Kecak Dance

Kecak dance which is popular in Bali, also called The Monkey Dance. The term Kecak dance is taken from the sound itself is cak, cak, cak. Sound strange but unique and contain a high artistic value, this sound are pronounced along the Balinese Kecak dance performed.
In contrast to other types of dance, Kecak dance is unique because it does not rely on its own line of instruments to accompany the dance music, but the choir is issued by the dancers. Rhythm sound "cak, cak .." were arranged in such a way as to produce an alloy that is very harmonious, interspersed with a few accents and other utterances.

This dance is a dance to ward off evil spirits performed by two girls who are still virgins. While Sanghyang Jaran is a dance performed by men possessed which pranced like a horse's behavior and dancing on hot coals. Because the hallmark of this Jaran Trance Dance, Kecak is also known as the Kecak and Fire Dance. Final performance is a kind of bonus that can invite the audience amazed. After the show, spectators are also welcome to take pictures with the dancers.

Kecak Dance in Bali had continued to experience changes and developments since the 1970's. Developments can be seen is in terms of story and staging. In terms of story for staging not only relied on one part of the Ramayana, but also the other parts of the story of Ramayana.

Then in terms of staging also began experiencing growth not only found in one place like the Village Bona, Gianyar but also other villages in Bali Kecak dance that began developing in Bali there are tens of kecak group whose members are usually members of the banjo. Activities such activities often also the Kecak dance festival held in Bali either by government or by an art school in Bali. As well as most of the dancers who've performed in Kecak dance was recorded in 1979 which involved 500 people dancing. At that time kecak staged by taking the story from the Mahabharata. But this record was broken by the Government of Tabanan regency which organizes colossal Kecak dancers by 5000 on September 29, 2006, at Tanah Lot, Tabanan, Bali.

Balinese Kecak dance is the creation of a famous Balinese dancer I Wayan Limbak, and a German painter, Walter Spies, in the 1930s. At first, these two artists fascinated by the ritual dance in which the dancers dance Trance in conditions possessed by the spirit (trance). Trance Ritual Balinese ritual itself is derived from pre-Hindu tradition in order to deny reinforcements. This ritual is then adopted by I Wayan Limbak and Walter Spies became a performing arts to the public for display in various countries in Europe under the name Kecak.

Kecak dance is played by a number of dancers (mostly men), between 50 to 150 people, with a duration between 45-60 minutes. This dance is compose vocal instrument of the dancers (a cappella) with the sound "cak, cak, cak ..." as he raised both arms to accompany the epic Ramayana story that became the main story in this dance. Therefore the spoken chorus dancers are considered similar to the sound a monkey, then the foreign tourists often refer to this dance as "Mongkey Dance".

Fragment of epic Ramayana is the source of the story is the story of kidnapping Dewi Shinta (Rama's wife) by King Ravana of Alengka country. In this dance is described how Rama fought to free her lover, Dewi Sinta, who was kidnapped and taken away by Ravana. This story is exciting because it increases the struggle Rama aided by Hanuman (the Monkey White) and Sugriva. In addition to staging the epic story of Ramayana, Kecak Trance Dance also featured Dedari and Sanghyang Jaran as the closing show