Balinese Dance Education
Hanuman, a frequent character in the “Ramanyana Epic,” is an example of the elaborate costuming.
Image | Reid Coen
The island paradise of Bali exerts a marvelous, almost magnetic aesthetic appeal for western visitors. Much of that allure is due to the island’s richly diverse artistic culture. Among the many splendid forms, I think Balinese dance is the most compelling. Perhaps it is better called dance-drama as it is an art that cannot be separated from theater. In fact, there is no Balinese word for theater.
Indigenous dance is extravagant, energetic, and visually sumptuous. Its uniqueness for Western visitors lies in its accessibility. Balinese dance appeals to Western aesthetic sensibilities and is therefore eminently engaging. With some other Asian art forms that are visually appealing, the observer might quickly lose interest as the language barrier prevents much engagement. The Balinese version communicates in mime, gesture, and physically expressed emotion. The stories are easy to follow and enjoy in their entirety.
Additionally, part of the appeal is its authenticity. Dance is not preserved strictly for tourist consumption but is closely connected with local religion and the genuine rhythms of life on the island. Having evolved from sacred rituals, dance is still performed at virtually all religious ceremonies. Movements are bound by ancient and elaborate tradition, and there is a powerful connection between life and art. As such, educating each new generation is an island-wide social endeavor.
Balinese dance has developed to a standard of technique that makes it a difficult undertaking, requiring years of special training. Strict rules are followed, leaving no room for improvisation or individual style. The excellence of a performer depends on personality, emotional intensity, and the expressiveness of a body vocabulary comprised of controlled movements of arms, wrists, fingers, neck, and eyes.
Most Balinese youth learn the art from a very young age. Each community, however tiny, has its own dance school. I encountered such a village troupe on a research trip back in 2008. Driving the back roads of underdeveloped eastern Bali, we stopped at a small guest house called Kebun Impian for lunch. The owners were an Australian expat and his Balinese wife. John and Wayan befriended us over our meal and we learned that they sponsor the local dance group. Serendipitously, it happened that the class was meeting that day. We were invited to watch. It was a genuine treat to see Balinese boys and girls, aged seven to twelve, learning the dance traditions of their ancestors. It gave us a tangible sense of the importance of dance in everyday life and the high value placed on educating the newest generation.
The children were like those in our and every other country: full of energy, giggles, curiosity about us, and drawn to “the latest” on their cell phones. Several engaged us with their few phrases of English, learned in school. But when the dance instructor, a matriarchal woman who commanded respect and deference, called them to task, they quickly jumped to. The class was quite serious. We were instantly forgotten and the business of learning dance became paramount.
We had to depart before they were finished, but it was a memorable and genuine cultural connection experience for us. So much so that we made arrangements with John to bring our tour group on class day during our Bali tour in the following year, rearranging our tour schedule just so we could be in the village on dance class day.
Dance class
Image | Reid Coen
We returned with a group of Imprint travelers. After a delightful fresh seafood lunch and swimming, our group settled in to watch the children learn their artistry. Though hardly professional, it was far more authentic than attending a paid performance. It was rather like a recital and the children obviously loved being able to perform for a group of visitors. As a surprise for us, John had arranged to have a former student from the village, now a professional, come and perform. We watched while she applied her extravagant makeup, a performance nearly as interesting as the dance which followed.
The dance was exquisite. It was so rewarding to see the end product of the process we were witnessing. [Please insert 2 vertical images side by side here: ReidCoen_Bali_master-student8.jpg; caption: Master Student performs & ReidCoen_Bali_Makeup7.jpg; caption: “Our professional performer applies her elaborate makeup”]
Afterwards, those children who were the boldest engaged our group, trying out their developing English skills. Our group felt privileged to witness this ongoing cultural education: each generation passing on the meaning, ritual, and artistic flair of their dance-drama heritage. From a tour operator’s perspective, it was one of the best cultural connection experiences we’ve ever managed—on any tour.
For more on Bali, visit imprinttours.com and search “Bali.”
Image | Reid Coen
