5 Balinese Dances You Must Know About - A glimpse into the colourful local arts, culture, and entertainment

Kecak Dance — or Balinese Fire Dance, as it is known popularly among the tourists to the Indonesian island — is a form of Balinese music drama and Hindu dance. Since its introduction in the 1930s in Bali, the traditional dance has been primarily performed by men, until recently in 2006 in Ubud, women too began performing Kecak. In its basic form, the dance involves a group of shirtless men dancing in a circle, waving their arms as they chant, "Chak Chak-Chak-Chak". The aesthetic spectacle is a re-enactment of the historical love story of "Ramayana".

The one with the lion costume — that's how most visitors to Bali distinctly remember the Barong Dance from the island's whole host of traditional dances. The dressed-up lion that grabs everyone's attention is the "symbol of good faith", while the demonic witch Rangda with huge fangs and dagger-like claws portrays "evil". The traditional dance is a representation of the never-ending war between good and evil, and the cultural myth that animals have supernatural powers that could protect humans.

If one had to rank traditional Balinese dances based on intricacy, there's no doubt that Legong Dance would top the list. Unlike other dances of Balinese culture, Legong involves complicated footwork, intricate finger movements, and expressive gestures and facial expressions. The dance is performed only by young girls, often as young as 8 or 9 years old, for which the reasons are not apparent. While a striking spectacle to both tourists as well as locals, the traditional dance is a representation of the ancient story of "Rangkesari", who had been held captive by King Lasem after finding her lost in a forest.

Baris Dance isn't just a single dance, but a family of traditional war dances on the Indonesian island of Bali. While there's a whole host of Baris Dances, all in their basic form, depict the feelings of young Balinese warriors prior to battle, praising the masculinity and the bravery of the nation's patriots. Unlike most other traditional Balinese dances, Baris dances are performed only by men, for which the reason is quite apparent, as the dance is all about male warriors.

Unlike most Balinese dances that involve well-trained dancers and intricate dance steps and movements, Pendet Dance can be performed just by anybody as it involves only a few simple dance movements. Treat your eyes to a charming Pendet Dance spectacle, often performed in the courtyards of Balinese Hindu temples and retreat to one of the finest Bali serviced apartments the likes of Citadines Berawa Beach Bali.