Java – Temple Dances

Dancing is an important art form in Indonesia and is promoted and practiced from early childhood.

The extensive repertoire of dance performances is based on old legends and traditions. Performances take place in village halls and village squares, as well as in some of the leading hotels.

Some of Bali’s most famous dances include the Legong, a slow, graceful dance of divine nymphs; the Baris, a fast-paced, loud portrayal of masculine, warlike behavior, and the Jauk, a captivating solo dance of a masked and richly costumed demon.

In the dramatic Kecak dance with 100 or more participants, young men dressed only in loincloths act as a wild group of monkeys, subjects of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. Indonesian gamelan orchestras consist primarily of various xylophone-like percussion instruments, flutes, and instruments similar to the harp. These sounds can be heard in many Indonesian shops and restaurants and are part of every dance and shadow theater performance.