Musics, Dances and Dramas in Bali

In Bali, no temple festivals or ceremonies are complete without accompanying entertaintment for the God, attending guest and local people. Temple anniversary are occasion for all-night drama and dance performances. This are found nowhere else in the world.

The Basic accompaniment to any such performance is provided by the local gamelan orchestra, a group of bronze instruments, metallophenes, tuned gongs, cymbals and hand drums. The instruments are generally owned by the village, as they are extremely expensive. They are stored at the village's meeting hall (Bale Banjar).

In times gone by Balinese music was passed from generation to generation purely by memory. Recently Balinese music has been written down or recorded on audio or video tape. Each combination of instruments to with the nature of ceremony. Melodious bamboo flutes (suling), reedy four stringed, violin like instrument (rebab) and twinging jew's -harp-like instruments (genggong) are all used to provide their own special effect.

Some of Dances in Bali:

Legong Keraton
Baris
Kecak
Topeng
Sanghyang
Barong and Rangda
Arja and Drama Gong