Balinese traditional dances are beautiful and unique. Usually, those dances are closely connected to religious rituals. The boys and girls learn and practice the Balinese dance technique at a very young age. Tourists are likely to have the chance to see dances if they attend ceremonies but can also take advantage of the many performances put on for audiences across Bali. Balinese dance is accompanied by traditional percussion orchestras called gamelan, which assembles various rhythmic instruments made of bamboo, wood, and bronze. The gamelan provides the rhythms that direct dancers’ movements. The Balinese have many kinds of traditional dances but here are the most popular ones are Barong dance, Legong dance, Kecak dance.

Barong is the name of the character represented in this dance, who is the king of the spirits in Balinese mythology. The dance describes the eternal battle between good, represented by Barong, and evil, represented by the demonic evil queen Rangda. Barong is played by two men in a big lion-like costume, and he is accompanied by other animal-like creatures and humans. One of the highlights of this dance is the ‘Keris Dance’ part, where male dancers stab themselves with the traditional “keris” knife but remain unharmed.

The Legong dance is mainly performed by two girls who have undergone tough training since early childhood. Legong dancers are trained to master sophisticated movements of the fingers and feet, as well as make demonstrative facial expressions. This dance was originally a royal entertainment. Some people believe that the dance was inspired by the sacred dance Sanghyang Dedari, which involves spirits possessing the two dancer girls.

Kecak is adapted from the Ramayana epic, and is inspired by a trance exorcism ritual. Created as entertainment in the 1930s, the performance traditionally involves at least 150 shirtless male dancers with checkered cloth tied around their waists. Along with making hand and arm movements, the performers are responsible for playing their own music and singing a Capella, too. Some episodes feature a fire at the center of the stage, leading the dance to be known as the fire dance among tourists.

We went to Ubud palace to see Balinese dance. It was breath taking. While visiting Bali, Ubud Palace is a major attraction. The Palace itself is a must go and the traditional Balinese dance presentation is considered the top one in Ubud. Many people will approach you to sell the tickets near the palace. It is better to book ahead, we got ours from the resort that we were staying. You can buy from the vendors, but make sure the tickets they sell are valid. Arrive at least half hour to an hour before the scheduled time to get a good seat to see this amazing dance show. Wear light clothes generally Bali is warm. Carefully read the information at the entrance and the brochure that you have, It will help you to better understand the spectacle. The presentation usually lasts approximately 2hrs. You will love the music, slow dance movements and the facial expressions that the dancer do. Their eyes and hands are unreal. It might be your only chance to enjoy appreciating Balinese traditional dance at the heart of Bali mountains. Costumes are bright and colorful. Kids will love it. With more than 10 musicians on stage this performance is musical and a must go in your visit to Ubud. So expressive and takes you to a different level of experience! A true Bali experience and delight! We highly recommended!!

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