Bali's Kecak Dance

Of all the dances seen on Bali today, the Kecak dance is perhaps the most dramatic. Taken from the Hindu epic Ramayana, the dance tells the story of Prince Rama and his rescue of Princess Sita, who has been kidnapped by the evil King of Lanka. Unlike other dances, there is no gamelan orchestra accompanying it. Instead, a troupe of over 150 bare-chested men serve as the chorus, making a wondrous cacophany of synchronized "chak-achak-achak" clicking sounds while swaying their bodies and waving their hands.

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Andy waits for the performance to begin....
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.... As does Susanne.
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The chorus begins its chanting, waving their hands in the air.
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A dancer, playing Princess Sita, arrives on the stage.
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The chorus sways back and forth in unison as Sita dances.
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The waving of the hands adds much drama to the dance.
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Rawana, the king of Lanka.
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After the kecak dance, an older man performs a Sanghyang Jaran dance. Riding a wooden horse, the man charges through a pile of burning coconut shells.
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Flames kick up as he charges through the embers.
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Having worked himself into a trance for the performance, it takes a while for the dancer to come back down. Note the ash on his feet.
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His trance was so deep, we're not even sure he realized we were taking pictures of him.


Ubud | The Ubud Monkey Forest | The Dances of Bali | The Kecak Dance | The Alam Jiwa Hotel | Cooking at Casa Luna | The Elephant Cave of Goa Gajah | Yeh Pulu | Gunung Kawi | Mengwi | Tanah Lot and Ulu Watu | Shadow Puppets | Candidasa and the Watergarden Hotel | Pura Goa Lawah | Pura Besakih | Visit to a Cremation | Tirta Gangga's Rice Paddies | Amed and the Santai Hotel | Lake Bratan | Dance Practice in Nyuhkuning | Pura Semuan Tiga's Odalan Festival
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