KIND BALI DANCE
then
extremely quick, Colin McPhee compares the Balinese music to the
Javanese music as day and night. He says that Javanese gamelan is
soft, shockless of resunance. In strong contrast Balinese gamelan
stands out dramatically in its hard metallic vitality and the almost
feverish intensity with which the newer music is performed.
Third,
the position of the legs is usually open and low, even to the point
of squatting. In some dances however, the legs are very straight.
Fourth, the position of the arms is usually open and lifted slightly
that the shoulder seems to be lifted too.
It
is worth noting that among the Balinese dances there are those danced
only by women and others danced only by men, The women's dances
are, among others, the Legong Dance, the Aria Dance, the Pendet
Dance and the Sanghyang Dance. The dances for men are the Topeng
Dance, the Baris Dances and the Jauk Dance.
Characterization in Balinese dancing is almost the same as the Javanese
characterization (female, male refined, and male strong, characters)
but different in its expression.
KINDS
OF BALINESE DANCES
Much
has been written about Balinese dance in books and articles by Western
scholars, such as Miguel Covarrubias in his book Island of Bali,
Beryl de Zoete and Walter Spies in their book Dance and Drama in
Bali, Walter Spies and R. Goris in their long article in the periodical
Jawa entitled "Overzicht van Dans en Tooneel in Bali",
and Jane-Belo in her book Trance in Bali.
In the above-mentioned books different kinds of Balinese dances
are fully described and illustrated by attractive pictures. Those
writings, are very valuable for the present generation, for knowledge
of the development of Balinese dances at the beginning of the 20th
century and before. To know the present development however, since
the change in the Indonesian social structure after independence
additional information is needed because of the creation of new
dance compositions.
Based
on its function in society Balinese dancing can be divided -into
two classes: the dance's "Which play an important role in'
the Hindu-Dharma religion, and the dances which are artistic creations
to be enjoyed for their beauty. The first group is sacred or sacral
in nature, while 'the second is secular.
SACRAL
DANCES
The
sacred or sacral dances are those which pertain to the Hindu-Dharma
religion. We can say that all Balinese dances- -are religious in
nature, because even those that are secular have something to do
with the religious life of Balinese society. Based on their function
contents and meaning, however, there are some Bali nese dances which
can be grouped under secular dances. The sacred or sacral dance
can be subdivided into various groups such as temple dances, ritual
dances, Sanghyang dances and Barong dances.
PURA
DANCES
The
pura or temple dances are sacrificial dances which play a very important
role in Hindu-Dharma ceremonies. They are performed for religious
ceremonies held at fixed times during each year. As a rule they
are held in the yard of the pura or temple when it is full moon.
To the group of temple dances or sacrificial dances belong the Pendet
Dance, the Gabor Dance, the Rejang Dance and the Oleg Dance.
PENDET
DANCE. The Pendet Dance is a dance for women
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