I NYOMAN CATRA
Bali Solo Dancer
May 12 at 7 p.m 1997 Alexander Theatre
Voice (xing)
The small island of Bali with its 3 million inhabitants is the only Hindu society outside India. When the Dutch conquered the islands, the Bali dynasties were overthrown, and the splendid gamelan instruments and decorous theatre costumes of the palaces were distributed to peasants. Most Bali villages have either an orchestra or a troupe specialized in some school of theatre or other. This is a very bizarre situation, for the basis of many a form of art is the very rigorous and refined court tradition, and yet art now exists as pure folklore.
Religious feasts, i.e. temple festivals, exorcising rituals and fabulous cremations are still an essential part of Bali life. All ceremonies as well the everyday are being solemnized by gamelan music and wayang kulit shadow theatre - of which there is a special variation on the Island - as well as by other theatre and dance performances. The Bali people themselves classify their theatre performances in five main groups, according to their holiness:
1. Wali dances are the holiest of all. These will be performed in the most sacred areas of the temples, and aliens are not allowed to see them.2. Bebali performances are semi-holy performances in the temple middle courts, and they often reflect the influence of royal culture.
3. Bali-balihan dances are secular dances which are performed outside the temples, in connection with religious feasts.
4. Magic performances
5. Commercial, tourist-aimed performances
Dynamic and quick movements are typical characteristics of Bali dance and the accompanying music, gamelan. Ocular and facial mimics are purposefully used, like in Indian dance techniques. However, the finger and hand gestures do not have the same allegorical meaning as in Indian dance. The fingers and hands of a Bali dancer flutter like the wings of a dragonfly. Theatre and dance are popular, everyday arts in Bali, and the people learn their dances and gamelan music by imitation. Dance instructors dance behind their pupils turning and bending their heads and limbs.
The Bali topeng mask theatre belonging to the Bebali dance category is based on ancient Bali royal myths. Topeng is mostly performed by men. The fixed gallery of characters comprises a prime minister, a high-caste old man, a clown and his brother and a white-faced king. The actors wear full masks, wherefore the characters are deaf, except the clowns who wear half masks and are thus able to relate the actual story.
Another genre of topeng is a one-man performance which is a real masterpiece of acting, for he plays all the roles.