In his attempt to release his wife, Rama seeks the help from Hanoman and his monkey soldiers. Hanoman finds Sita in the palace garden. She has been asked by Rahwana to marry him but she would rather die. Hanoman convinces Sita
that he is Rama's messenger and talks of a plan. Rahwana catches Hanoman and burns his tail but in so doing, sets fire to the palace gardens. The pyrotechnics can be very impressive.
In the last act, Rama and his troops are depicted attacking Rakhwana's palace. Finally Rama manages to kill Rahwana and therefore takes his wife back to his country. The abridged version ends here but if you see paintings in Kamasan style based on
the Ramayana story, you would notice that in the last of the serialized paintings, Sita had to prove she was still pure and had not been tainted by Rahwana, by plunging herself into a fire. Because of her faith in her husband, God saved her from
the fire and she lived happily ever after with Rama.
The Indian version reveals a very different ending with Sita being saved by Mother Earth and never returning to her husband.
The Welcome Dance - Tari Panyembrama
The Panyembrama is probably the most popular Balinese social dance. In keeping with its meaning in the Balinese Language, Panymebrama is frequently staged to welcome guests of honour who are making a visit to this islands of the Gods.
Four or eight young girls bearing a bokor, a heavily engraved bowl made from silver or aluminium, laden with flowers, dance expressively to the accompaniment of vibrant gamelan music. During the dance, the flowers are scattered over the guest or
audience as an expression of welcome. The Panymebrama has taken many of its movements from temple dances, such as the Rejang Dance, Pendet and Gabor, which are considered sacred and performed exclusively for the Gods. There is an analogy between
the secular Panymebrama and the religious temple dances as all of these dances are welcoming dances the difference being in the place in which they are staged.
The Tari Panymebrama comes under the Balinese classification of Legong (individual dances), because it has no connection with other dances, has no story and was specifically created for welcoming and entertainment purposes. The hospitality and
friendliness conveyed through the smiles of the Panymebrama girls, charms the audience and so is very fitting as an opening dance for a show.
The Yudapati Dance
Yudapati is a dance which depicts a male character but is performed by female dancers. The word Yudapati is derived from Yuda which means war and Pati which means death. The dance represents the kamikaze warrior defending the truth. The dance was
created in 1987. It is based on the Baris dance.
The dancer wears typical male attire, head-cloth, shirt, carved leather belt and other jewelry. The reason for a male being performed by a female is that the choreographer wishes to reveal all the subtle gestures and movements in the dance by using
the flexibility of a woman's body.
Male dances performed by females is called Bebancihan. A number of other dances have been created in this style, such as Margapati, Trunajaya, Prawireng Puti, Wiranata and Danur Dara. They require masculine interpretation and expression which is
quite hard for female dancers. Yudapati dance was originally performed for religious purposes but nowadays is performed regularly as a tourist attraction in some restaurants.
The Ghopala Dance
This dance provides the audience with an interesting insight into the lives of people who live in a simple and pure manner in an environment of blissful tranquility. This dance originated in 1984 and is usually performed by five boys. The
characters of the Ghopala dance are especially funny and will draw laughter from the audience.
The Ghopala theme depicts the world of child herdsmen who gleefully meet and play along the boundaries of rice fields while tending their cows. Their lives are filled with happiness as they dance and play in a way which highlights their individual
characters. They never tire of their duties as herdsmen, faithfully defending the lives of their cattle. Thus the audience are transported to a distant time when people lived in peace and contentment, an age which had not yet become influenced by
the hustle and bustle of business which now constantly steals our time.
The Semarayana Dance
As we know, there exists many art forms such as music, painting, poetry, drama, sculpture, etc and, of course, dancing is yet another art form and is a popular form of expression. Artists will take a certain aspect of a medium and build on it to
form another. This is the case of the Semarayana dance developed in 1994 as a subject for a thesis submitted by Ms Ni Nyoman Sri Armita to the Indonesian Arts Academy of Denpasar for her graduation.
The main character is Dewi Chandra Kirana, a princess from the kingdom of Daha who disguises herself as a male youth so she can venture out and seek her beloved who had disappeared without a trace. With shoulder length hair, commonly used centuries
ago throughout Java and Bali, the princess was unrecognizable as a female. The symbol of manhood which fooled people she met on the road was the use of the Balinese male headgear called the Destar. It is made from material that wraps around the
head and has an artistic formation of bunched material at the front. Balinese males still use the destar when attending ceremonies. The feature of the destar is the decorative use of gold lines.
Dewi meets her beloved but, due to her disguise and the fact that he is partly obscured when they meet, a fight develops. In the ensuing melee, the princess's destar is knocked from her head and her sweetheart, Raden Inu Kertapati, recognizes her
and rushes to her side to embrace her. And, of course, they lived happily ever after.
The Barong Dance
The are several versions of the Barong Dance, as Bali has an abundance of myths and legends. There is Barong Ket, Barong Asu (Dog Barong), Barong Macan (Tiger Barong), Barong Bangkal (Pig Barong), Barong Gajah (Elephant Barong) and others.
One of the best known stories on which the Barong Dance is based, is the Kunti Seraya. The plot is very intriguing, showing the effect of the Gods intervention upon the people through supernatural powers. It tells the story that Dewi Kunti, from
the royal family of Hastinapura, is very ill. As a devotee of the Goddess Durga, she seeks help, however, the Goddess tells her that the price of health is her own son, Sahadewa. It seems that the Goddess fancies Sahadewa's young and luscious flesh
for her dinner.
Dewi Kunti recovers from her illness and it is time to pay the price. She regrets her decision to pay the price but a promise is a promise. One of the Goddess's followers put her into a trance and enters her body. She becomes a terrifying creature
and beats Sahadewa mercilessly. She then takes him to an impenetrable jungle and ties him to a tree. Later Dewi Kunti is given immortality by the Gods and she overcomes the wrath of the Goddess and she is able to release her son.
The Sanghyang Jaran Dance (Fire Dance)
The unique feature of the Sanghyang Jaran dance is the courage of the dancers who in a state of Kesurupan or trance, calmly step and trample on red hot coals just as if they were walking in cold water. This dance is believed to have the power to
invite the gods or sacred spirits to enter the body of the dancers and put them in a state of trance. It dates back to the ancient pre-Hindu culture, a time when the Balinese people strongly believed that a dance could eliminate sickness and
disease. The dance is usually performed in the fifth or sixth month of the Balinese traditional calendar as it is believd, that during these particular months, the Balinese are vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses.
The War Dance - Gebug Ende
The Gebug Ende is a combination of dance and trial of prowess. It is usually performed by two to sixty male dancers who dance and fight on stage in pairs. Each dancer/fighter carries a one and a half metre long rattan stick as a weapon and a shield
called an ende. During the performance the two men try to beat one another with the stick while using the ende to protect themselves. The dance is called Gebug Ende as it literally means beating the ende or shield. One cannot afford to make
mistakes in this dance otherwise injury results.
The Gebug Ende is quite unique as it has certain rules that have to be followed by the participants. Led by a jury, this dance starts with two dancers, while the rest sit in a circle, cracking jokes and singing, while waiting their turn. The jury
decide which of the two contestants loses the game and has to leave the stage. Then they will call the next man to the stage. This continues until all have had a turn. Sometimes the fight becomes very fierce and the dancers get thrown off the stage
from the blows of the rattan stick. Bruises and wounds are common in this ritual.
Legong Trunajaya - The dance of love and emotions
The Trunajaya dance describes the emotions of a young man through love and passion. The dance movements reflect the theme of courtship and love.
Truna meaning 'single' and jaya meaning 'to win' and immediately gives an understanding of the dance. Ironically, the dancers are young women who take on the role of young men. The women wear a 'destar' normally worn by men and an unusual
loin-cloth called a 'kancut'. The Trunajaya is normally danced by a single female but sometimes there will be two, dancing together in synchronous movements and to the mesmerizing sounds of the 'Gong Kebyar', a fast, rhythmic beat which goes in
harmony with the dance. The dance was created by Wayan Wandres, from Singaraja, Northern Bali. Topeng (Mask)
A mask dance where the dancers have to imitate the character represented by a mask. A full collection of Topeng masks may number 30 or 40. Closely liriked to religious ceremonies and processions, and danced as a ritual interval, the Topeng dance
ultimately takes on a sacred connotation. Foreigners are allowed to see the dance only if they behave appropriately and respectfully. Some performances are staged only for the benefit of the tourists, but do not enjoy the same following of the
Barong and Kecak dances. Peculiar components of the Topeng dance are the masks used to hide the faces of the dancers. Specific attributes are used, instead, to identify the characters (a mustache and thick eyebrows for the elder, arrogance and
defiance for Patih, and so on). The rhythm of movements, perfectly in accordance to the age and role of the character, is underscored by a large orchestra, the garnelan, which is
essential for the success of the performance. 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 Kecak dancers. This dance is 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 Kecak 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.
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