This is an overture before the dance troupe presents the main performance of the Barong Dance.
Telek Dance:
This dance is normally performed by four or more dancers wearing white masks of beauties or devils. The perform the battle between the virtue and the vice. It is a typical Balinese view of the world, Rua Bineda, which means everything has two sides, that is, any world is knitted together with opposing two elements, is said to be represented in this dance.
Act one:
In the middle of a dark-moon night, a group of black-magic pupils practice their spiritual teachings under the guidance of a widow witch named Rangda Dirah.
Act two:
Mpu Baradah, a white magic guru and spiritual teacher of the ruling king has been ordered to heal all those that has been victims of the widow's black magic. After a long search he finds the graveyard where they practice their teachings and asks them to stop their evil ways. She refuses and wants the old man to prove his magic powers so she burns a banyan tree and ask the man to extinguish it. He does so successfully and knowing that she has lost the widow transform herself to the giant monster "Rangda".
Act three:
In order to defeat the evil power, Mpu Baradah, transforms himself to a "Barong", the good protector.
In the fight against Rangda, a number of villagers support him. But Rangda drops her white cloth containing her evil power over the villagers. As they feel the evil power entering their bodies they try to fight it but it pierces through their bodies.
Act four:
Barong, the good protector, heals all those who have been influenced by this evil power.
The show first had three different types of traditional performances, Legon Kraton Dance, Bapang and Telek Dance, before a story line in 4 acts were performed. The costumes were amazing and the dancing incredibly detailed. The way the used their fingers positions and movements and even more so their eyes to express themselves was truly amazing.
Legong Kraton Dance:
This is a classic dance which is usually staged in the palace courtyard to entertain the king.
The dance originates from the 19th century as a royal entertainment. Legend has it that a prince of Sukawati fell ill and had a vivid dream in which two maidens danced to gamelan music. When he recovered he arranged for such dances to be performed in reality.
Bapang:
This is an overture before the dance troupe presents the main performance of the Barong Dance.
Telek Dance:
This dance is normally performed by four or more dancers wearing white masks of beauties or devils. The perform the battle between the virtue and the vice. It is a typical Balinese view of the world, Rua Bineda, which means everything has two sides, that is, any world is knitted together with opposing two elements, is said to be represented in this dance.
Act one:
In the middle of a dark-moon night, a group of black-magic pupils practice their spiritual teachings under the guidance of a widow witch named Rangda Dirah.
Act two:
Mpu Baradah, a white magic guru and spiritual teacher of the ruling king has been ordered to heal all those that has been victims of the widow's black magic. After a long search he finds the graveyard where they practice their teachings and asks them to stop their evil ways. She refuses and wants the old man to prove his magic powers so she burns a banyan tree and ask the man to extinguish it. He does so successfully and knowing that she has lost the widow transform herself to the giant monster "Rangda".
Act three:
In order to defeat the evil power, Mpu Baradah, transforms himself to a "Barong", the good protector.
In the fight against Rangda, a number of villagers support him. But Rangda drops her white cloth containing her evil power over the villagers. As they feel the evil power entering their bodies they try to fight it but it pierces through their bodies.
Act four:
Barong, the good protector, heals all those who have been influenced by this evil power.
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