FAMOUS BALINESE DANCES: LEGONG, BARIS AND MONKEY AND TRANCE DANCES

MONKEY DANCE OF BALI (KECAK)

Monkey dance (kecak) performed in Ubud in 2022

Bali’s most internationally recognized performance dance is the "kecak", or “monkey dance.” Choreographed in 1931 by the European artist Walter Spies but fully embraced and developed by Balinese performers. since then, the kecak takes the form of a large human circle, resembling a mandala, with around one hundred men seated in concentric formation surrounding one or two female dancers. Unlike other dances, the kecak relies primarily on vocal accompaniment. The seated men produce rhythmic, interlocking chants—often described as frog-like sounds—creating a powerful, percussive soundscape. At times, individual voices emerge from the collective rhythm, adding variation. The men remain seated throughout, swaying, leaning, and occasionally reclining while maintaining the chant. The result is a highly distinctive and immersive performance, combining visual symmetry, vocal intensity, and dramatic movement into a spectacle unlike any other. [Source: “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Kecak” is best seen in front of Peliatan temple in Ubud. The dance is a visual spectacle. The focus of the dance is a small circular stage that is lit by a fire surrounded by a chorus of bare-chested men imitating the chattering of monkeys. Inside the circle a man and a women act out an episode of the Hindu Ramayana legend in which Rama is helped to by the monkey king and his army to rescue his kidnapped wife Sita from the evil king Rawana. It is now performed mainly for festivals and tourist shows.

Sitting around the stage are 150 shirtless and saronged men that are arranged in four concentric circles around the stage. Acting on cues from the actors like a Greek chorus the men chant "chaka chaka chaka,” wave their arms and rotate their bodies in unison while elaborately costumed solists act out episodes from the “Ramayana”. There are a lot of arguments about where "the wave" performed at stadium events began. Balinese have been doing it as part of the monkey dance for at least a 100 years.

Kecak is usually performed in the evening by a group of male dancers, who sit on the ground surrounding a big torch while singing. They sing as though Balinese instrument sounds and are not accompanied by any music instruments whatsoever. The movements only use the hands and head. Sitting, singing, and dancing with their hands and upper torso, the chorus becomes, among others, the Ramayana’s army of monkeys. In the climax, the chorus, with a heightened feverish pitch, rises as it takes part in the events of the drama.

History of the Monkey Dance

Monkey dance (kecak) performed in 1935

Kecak was performed for the first time in 1930 as an entertaining pastime dance among Balinese males. At that time, Kecak were only played in small celebrations such as during the harvest month or village anniversary. The development of drama in Bali, especially Sendratari, brought a changed to this dance. Kecak and Janger dances started to enter Sendratari’s scene which mostly performs classical stories such as Ramayana and Mahabratha. It is now usually performed regularly at Tanah Lot (in the Tabanan district) and Batubulan (Gianyar district). Kecak dance is also performed in many national and international events held in Bali.

The Kecak dance is based on an ancient choral dance tradition. At night, men sit in circles around a large oil lamp and chant the syllables "cak-kecak-cak" with immense strength and astounding rhythmic precision. The fast abdominal breathing and bursting vocals of this gamelan svara, or "voice orchestra," easily lead to hyperventilation and trance. [Source: Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen, Asian Traditional Theater and Dance website, Theatre Academy Helsinki]

It is believed that Walter Spies combined this archaic ritual tradition with a scene from the Ramayana in which Rama, Sita, and Ravana appear amidst the suggestive chorus to reenact Sita's abduction. Currently, Kecak is frequently performed in many villages, but the shows are mostly intended for tourists. Since the 1970s, several new versions of the dance have emerged. One of these is the all-female Kecak, which premiered at the Bali Arts Festival in 2004.

Describing the kepak, Jenny Heaton wrote in the Rough Guide to World Music, "Suddenly, with several short cries the men rise up, then sink down again, making a hissing sound. A single short shout follows and the men break into rhythmic chant...swaying from side to side, hands waving in the air. A solitary voice rises above the rhythmic chattering of the chorus, singing a quivering, wailing melody. Another short cry and the men sink down again." Wayan Limbak, a Balinese dancer who helped create the monkey dance, died in Gianyar, Bali, in 2003 at the age of 106.

Baris, the Balinese Warrior Dance

The term Baris derives from the Balinese word bebaris, meaning a line or group of soldiers. The dance portrays warriors preparing for or entering battle, with dancers carrying weapons such as tumbak (spears), keris (daggers), bows, shields, or even ceremonial firearms. Baris is typically performed by groups of 8 to 40 male dancers, whose costumes, weapons, and accessories distinguish the many variations of the form, including Baris Tumbak, Baris Panah, Baris Tamiyang, Baris Bedil, and Baris Jangkang. While many Baris variants appear at social events and festivals, Baris Gede is reserved for temple ceremonies. This sacred version is traditionally performed by boys before puberty and, like Rejang, functions as a ritual offering rather than entertainment. [Source: Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen, Asian Traditional Theater and Dance website, Theatre Academy Helsinki; Bali Tourism Board]

Movements in the baris dances emphasize alertness and control. Dancers execute sharp, darting eye motions that suggest vigilance, combined with lifted and bent leg positions often held in poised balance. Their toes are frequently turned upward, adding to the stylized effect. Particularly notable is the intricate finger work, where hands flicker and curve upward with remarkable precision, demonstrating both strength and elegance. [Source: “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Edward Herbst wrote in the International Encyclopedia of Dance: In contemporary Bali, Baris is a solo dance without any narrative element, usually accompanied by a gamelan kebyar ensemble such as this. It derives from ritual group dances performed by men, many of which are still presented at large ceremonies. Perhaps the most energetic of Balinese dances, solo Baris is generally performed by adolescent boys, who engage in a dazzling array of full-circle spins and leaps heightened by the gamelan’s angsel (sudden cadences). The music reflects every nuance of mood and gesture, from fear and trepidation preceding battle to anger and unbridled power in conflict. The dancer must also convey calm, a sweet and seductive quality out of which emerge sudden bursts of energy. There is an intensely close relationship between dancer and musicians in overall phrasing and in particular accents from the kendang drum. The structure of modern Baris follows a sequence of gilak, bapang, gilak (reflecting strong, refined, and again strong moods). The musical phrasing maintains eight beats to each gong phrase, while the kendang playing alternates between stick and hand drumming. [Source: Edward Herbst, International Encyclopedia of Dance, 1998]

Baris Gede

The baris gede, a sacred performance featuring multiple dancers portraying heroic warriors. It is typically staged during temple festivals and cremation ceremonies. In contrast, the baris tunggal is a secular version performed by a single male dancer for entertainment. Men of various ages participate in these dances, wearing ornate costumes highlighted by conical headdresses decorated with metallic elements, shells, or leaf-like forms, along with richly embellished garments in silver, gold, and white.[Source: “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006]

According to Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen of the Theatre Academy Helsinki, Baris Gede belongs to the most important group of wali (sacred) dances. It is an ancient ceremonial war dance performed by men arranged in disciplined formations, often numbering from six to sixty dancers. The choreography emphasizes synchronized group movement rather than individual virtuosity, creating the impression of a stylized battlefield through simple steps and leg movements. Historical sources indicate that Baris dances were already performed in the sixteenth century.

In ritual contexts, the dancers are regarded as the bodyguards of visiting deities. They wear tall, pyramid-shaped headdresses decorated with mother-of-pearl and carry sacred weapons that are often revered as temple heirlooms. Baris forms are classified according to the weapons used. Alongside these sacred versions, a modern secular Baris has also developed. This solo dance focuses on the emotional world of a warrior about to depart for battle, expressing courage, doubt, fear, and determination through sharp, angular movements, tense arm positions, and dramatic eye expressions. This secular Baris is frequently performed for tourist audiences.

Sanghyang: Balinese Trance Dances

Bali is renowned for its rich traditions of trance rituals, in which one or more participants enter altered states of consciousness through incense, chanting, music, prayer, and occasionally intoxicating substances. Trance rituals are widespread throughout Asia, but Bali is exceptional in the sheer number and variety of such practices found on a relatively small island. During these rituals, dancers—and sometimes members of the audience—may become possessed by gods, ancestral spirits, animal spirits, or other supernatural forces. [Source: Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen, Asian Traditional Theater and Dance website, Theatre Academy Helsinki; Bali Tourism Board]

Sanghyang (from sang, “lord,” and hyang, “god”) refers to a group of trance dances most commonly performed in rural villages, though abbreviated versions are sometimes presented for visitors. Numerous local variants exist. In many Sanghyang dances, male performers are possessed by animal spirits: in Sanghyang Jaran they become horses, in Sanghyang Lelipi snakes, and in Sanghyang Celeng pigs. These rituals serve a purificatory function; for example, dancers in pig trance symbolically consume dirt to cleanse the community of spiritual pollution. Because trance behavior can be unpredictable, priests and attendants closely supervise the performance to prevent injury. At the conclusion, holy water is sprinkled on the dancers to restore normal consciousness.

Sanghyang is believed to predate Hindu influence in Bali and remains one of the island’s most ancient ritual forms. It is thought to possess healing powers and to enable communication with natural and divine forces. Both men and women may participate, and the dance is accompanied by sacred chants known as Gending Sanghyang, sometimes reinforced with traditional instruments. The ritual follows three stages: Nusdus, the purification of the dancer through holy smoke; Masolah, when the spirit enters and the dancer moves freely in trance; and Ngelinggihang, when the spirit departs and the dancer is ritually restored. Known forms include Sanghyang Dedari, Deling, Bojog, Sampat, Celeng, and Jaran.

Other Balinese trance rituals have merged with dramatic forms, most notably the self-stabbing keris trance associated with Barong and Rangda performances. Some trance dances have also evolved into secular or commercial spectacles.

Sanghyang Dedari, the Trance Dance of the Maidens

The most celebrated Sanghyang form is Sanghyang Dedari, traditionally performed by prepubescent girls believed to be especially receptive to divine possession. In its most authentic form, only young girls—often around eight years old—are permitted to dance, and they receive no formal training. Instead, their movements are believed to be guided entirely by spirits, identified as celestial nymphs or “star maidens.” [Source: Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen, Asian Traditional Theater and Dance website, Theatre Academy Helsinki; Bali Tourism Board]

In a typical performance, two or more girls dance in perfect unison with their eyes closed, having been induced into trance by chanting priests. Hypnotic rituals may include the use of small puppets, incense, and repetitive chants. As the music intensifies, the girls glide and spin with fans and sticks, later dancing atop the shoulders of men from the audience without physical support. At the climax, they may dance barefoot across glowing embers without injury. A sudden ritual sound marks the end of the trance, and the priest restores the dancers to consciousness.

Dr. Miettinen describes Sanghyang Dedari as the most beautiful of the trance dances. Its highly expressive, almost feverish movement vocabulary—partly inspired by ancient animal motifs—has strongly influenced later classical forms, particularly Legong.

Legong, the Dance of the Maidens

Legong is one of Bali’s most refined classical dances, traditionally performed by two young girls accompanied by an attendant. It is often linked to Sanghyang Dedari and is believed to have evolved from trance-based rituals. Legong dancers wear richly ornamented silk and gold costumes, tightly wrapped around the waist, with elaborate headdresses adorned with flowers. Facial makeup is precise, emphasizing expressive eye movements. [Source: Dr. Jukka O. Miettinen, Asian Traditional Theater and Dance website, Theatre Academy Helsinki; Bali Tourism Board]

Legong means “beautiful movement” (leg) and “gong,” referring to its close relationship with gamelan music. It is one of the most technically demanding Balinese dances, requiring exceptional sensitivity to musical cues. The dance is accompanied by Gamelan Semar Pagulingan, a small, refined ensemble with a delicate sound. Over time, regional variants developed, but Legong Keraton remains the most widely performed and is often presented to welcome distinguished guests.

Although secular in nature, legong t is commonly presented during temple anniversaries and has increasingly become a feature for visitors. The dance is performed by three young girls whose torsos are tightly wrapped in fabric, enhancing the fluidity of their movements. The central dancer leads with the most animated expressions, while the two accompanying dancers mirror her with precise synchronization.

Legong dancers are adorned in elaborate costumes, including gold neckpieces, decorative cloth panels, and brightly colored silk sarungs. Their golden headdresses, often decorated with frangipani blossoms, frame a performance marked by controlled arm and hand gestures, subtle head tilts, and highly expressive eye movements. The tight binding around their bodies accentuates their grace, encouraging a stylized arching and swaying as they step. Toward the conclusion, the tempo of the music accelerates, becoming louder and more intense, and the dancers respond with increasingly vigorous movements that contrast with the earlier delicacy. [Source: “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006]

History of Legong

Legong represents the classical standard of Balinese female dance. Created around the turn of the eighteenth century, it combines elements of gambuh court drama and Sanghyang trance dances. Originally performed by young boys, it was later rechoreographed for girls by royal decree. Although modern performances often feature adult dancers, traditional training begins in early childhood, with movements taught through rigorous physical guidance until the dance becomes instinctive.

Edward Herbst wrote in the International Encyclopedia of Dance: Bali’s most stylistically formalized female dance form, Legong was traditionally performed by three preadolescent girls (a tradition maintained on this tour), although this distinction has been disregarded in recent decades in the contexts of institutionalized education and the tourist trade. Traditionally, Legong was of special interest to local princes, who might choose their legong dancers from among the village youngsters, taking them into the court to be trained under their supervision. This reflects its links to Gambuh, the formal dance drama influenced by 15th century Javanese courts. [Source: Edward Herbst, International Encyclopedia of Dance, 1998]

Legong developed when the indigenous gestural language exemplified by the ritual Sang Hyang Dedari trance dance, took on an entirely new dramatic character under the influence of Gambuh. The word Legong derives from leg (gentle, swaying movement) and gong, referring to the accompanying instrumental ensemble. Costume elements such as the gelungan headdress were also taken from Gambuh. One chronicle attributes the creation of Legong to a dream that came to I Déwa Agung Madé Karna, a king of Sukawati reigning around 1775 to 1825. During meditation, he saw celestial maidens dancing in heaven, clad in beautiful costumes and golden headdresses. He then had nine masks carved and used Sang Hyang dancers, one pair at a time, to recreate the choreography he saw in his dream.

Some time later a new form of Legong called Nandir was created, performed by two boys without masks, and around the turn of the nineteenth century a Nandir for two girls was created. The kebyar style of the 1920’s infused a more energetic element into the dance, as well as a more direct relationship between dancers and gamelan. It was during this period that the condong character was brought in.

The traditional accompaniment of the gamelan pelegongan has all but given way to the dominant gamelan Gong Kebyar, and the thirty- or forty five-minute legong is often shortened to fifteen minutes, adapting to the requirements of tourist entertainment.

Legong Story

The most famous version, Legong Keraton, recounts an episode from the Panji cycle in which the King of Lasem abducts Princess Rangkesari. When she refuses his advances, the king goes to war to defend his claim, ignoring ominous signs that foretell his defeat. The story is conveyed through highly stylized movement rather than explicit narrative.

Edward Herbst wrote in the International Encyclopedia of Dance: Functioning within the dance drama as a female attendant, bird of ill omen, or any of a number of other characters, the condong also provides the lengthy first segment of Legong. It is particularly in this opening, pre-story segment that the unique characteristics of Legong are displayed: a dynamic crosscurrent of intense, percussive energy and delicate tranquil lines together create a rhapsodic quality of movement that exists in its own realm, outside any specific narrative context. This pure dance, or igel ngugal, precedes the narrative, as the condong establishes the mood and language of movement in a solo segment. Then the other two dancers, referred to as the legong, perform a sequence in unison and often in symmetrical patterns, closely coordinated with the cymbals and drums, while the gamelan plays somewhat more slowly. For the following pengecet segment, the gamelan doubles its tempo while the dancers mirror each other’s darting movements. The second section of the dance brings in the story line as the tempo slows to accommodate a different melody. The third section enacts a departure (pangkat) usually involving a fight (pesiat). The last section of the dance is a non-narrative epilogue (pekaad).

The most prevalent theme (and the one presented here) is Lasem, drawn from Java’s Malat literature. The king of Lasem finds a beautiful woman, Langkesari (or Rangke Sari), lost in the forest. He brings her home and locks her in a stone house. Langkesari’s brother, the king of Daha, discovers where she is being held, but the king of Lasem will not give her up. Lasem takes leave of his distraught wife and daughter and goes out to battle. As he leaves his palace, a great crow (guwak) attacks him, and although he beats it away, it is nonetheless a bad omen.

The king reflects that although he will die, he will surely ascend to heaven, since he is to die on the field of battle. As he climbs onto his chariot, he draws blood again by scraping is foot, yet another bad omen. He goes to battle and is killed. This recorded version (following the condong) depicts only the “love scene” (pengipuk), really an attempted seduction of Langkesari by the king of Lasem, followed by the departure segment (pangkat) which includes his fight (pesiat) with the bird of ill omen. In the group’s program notes, McPhee refers to the bird as a Garuda, but the general Balinese view is that this is a crow, and Garuda refers to the style of musical phrasing for this section, known as bapang Garuda, and not the Garuda bird.

Ni Gusti Ayu Raka Rasmi — Bali’s Most Famous Dance

Ni Gusti Ayu Raka Rasmi is arguably, Bali’s most famous dancer. She was born on March 10, 1939, in the village of Peliatan to a farming family. She grew up in modest conditions, without electricity or access to mass media, surrounded by rice fields where she helped with daily agricultural work. As a child, she spent time in the fields scaring away birds during planting season and assisting with the harvest. Her early life reflected the rhythms of rural Balinese society, where work, ritual, and community were closely intertwined. Despite these humble beginnings, she would later emerge as one of Bali’s most celebrated dancers. Her path into dance began almost by chance, during an ordinary day in the fields. [Source: Seth Mydans, New York Times, March 13, 2020]

She first encountered dance at the age of 10, when a teacher noticed her while she was playing. “I was looking for grasshoppers when the teacher came by and said, ‘Raka, come here, why don’t you hang out with us, why don’t you learn to dance,’ and we danced around,” she recalled. Her parents initially opposed her training, preferring that she focus on farm work. “‘Why are you putting on makeup and not helping on the farm?’” she remembered her father saying. At times, their disapproval was severe: “Sometimes they didn’t give me food.” Yet her persistence paid off, and once she began earning money through dance, her family’s attitude changed. “After I started bringing in money, they were happy. I was free then. They loved me again.”

A major turning point came in 1952, when John Coast organized an international tour featuring Balinese dancers and musicians. The young Raka Rasmi was selected as part of the troupe, which would travel more than 10,000 miles to perform in the United States and Europe. Her talent quickly drew attention, including from Frederick Schang, who enthusiastically declared, “The little darling — oh, the little darling! … Ni Gusti Raka — that’s your star! She’s great. She’s so sweet I could eat her with a spoon.” This endorsement helped establish her as the standout performer of the group. At just 12 years old, she found herself thrust onto an international stage far removed from her village upbringing.

During the tour, she experienced many things for the first time, from snow to Western food like Coca-Cola and vanilla ice cream. She met prominent figures including Walt Disney, ballerina Margot Fonteyn, and actress Grace Kelly. In Hollywood, she and her fellow dancers performed for Frank Sinatra, who sang for them in return. She also met entertainers Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, who had recently appeared in the film Road to Bali. Reflecting on the experience, she remembered the dancers’ delight: “‘Itu Bob!’ they exclaimed to one another helplessly — ‘That Bob!’” These encounters illustrated the remarkable cultural exchange that marked her early career.

The 1952 tour launched a lifelong dedication to dance, both as a performer and a teacher. Over the decades, she became widely recognized as one of Bali’s leading dance figures, continuing to perform well into her later years. Rucina Ballinger described her as “an excellent teacher and dancer, still performing till the day she died,” adding that “as a teacher she was feisty and strong-willed.” Ballinger also noted that she embodied taksu, a Balinese concept of spiritual charisma and artistic power. Even in her 70s, Raka Rasmi maintained a regular practice routine, adapting movements as needed due to age. “If I couldn’t dance I would cry, because I love dancing,” she said. “I do it without music because I already have it in my head… And even in bed, it’s still there in my mind when I’m sleeping.”

Ni Gusti Ayu Raka Rasmi Dance Performance

In 1952, at just 12 years old, Ni Gusti Ayu Raka Rasmi captivated audiences as the star of a Balinese dance troupe touring internationally. Performing in cities such as New York, she appeared on stage as a small yet commanding presence, adorned in elaborate costume and headdress. Her movements reflected the highly stylized traditions of Balinese dance, combining precision with fluidity. Audiences unfamiliar with the form were struck by its visual and rhythmic complexity. Despite her youth, she demonstrated a level of control and expression that marked her as exceptional. [Source: Seth Mydans, New York Times, March 13, 2020]

Her dancing was distinguished by the intricate coordination of arms, hands, head, and especially the eyes. Her arms “floated and twined, as if they had no bones or joints,” while her body rose and dipped in time with the music. The accompaniment came from a large gamelan orchestra, whose layered percussion created a driving, syncopated sound. Balinese dance places particular emphasis on eye movements, which function almost as independent performers. Raka Rasmi explained the relationship between music and expression: “When the music is dynamic you have to have a fierce look. You open your eyes wide. You can’t smile.” In contrast, “when the music is soft and sweet, your eyes are also soft and sweet and you smile.”

Costume and visual presentation were central to her performances. She wore brilliantly colored garments and ornate headdresses that enhanced the ceremonial atmosphere of the dance. Among the pieces she performed was Oleg Tamulilingan (the “Bumblebee”), a duet in which a male and female dancer circle each other in a stylized courtship. This dance highlighted both technical skill and narrative expression, blending elegance with playful interaction. Her ability to embody such roles contributed to her strong reception abroad.

Audiences responded with enthusiasm, often giving the troupe multiple curtain calls. Critics also praised her performances in major publications. The Wall Street Journal described the show as “an exotic elixir of sound, color and movement” led by “a 12-year-old virtuoso who brought down the house.” Dance critic John Martin wrote in The New York Times that she was “an utterly lovely wisp of a girl, as serious as an owl until her smile breaks through,” adding that her dancing “was truly superb, technically and dramatically.” These reviews helped solidify her reputation as a prodigious talent.

Her performances also reached a wider audience through television. She appeared with her troupe on Toast of the Town, a popular American variety program hosted by Ed Sullivan. This exposure introduced Balinese dance to viewers across the United States, contributing to its growing international recognition. The success of these performances not only elevated her own career but also helped establish Balinese dance as a distinctive global art form. Through her artistry, Raka Rasmi demonstrated both technical mastery and the deeper expressive qualities that define Balinese performance traditions.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons, Indonesia Tourism website

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; Wikipedia; National Geographic, Live Science, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Natural History magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated April 2026