Balinese Dance

...demonstration to show of physical maturity. The maturity of a man is proved \ by a demonstration of his skill in the use of a military weapon, The Baris Dance is thus a patriotic dance as well as a ritual dance. the Baris Dance can be performed by men in pairs of four, eight, sometimes even tens, The accompanying gamelan is the gamelan gong or gamelan gong kebyar.

The distintive characteristics of the Baris Dance are that, it emphasizes firmness and steadiness of step and skill in the handling of military weapons and its costume is unique the dancers wearing a conical head-dress and various adornments.

The Baris Dance is very old it is similar to the ritual the ancient Germanic people living in the early centuries of the Christian era. In their tradition, a man coming of age had to show his maturity in a ceremony in which he demonstrated military skill. This ritual continued into the Middle Ages. The Baris Dance in Ball was created by people who were very fond of ritual dances. According to I Gusti Bagus Nyoman Panji, the costume of the Baris Dance, which is made of a great length of cloth six centimeters wide is an imitation of armour. Remnants of ritual dances like this are also found in Java, for instance the Lawung Dance.
There are various kinds of Baris dances in Bali which are usually named according to the weapon used in the dance.

BARIS CENDEXAN. The Baris Cendekan uses a weapon called cendek, a kind of short lance. The Baris Cerdekan is found in North Bali and is danced by several pairs of tarunas (young men). They wear everyday clothes and the accompanying music is a kind of angk1ung orchestra called the gamelan kembang kirang.

BARIS PANAH, This dance uses a military weapon, a bow and arrows, and is danced by tarunas (young men) in North Bali.

They wear their everyday clothes. and the accompanying gamejan 4 also the gamelan kembang kirang.

BARIS PRESI. Dancers of the Baris Presi carry a presi or shield This dance is performed by men in pairs.

BARIS TAMIANG. The Baris Tamiang is a variation of the Baris Presi. The dancers carry a tamiang or shield, and dance in pairs. BARIS DADAP. The Baris Dadap uses a weapon called a dadap, a kind of shield. The Baris Dadap used to be danced in the
surroundings of Lake Batur. The accompanying music may be the gamelan kembang kirang.

BARIS OMANG. The dancers carry a weapon like a shield.

BARIS TUMBAK. The Baris Tumbak is danced in pairs the weapon being a lance.

BARIS GEDE. The Baris Gede is a Baris dance with a long lance, danced by a great number of men in pairs.
BARIS JOJO. The Baris Jojor is also a Baris dance with a lance.
BARIS BAJRA. The Baris Bajra is a Baris dance in. which the dancers use a gada (club) as their weapon.
BARIS MELAMPAHAN. The Baris dances described above do not tell a story, but the Baris Melampahan is a dance-drama. In the Baris Melampahan heroic strories, usually those from the epic Mahabharata are danced. The distinctive feature of the Baris Melampahan" is that the protagonists wear costumes usually worn in the Baris. Dance, and that they dance the Baris dance style. One wellknown Baris malampahan presents the Arjunawiwaha story. It is not considered a sacred dance, however.