Barong and Legong Waksirsa Dance

Every night in Ubud you can hear the drums of traditional gamelan musicians and drive by crowded temples full of tourists watching traditional Balinese dances.  It’s a thing to do here.  We knew we’d end up going at some point.

While we initially intended to see a Kacek fire dance at another temple, we managed to choose the only night in the week that they do not perform (literally, the only day.)  As a second choice, we stopped into Ubud Palace for the Barong and Legong Waksirsa Dance.  There is a guy on virtually every corner selling tickets to tourists a half hour before the show, so we had no problems with our last minute change in plans.

Legong dance involves women making elaborate eye movements and very specific hand gestures.

Then there are the eeire masked dancers.

Barong is the name for this lion like mythical creature around which the second part of the dance revolves.  Its a little difficult to understand what’s happening if you don’t speak Indonesian.

After several scenes in which a guy dressed like a monkey tries to provoke the monster, and guys like this hatch plans, the Barong is finally defeated.  At least I’m pretty sure that’s what happened.This was hands down one of the most touristy things we have done thus far on World Tour.  While it’s supposed to have provided us with a view into the traditional Balinese culture, I much prefer the view we get from seeing people place offerings on temple walls every day, watching processions of musicians and men in masks walk through the street every so often, and hearing the drum music from the temple across the rice field from our home.  It just seems a little more authentic.