Balinese Barong Dance – The Helm of the Unique Balinese Culture

A place which is highly praised for its culture and its friendly nature to the tourists visiting it is Bali. Bali is one such place where people love to visit for the natural looks. Bali gives out a look of both urban and rural looks which is the best thing about this place. This is a province of Indonesia. One interesting fact about Bali is that this province is a Hindu-Majority province in Indonesia. Also, part of the Coral Triangle, Bali has the highest biodiversity of marine species. Bali is one such province which mostly has even temperature all around the year. The most famous transport in Bali is via scooter. Now let us have a look at the famous dance in Bali, The Balinese Barong Dance.

Balinese Barong Dance

As for most of the dance forms around the world, the Balinese Barong dance is also a storytelling form of art. It is a Storytelling form of art which tells us about the story of good and evil. This is about the mythological king of Bali, Barong. He is the enemy of Rangda and the king of all good spirits. In this dance, the lion (Good Spirits) fights and wins against the evil, the Rangda.

Interesting facts about the Balinese Barong Dance

1. Bali is the only place where this dance is performed. That is the main reason one feels incomplete in Bali if they have not watched the dance.
2. The uniqueness of the dance form is what makes it soo much exciting. The creature called Barong is the main part of this dance. The unique clothing and props make it more unique.
3. Besides the unique Balinese setting of the stage, What makes this dance more unique is the interesting facial expressions with its Mystical nuances.
4. The Gamelan music is what makes the dances wiggle their heads to. This is what adds to the mystical nuances of the dance. It is cute and funny and so attracts several audiences to see it.
5. The dance always contains a story, which makes it a more interesting watch. This story is between the good and the evil. This has Barong as the symbol of Virtue.

This is what happens in the Balinese Barong Dance

• The dance opens with Barong in a peaceful environment where two monkeys start teasing him.
• The next scene is popularly known as the ‘Keris Dance’.
• This is where the Rangda creates Havok and wreck. She casts black magic to all the Male dancers (Soldiers) and pushes them to commit suicide.
• They commit Suicide with the Indonesian dagger called the Kris. They stab the Kris on the chest and commit suicide.
• While this is happening, the priest and Barong cast protective magic around the men and make them invincible against sharp objects.
• The dance concludes with the final fight between Rangda and Barong, In the end, Rangda runs away as evil is defeated. Good always triumphs.

The common belief of villagers

Dance is performed during the Galungan festival. This dance will also be performed when there is misfortune or illness prevailing in the village. There is a common belief that when people perform this dance, it drives away all the misfortunes and illnesses. This is still a common practice with the people now.

Some people just visit Bali on the fortune of seeing this glorified dance. These unique thinks makes Bali the best for the tourists. You can also check out Bali tours with the Pickyourtrail website for customized holiday packages. Otherwise, our destination expert will surely help you out with making the best Bali holiday packages. Do let us know if you have any comments or suggestions. Do follow the website to read more fresh content on travel.