Baris Dance, Traditional Dance From Bali

Baris Dance is one of the traditional dance that comes from Bali. This dance is estimated to have existed since the mid-16th century. This assumption is based on information contained in the Sundanese Kidung, estimated to date from 1550 AD. In the text, there is a description of the existence of 7 types of baris dance that are performed in the cremation ceremony in East Java.



In addition, there is also a description that at the beginning of the emergence of this baris dance is part of religious rituals at the time. The type of baris dance associated with religious rituals is also called the ceremonial baris dance or the big baris dance. The dancers in this dance are usually performed between 8 and 40 people in groups, with various complementary items such as various traditional weapons, depending on the origin of the area of each dance.



The baris dance row is allegedly drawn from the night row, the storyline that began in about 1849 when it was initiated by Cokorda Gde Ngurah Saren who requested Bape Goya, the renowned dance instructor in that era to arrange rows of malelampahan and first performed in Tugu, Gianyar regency.



The movement in this baris dance tells the toughness of Balinese soldiers in the past. The shoulders of the dancers are lifted up to almost as high as the ears. Both arms of the dancers are almost always in a horizontal position with a firm motion. Other typical motion contained in the baris dance is a slip or motion of the eyes of the dancers who always change. This gesture describes the nature of the soldiers who are always on the lookout for the situation around him



The body composition in accompanying the baris dance usually consists of:

1. Pepeson part (Gilak), can be done on the mungkah mace, ngopak loud, ngalih pajeng, ngagem right and left, majalan najek dua (nayog), malpal.


2. Section Pengadeng (Bapang), can be done on the ngesed dawa and nyaregseg, ngagem bapang left and right, fantasy-delusion, wuta ngawa sari, ngetog.


3. Pekaad (Gilak Jerih), can be done on the makirig or makelid jerih, ngopak loud, malpal, gayal-gayal.

The dancers who are in this dance are all a man. Dancers will use a triangular crown decorated with shells on a vertical line on the top. In addition, the bodies of the dancers are wrapped in colorful costumes and look loose, dangle down, and rest on the shoulders. The costumes will expand when the dancers make a circular motion using one leg, so it will have a dramatic effect on the choreography that was delivered. Full clothing used in this dance is like using Badong, Awir, Trousers, Bludru clothes, stewel, Lamak, Kana bracelet, Gelungan and Keris.

The accompaniment in a show plays a very important role, because with the accompaniment of a show will look beautiful. Gambelan used in accompanying the Baris dance is Gong kebyar, Palegongan, Angklung kebyar, Gong distilled, Semar pegulingan, Gong Gede, Cumang kirang, Gambelan pajogedan, and Gambelan pegandrungan