Janger Dance Pic

Jager dance is a kind of social dance, especially for the young couple, who is very popular in Bali is conducted by approximately 10 pairs of young people. During the last dance of the female dancers (Janger) and groups of male dancers (Kecak) dancing and singing bersahut-replication. In general the songs are good in accordance with the nature of their lives. Gamelan music used to accompany dance called Janger Batel (Tetamburan) equipped with a pair of gender wayang. Emergence Janger in Bali expected to twentieth century, the development of dance sanghyang. If kecak the development of the male chorus, while the development of jangernya a female choir.

Balinese Topeng Dance

Inside the curtain booth, the topeng actor places his masks, all neatly covered with white cloth, in their proper order of appearance. After dedicating an offering, he unwraps the first mask, eyeing it for some time as if he were taking into his personality all that is individual about the character reflected in the immobile face. He quickly puts it on and turns. Already his movements are rendered as dance and a transformation is apparent.

The curtain trembles, the gamelan buds to a fervent pace of expectation, and dancing feet visible behind the curtain slowly lift and settle to the ground. A stoic-looking man with wide eyes and a questionable smile draws apart the curtain. In swift motions of defiance, he hovers inside the booth, uncertain whether to come out or not. He then begins to march forward, gazing inquisitively, putting a finger to his forehead, taking a bit of his clothing, and, in one delicate gesture, letting it drop from his hand. He resolves to dance, radiating the sound of' the gamelan in the vibration of his fingertips and pattering feet. After a few moments, he retreats to the curtain and vanishes.

The curtain shakes again. Suddenly, it is pushed aside in the grand gesture of a buxom movie star stepping into the limelight. There before you stands an extremely shy, effeminate young man who draws a limp hand to his mouth and

blushes at his abrupt exposure. Languidly he clings to the curtain. Terribly sweet at heart, he cannot bear everyone laughing at him, which of course everyone is. Feeling he should come out for a moment, he coyly moves on stage, swinging to and fro with his hands dangling in the posture of loose noodles. Helplessly, he just stands there looking ridiculous, unable to move except to flutter his eye lashes, while the audience rocks in laughter. Such abusiveness is too much for him. He quickly seeks sanctuary behind the curtain. Thus was the introductory display of masks for one performance of Topeng. Both the stoic and the clown were enacted by one man-the principal Topeng actor, who by changing his mask impersonates a series of different characters.

Topeng means something pressed against the face-a mask. Topeng masks survive from the 1 6th century. Today's mask play, commemorating historical exploits of local kings and heroes, was influenced by the traditional Gambuh dance. Often called the "chronicle play", Topeng stories are drawn from the babad literature, genealogical histories of important noble families, set in the villages, kingdoms and temples of Bali.

The medium of a mask play necessarily alters the telling of history. The borderline between fact, legend, and the miraculous has little importance in Topeng, in which many episodes include divine intervention or acts of magic.

The intent is not to reconstruct exact personalities of the past, but to portray their types: sweet or manly, heroic or simple-minded. The noble characters, usually a king and his family, dance in the refined style. Their stature is so lofty, they do not design to speak and express themselves only in pantomime. They are accompanied by two clumsy clowns, who wear half-masks which leave their mouths free to talk as interpreters for their dignified masters. Along with the nobility and clowns is always a marvelous display of crude caricatures, whose sole function is decorative and entertaining.

There are many forms of Topeng, depending upon the set of masks used and the style of the performers. A popular solo performance is the classical Topeng Tua, representing the movements of an old man. In a normal Topeng play, three or four actors, usually all men, impersonate the characters. A full set of Topeng masks, numbering from thirty to forty, belongs to the principal Topeng actor who is responsible for the series of eccentric personalities that produce the comedy of the play. To watch a good Topeng actor is truly inspirational. Through an endless resource of bizarre mannerisms and tones of speech, he manages to concentrate the whole of human folly into one serial panorama of grotesquely masked comics.

Baris Dance or Warrior Dance

As a dance ceremony, according to the name "Baris" which comes from the march of the army can be interpreted this dance describes the agility forces soldiers. This dance is a dance group that performed by men, usually danced by more than 8 to 40 dancers with a lively movement strong enough, simple and dynamic, with the accompaniment of Gong Kebyar and Gong Gede. Each types, groups of dancers carrying weapons, ceremonial equipment and costumes with a different color, which later became the name of the types of existing Tari Baris. Tari Baris in Bali are:

Baris Ketekok Jago

Baris with a polet spear (spear with black and white stems) and black and white striped dress, danced in the ceremony Yadnya Pitra (Ngaben). Generally in the districts of Badung and Denpasar municipality. Baris dances are similar in Buleleng called Baris Bedug and in Gianyar called Baris Poleng.

Baris Tumbak (Spear March Dance)

Baris with a spear and awiran layered dress - danced in a Yadnya god ceremony , often found in areas of Badung, Bangli and Gianyar

Baris Dadap

Baris with carrying dadap armor (like a shield), the movement is more gentle than the types of other Baris dances and the dancers dance while singing a song with a irregular voice to the accompaniment of gamelan Angklung is also barreled irregular and danced in God Yanya ceremonies except in Tabanan areas danced in a Pitra Yadnya ceremony, we can found at Bangli, Buleleng, Gianyar and Tabanan areas.

Baris Presi

Baris dancer are carrying kris weapon, and a similar shield called presi. this dance for God Yadnya too. We can found in Bangli and Buleleng region.

Baris Pendet

Baris dance which the dancers perform withour carrying a weapon of war but carry the offerings (Canang Sari), danced in the God Yadnya Ceremony. At Tanjung Bungkak village (Denpasar) this Baris dancer carrying canang called canang oyod and in the end of the dance, the dancers dancing use hand fan with "ma-aras-arasan" or laugh in fun

Baris Bajra

Baris dance carrying a mace with banyu shaped ends (such as a mace of Bhima) and danced in the God Yadnya ceremony and can be found in the region of Bangli and Buleleng.

Baris Tamiang

Baris dance with carrying kris and shield that called Tamiang, can be found in Badung region.

Baris Kupu-Kupu (Butterflies March)

according with the theme, this Baris dance depict the life of butterflies. The dancers wearing butterfly wings, agile and dynamic movement adopt mimic of butterfly. Until now, this dance is in Renon and Lebah Village. (Denpasar)

Baris Bedil (Rifle March)

This Baris dance, danced by several pairs of dancers carrying imitation long rifle made from wood. shown for God Yadnya cereminy and we can found in Klungkung, Bangli and Badung region.

Baris Cina

This dance allegedly under the influence of Chinese culture. The unique are found in fashion look (long pants with long sleeves, sarung sashes, hat, wearing sunglasses and a sword), the movement (taking martial art movement), and accompanied by music rom Gong Bheri gamelan thare is Gong without moncol). This dance illustrated the troops of Java home land owner who came to Bali. This dance shown in the God Yadnya ceremony and found at Renon and Belanjong village. (Denpasar-Sanur)

Baris Cendekan

This Baris dance, danced by several pairs of dancer which carrying short spear, shown in the God Yadnya ceremony

Baris Panah

Baris Panah (Bow) danced by several pair of dancers with carrying bow and shown in the ceremonial of God Yadnya, we can found at Buleleng and Bangli.

Baris Jangkang

This Baris dance, danced by dancers carrying long spear, shown in God Yadnya Ceremonial at Bangli, Gianyar and Klungkung.

Baris Gayung

Baris dance which danced by group of dancers there are stakeholders with a bailer or cantil (a tool to bring holy water), shown at God Yadnya ceremony. Can be found at Bangli, Gianyar and Badung

Baris Demang

Danced by a group of dancers representing figures Demang (one of the characters Pagambuhan) in the Gambuh drama classical dance with sword, spear, arrows, and others. Baris Dance is located in Buleleng.

Baris Cerekuak

Dance depicting the movements of a group of water birds (cerekuak) while searching for the lover, bird Manuk gods. The dancers wore clothing babuletan (wearing cloth from waist until above the knee) with the decoration of leaves on the entire body and head, only shown in the Pitra Yadnya ceremony (Ngaben) with Batel Gaguntangan Gamelan retinue. This Dance is in the region of Tabanan

Baris Mamedi

It describes a group of spirits (mamedi) who lives in haunted place like tomb, the dancers wore clothes made of leaves and twigs are taken from the grave. Gamelan which accompaniment is Balaganjur gamelan. Dance ceremony was held in the framework of Yadnya Pitra (Ngaben) and are in the area of Tabanan.

Baris Ketujeng

This dance describes a group of spirits who live in haunted places that are intended as introductory dance of atman the deceased to heaven, brought by a group of dancers who wore clothes from the leaves. This line dance performed in the Yadnya Pitra ceremony (Ngaben).

Baris Gowak

This dance illustrated depicts the battle between the forces Tegal Badeng (Badung) with a group of crows who carrying the death, in which several pairs of dancers portray Tegal Badeng soldiers and others as a group of crows with a wing costume. This dance was purified by Selulung village, Kintamani (Bangli) and contained in the God Yadnya ceremony.

Baris Omang

Baris dance that uses a spear, but move slowly like a snail (Omang), describes the battle between the forces Tegal Badeng (Badung) with troops of Guwak (crow). This dance was purified by the Selulung community (Kintamani - Bangli), and there in God Yadnya ceremony.

Baris Jojor

Baris dance which danced by a group of dancers carrying Jojor weapons (long-stemmed spear) performed in God Yadnya ceremony. Can be found in Buleleng, Bangli and Karangasem.

Baris Kuning

It is a ritual dance of the god Yadnya, danced by a group of male dancers who dressed all in yellow, and armed with kris and Tamiang (shield), located in Buleleng.

Baris Tengklong

This dance performed by a group of dancers with swords weapons, dynamic movement, powerful and close to martial art movements. Displayed in a special ceremony at Penambangan Badung temple, exactly at the Denpasar Municipality, Pamedilan village.

Baris Kelemet

This dance performed by a group of dancers who played as fishermen, with such weapons, and described the paddle boat in the sea to catch fish, this dance is in God Yadnya ceremony and is in the Badung.

The Kecak dance

The Kecak dance is one of the most famous of Balinese dances, known also as the "Monkey Dance," in which the men of an entire village take part. Originated in the 1930s and is performed primarily by men. It is unusual because it has no musical accompaniment like many other Indonesian dances do, the rhythm of the dance is produced by the chanting 'monkey' chorus. Instead, a troupe of over 150 bare-chested men serve as the chorus, making a wondrous cacophony of synchronized "chak-achak-achak" clicking sounds while swaying their bodies and waving their hands .From that chanting noise of "Cak-cak-cak", then it gave the dance its name Kecak. Hanoman Obong is a chapter from the most famous traditional bali dance "Kecak".

There are two place in Bali have good place performance of Kecak Dance:

1. Tanah Lot

The Kecak Perfomace dance beside the beach and the temple while there is Sunset, see the place here: http://baliflash.blogspot.com/2009/08/tanah-lot-temple.html

2. Uluwatu 

at the Uluwatu Temple, the dance performance is beside the clift, a great combination between great dance performance and great clift views, see the place here: http://baliflash.blogspot.com/2009/08/pura-luhur-uluwatu-uluwatu-temple.html