Southeast Asia brings in thousands of travelers from across the globe every year. From Singapore to Bali, people are eager to try the local cuisine, see the sights, and experience the traditional culture.
Bali has a long and interesting history. Their dances accompany this history in more ways than one might expect. When you watch a Balinese dance, you are seeing something that began as much as 500 years ago. Stories and poetry that are sometimes told along with the dancing may have been influenced by the court stories of a pre-Majapahit Java. As cultures changed, religions shifted, and history continued, Bali took in all these changes and adapted them within their dance. It has since become inseparable from religion. Food and flowers come first, dancers pray, and then the festivities begin. There can be a great deal of meaning in any single dance.
There are many popular Balinese dances you may have the privilege of seeing on your trip. The Barong dance is for Barong, a lord of the forest and protector of Balinese villages. Various stories, such as Barong fighting off evil like Rangda the witch, are performed. The Kecak dance is one of the most popular Balinese dances and most visitors will have the chance to see it. Its story if of the Ramayana epic. It is practiced at several locations and may occasionally include a fire dance.
There are many more things to see within Bali as well as in Lombok, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and other nearby locations. You may have the chance to see several dances while visiting, as well as shadow puppetry, dramas, and other cultural delights along the way. Brilliant colors, vibrating drums, chanting, singing-if all these things don't get you excited about your trip, then perhaps the stunning sights and neat roadside crafts will. There is so much to see and do while you travel to Bali and its surrounding locations. Get your itinerary organized so you know exactly which dances you want to see, which stories you want to learn, and exactly where to go in order to experience them.
From sandy beaches to bustling town centers, you'll need plenty of time to see and do all the things you want. Take one day to kick back on the beach and view a dance at night. Use the next day to travel and shop, and perhaps enjoy an afternoon dance. Culture has never been so bright or so amazing as within a Balinese dance.
