July is shaping up to a fabulous month in Bali with numerous art exhibitions, dance and drama performances, and free tours in certain parts of the island. The culmination of these is the Bali Bangkit Project.
No Comments
During my years in Bali I must confess to not having witnessed a performance of the Tajen dance. It will be performed however at the Bali Art Centre during the Bali Arts Festival.
No Comments
The Bali Arts Festival is currently underway in Denpasar and attracting visitors and participating foreign dancers alike. One of the dances showcased is that of the Ramayana as part of International Ramayana Festival, a cultural gathering held in conjunction with the 28th Bali Arts Festival.
In Yogyakarta in Central Java this dance is a mammoth spectacular set against the backdrop of the Prambanan Hindu Complex and held every October. However, the Ramayana performances at the Bali Arts Festival involved Ramayana troupes from Thailand, Cambodia, India, Singapore and the United States.
Rama is considered to be the seventh incarnation of the god …
No Comments
Bali has many traditional dances and one of the most fun is the joged bumbung. Tourists will often see and participate in a joged dance. The joged is a flirtation dance and a solo female dancer will select men from the audience with a tap on the shoulder with her fan. Back in 1937 during Miguel Covarrubias's time in Bali, before the onrush of mass tourism, the joged was popular. Here is his description.
3 comments
Walking along Pantai Kuta (Kuta Beach ) at sunset, I always see a variety of people, ranging from Japanese surfers, newly arrived pale skin tourists admiring their torched arms and legs, Muslim tourists from Java ogling Europeans in tiny bathing suits and school groups trying to ensnare an unsuspecting foreigner into their question and answer routine.
1 comment
The devastating earthquake that shook Central Java and Yogyakarta on Saturday May 27, 2006, claimed over 6,000 lives and damaged a number of important heritage sites.
No Comments
As a tourist destination Bali has everything to offer - Great beaches, breathtaking scenery, good food, plenty of nightlife, great shopping, fantastic weather, a fascinating culture and more especially, friendly and warm people.
No Comments
Here is the event schedule for Sunday June 26th.
1 comment
Balinese culture has many creative and weird dances that are performed at temple ceremonies and for tourists on occasion. One of the strangest named dances is the Bumblebee dance, more correctly, the Oleg Tambulilingan. Created in 1952 by a famous male dancer Mario ( real name Ketut Marya) for a world fare, the Bumblebee Dance is a very sensual performance. Its mimics the mating dance of 2 bumblebees, the male obsessed with the female who elegantly and coyly keeps him away. She eventually gives in at the finale. The female role is especially complicated and I have even seen 2 girls playing the roles. Balinese female dancers wear a tighly-bound sarong and dance by bending forward slightly, keeping their feet close together and bending their arms at right-angles. The head and eye are worked so you get this very puppet-like movement which obviously takes a lot of practive. Male dancers use a wider stance and adopt a more aggressive style.
1 comment
Danau (lake) Bratan is one of the 4 big lakes in Bali, the others being Danau Tamblingan, Danau Buyan and Danau Batur. The main road passes north – south on the west side and after visiting Pura Ulun Danau Bratan on the western bank I doubled back past all the tourist warungs on the SW corner and up the hill to Pura Luhur Pacak Sari.
3 comments
