The beauty and uniqueness of Balinese Hindu dance

Tari Topeng (Mask dance). Image: kebudayaanindonesia.net

Bali is a small island, which lies between the islands of Java and Lombok, precisely is part of Indonesia, between two major continents, Asia and Australia.  Although it is a small island, Bali is has a unique character, of its natural beauty, and friendly people,  especially because of the beauty of the Balinese arts and cultures.

If your vacation to Bali, then your holiday will be more complete if you also enjoy a Balinese art performance, such as dances such as Barong dance, Kecak, and Bondres. All of it is a kind of dance for entertainment. It turns out in Bali there are also types of dances performed only at special events when there is a traditional ceremony in a family such as a tooth filing ceremony, wedding, or after the Ngaben ceremony. Ngaben is a special cremation ceremony for the Hindus in Bali.

The art of dance in Bali has a long history that began before the arrival of Hinduism to Bali many centuries ago. Until now, the art of Balinese dance is divided into two major categories: art solely for entertainment, and the arts are only performed in the Balinese Hindu ceremony.

I would like to give you some examples of Balinese dance as a part of a Hindu ritual such as Tari Topeng, Baris Gede, or Rejang Dance. If you adventure to Bali, so there are opportunities for you to see the dance, and you can ask for a tour guide. A dance that is easy to watch, of course, dance under the category of entertainment such as Kecak, Barong, Legong, Arja, Bondres, and more. With the existence of these categories, then you also will find songs and music or gamelan, specifically created by the artists for ritual, as well as artistic performances for entertainment. See the dance, and you will get new insights.

Balinese arts is very unique because of are a blend of indigenous culture before the Hindu era and influenced by the cultural roots of the ancient Javanese Hindu and the basic dance of the Hindu culture which originated from India. In the era of the history of Balinese, the artists in this era many take stories from the kingdom of Balinese. After entering Hinduism in Bali from Java, the art of Balinese began to adopt the story of the epic of Mahabharata and Ramayana. 

There are many people who say that your life's journey is not complete if you have not visited Bali, some even once wrote that Bali is a place in the world you should see before you die. Bali is not only a tourist destination but a place where you can get a heavenly atmosphere. Are you ready to enjoy a fantastic holiday and adventure in Bali?

Don’t forget to watch the video, so you can enjoy the two Balinese dances. The first video is Tari Margapati; a beautiful dance for entertainment only. The other video is a sacred dance, Tari Baris Gede, a sacred dance performed in Balinese Hindu rituals, especially in Pura or temple.