Drama Tari
New
art forms are constantly added to the classical repertoire of Balinese
dances. In Bali, the word “traditional” does not carry the same
significance as here, because almost all new work is based on older
work, which is then re-arranged and modified according to modern tastes
and interpretations. There is thus a smooth continuum between old and
new in the accepted creation of new traditions by artists of the
current generation.
Several newly created dances are also very popular, such as the Tari Kijang Kencana ("the Golden Deer Dance") and Tari Manuk Rawa ("Long Legged Bird Dance"), both created within the last 30 years.  In People Like Me 2005, dancer I Made Moja performed a
drama tari
piece based on the Hindu
mythology of The Ramayana -- a classic tale of
good vs. evil. For the past two
thousand years the Ramayana has been
among the most important literary and oral texts
of South Asia. This
epic poem provides insights into many aspects of Hindu culture
and
continues to influence the politics, religion and art of Hindu
societies. The
excerpt presented centers on the preparation for battle
between the monkey king,
Sugriwa (played by I Made Moja), and
Kumokarna, the brother of the evil King Rawana.
Sugriwa rallies the
monkey army and they chant to raise their spirits and mobilize
their
power. The instrumentation includes a small Gamelan ensemble
(metallaphone,
drum, gong, cymbal, flute) and chanting (kecak). |
