22. Gamelan = is an Indonesian instrument ensemble, mainly from Java although Gamelan was brought to Bali. In a Balinese gamelan, there can be as many as 60 different instruments. Gamelan is made of tuned percussion instruments such as xylophones, metallophones, and chimes. Usually played by men, gamelan was created to keep away bad spirits and bless people. Today it is used to play music to accompany Wayang Kulit shadow puppets and dance performances such as the Barong Dance. Balinese Gamelan is different from Javanese gamelan; it is faster than the Javanese gamelan with a more up-tempo beat. In mythology, gamelan instruments were created by Sand Hyang Guru in 167 BC – 230 AD. Gamelan existed in Bali even prior to the Hindu-Buddhist culture. – Armand Pranatajaya & Chae Won Lim
23. Balinese Dances = dancing in Bali is an ancient tradition, and the dances performed usually follow famous Hindu epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Children learn to dance from their parents as early as age 10. In Bali there are many categories of dance, including Baris, Kecak, Legong, and Topeng. Kecak is a form of Balinese music drama, originated in the 1930s and is performed primarily by men. Kecak can be performed by a circle of 50 to100 performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, chanting "cak" continuously and throwing up their arms. Topeng is an Indonesian form of dance drama in which one or more dancers wear masks and perform ancient stories, often about mythical kings and heroes. It first originated in the 17th century. Legong dance is considered to be the heavenly dance of a young maiden. Girls from the age of five aspire to be selected to be a Legong dancer. Baris is a traditional Balinese dance about war, also accompanied by the gamelan. The Baris dancers sometimes used spears, swords, and bows. The Baris dance is only done by men. – Ah Reum Jeong & Zinny Newton
24. Wayang Kulit = Wayang Kulit is probably the most famous and imaginative form of Bali puppet show. It is carved and painted on thin leather puppets that move behind a white linen screen so that the audience on the other side of the screen only sees the shadows. Wayang means puppet, Kulit means leather. The leather is from Water Buffalo and it is specially treated. It is painted with amazing detail by hand. The puppet is made with moveable limbs that are joined with leather bolts and the handles are made from the long horns of the Water Buffalo. A standard collection consists of 100 puppets. Wayang Kulit in middle Java is most likely one of the oldest long-term customs of storytelling in the world, coming to Bali in the 11th century. Performances are a community tradition in Bali, and have been Bali’s cinema for centuries. The puppeteer, called a dalang, is treated with great respect. - Alicia Jacobs and Jacqueline Bradfield
25. Balinese Painting = Balinese Painting mostly came from the Majapahit Kingdom, in the 13th century. Most paintings are two-dimensional drawings that are commonly drawn on cloth or bark paper with natural dyes. In addition, the drawing of figures must follow strict rules, since they are mostly made for religious pieces and temple hangings. Ubud painting has been the center of art in Bali for centuries. In the 1920s Balinese art started to be influenced by western artists. Batuan artists are talented dancers, sculptors, and painters. The Batuan paintings were often crowded portraits of either legendary scenes or themes from every day life. Sanur paintings represent playful scenery, with no religious themes. It is lighter than the paintings of Batuan and Ubud with sea creatures, adult scenery and wild animals drawn in re-occurring patterns. Most pieces were done with black and white ink wash, on paper, but later works included light pastel colors often added by other artists specializing in coloring black and white drawings. – Blake Cooper and Carlee Peterson
26. Trance = is a way to communicate with spirits. When a person is in trance, they are not threatening or dangerous, but in a magical spell. The person in trance starts to moan, scream, shake, and sometimes tries to stab themselves. People who get in trance have no sickness, they’re just perfectly normal. This happens in dance ceremonies. For example, Jimbaran sekan barong trancers get in trance, and the person tries to stab themselves with Kris (a short dagger). Group trancers were always men, and they are mostly under 30 years old. They do trance to close a ceremony in the barong season, a part of a dance, or at a religious ceremony or dance. - EoJin Kim and Dionis Gomez Mendes (Dani)
