Bali Performing Arts

Bali is also famous for its traditional performing arts such as music and dance, as the part of their daily life. Beside the traditional music and dance in high color and drama, there is also wayang kulit, the mysterious shadow puppet. During the performing, you can usually hear the hypnotic rhythm of the gamelan, the traditional instrument from Bali, that echoes across the island, music for the soul and a link to a distant past.

If you want to see the wayang kulit show, which is the famous Bali’s traditional shadow puppet drama, you can watch the show which is usually performed after dark in a temple courtyard or village meeting place. For the Balinese people, puppets has the pride of place in religious festivals as well as weddings and cremations. This show is usually performed by a dalang, or puppet master, and the story is usuakky single-handed. The dalang will usually use different voices and a large number of characters from its own puppet collection that he owns.

The puppet master is highly respected by the community and believed to be blessed with magic powers.

Stories are sourced from Hindu epics mixed with current events, designed to entertain and inform, with a blend of good and evil characters. Puppets are made from buffalo skin, perforated like lace to enhance lighting effects. Wayang Kulit has been designated a masterpiece of human heritage by UNESCO.

Gamelan orchestras provide the traditional accompaniment to puppet theatre, Balinese dance and all religious rituals. They include xylophones and metallophones, drums, bamboo flutes, gongs and strings, all tuned to play together in a specific orchestra. Instruments are kept in the village open hall to symbolise community ownership.

Different types of gamelans are played across Indonesia. The Balinese version is characterised by fast tempo change and among its favourite styles includes the repetitive ‘monkey chant’ and the modern gong kebyar with male and female instruments. Except in the most sacred melodies, today’s players enjoy adding an innovative twist to traditional tunes.