Kecak Dance

Probably the best known of the many Balinese dances, the Kechak is also unusual in that it does not have a gamelan accompaniment. Instead the background is provided by a chanting 'choir' of men who provide the 'chak-a-chak-a-chak' noise.

Tourists especially enjoy the performance staged by the Kechak dancers. This dance is also deeply rooted in local tradi- tion and Indian mythology and is inspired by Ramayana, an epic poem written in Sanskrit. The dance brings to life the tale of King Rama, his wife Dewi Sita and his brother Laksamana who were exiled to the forest for 14 years following some complex scheming in a struggle for power. In the forest, they are persecuted by Rahwana, the ogre king who then abducts Dewi Sita and makes her a prisoner of his palace on the Island of Lanka (Ceylon). Rama strikes an alliance with the monkey people whose army de- feats Rahwana's troups, making it possible for King Rama to rescue his wife. In each Kechak performance, a hundred or so dancers play the monkey army while a few female dancers are assigned specific roles (Dewi Sita, Trijata). The performance generally lasts one hour and takes place in the evening, preferably around 7 PM.