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Dance
and Music in Bali
I've either played a musical instrument
and/or danced in one form or another all my life, so I was
particularly delighted at the emphasis the Balinese place
on dance. Almost all Balinese children, boys and girls,
are taught dance in school. By the time they are twelve
years old, they all know the themes and moves of the most
popular ritual/spiritual dances. Dance is a major aspect
of Balinese culture and spirituality.
I
was fortunate to see four dance performances. None of the
musicians used sheet music, even though they played with
exceptional timing relative to the dancers' movements. Often,
the dancers were making very highly precise and exquisite
moves, even to a delicate tremolo of a single finger, in
complete harmony and synchronization with musicians who
couldn't even see the dancers!
Most
of the instruments were percussion, some wood-wind. The
music is a little atonal. Each musical theme is segmented
and has an essence that tells a story of each dance segment.
All the dances I saw worked the theme of good vs. evil.
This struggle, between good and evil, is a theme not only
for dance, but for all of Balinese existence. The Balinese
believe that the purpose of life is to find happiness as
best as one can, in the balance between the forces of good
and evil as they appear in one's life.
By far
the most popular dance in Bali is the Barong. The Barong
is a mythological genius, representing good. Notice the
chequered cloth on the male dancers. The chequered pattern
is ubiquitous, carried even to the roadway curbs, bringing
to visual mind the constant struggle and the on-going opportunity
to find balance between good (white) and evil (black).
In
another dance performance, the Highest Monkey God (eventually)
saves the day! At the end of the performance, I ended up
on the stage, wrapped safely in the Monkey God's arms (center)!
Very fun!
 The
dance movements are unlike any form of dance I've ever studied
or practiced. The movements alternate between the sideways
movements associated with the Japanese, the dragon movements
of the Chinese, and the exotic quick-bird movements observed
in many of the over 300 exotic birds on the island. The
eye movements are often lateral and quick, left to right
(see picture); and the head movements very rapid, the same
way a bird's would be. Often, the dancers "become"
an animal we would clearly recognize, frequently, a monkey.
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