Balinese performers: The fellowship of the ritual arts | Offstage

In Balinese culture, trance and rituals are part of life. To outsiders, it's uncanny and spiritual. Rituals performed in total darkness; ritual dances performed only by virgins; ritual performances where the audience does not leave before the final blessing, are common—a Balinese person wouldn't bat an eye.

Perhaps this is why taking up dance, learning the gamelan and making ceremonial masks are also the norm within some Balinese communities. We had the privilege of seeing this in the flesh for the 15th edition of A Tapestry of Sacred Music. In April 2024, Esplanade hosted Gamelan Pinda Sari from Indonesia, led by I Nyoman Kariasa and dance troupe Sanggar Langlang Jagat also from Indonesia, founded by well-known Balinese dancer I Made Suteja. Together with dancers from Singapore's only Balinese dance group Eka Suwara Santhi, they showcased several Wayang Wong (Javanese theatrical dance-drama) excerpts: The Night Ritual of Calon Arang, The Abduction of Sita, The Fight between Subali and Sugriwa and Hanuman the Messenger, and opened the festival with Blessings of the Barong.

Following head honcho I Nyoman Karissa around as he dragged fellow performers randomly into frame for introductions amid much good natured chatter and teasing, it was obvious that they were definitely a tight-knit bunch, whose bonds run as deep as their connection to the Balinese culture.

Boisterous and buzzing from the moment the human entourage landed at Changi Airport up until the end of their last set at the Esplanade Forecourt Garden, the group also hauled over their gamelan instruments, many (many) masks, costumes, and even a temple entrance. Also in cargo were Rangda (a witch, a symbol of negative traits such as greed) with her large tusks, crazy nails and matted hair, as well as a 40kg furry Barong (a lion-like protector, a symbol of goodness) with clacking jaws. Most, if not all of this, is handmade by the same community and ecosystem back home.

For these performers, Balinese temple arts are in their blood. The actors and musicians have parents or siblings who are actors and/or musicians themselves. Some of them are also craftsmen, of masks, costumes and instruments, which are indispensable to the ritual performances that are part of life for the Balinese.

Watch the video for a sense of their infectious camaraderie and insight into why tales of the Ramayana matter more than ever in modern contexts.

These videos were commissioned by Esplanade Offstage as part of the 15th edition of A Tapestry of Sacred Music from 12 – 14 Apr 2024, presented by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.