Barong Dance

Bali island have a thousands of unique art, culture and traditions are still until now. Not only to keep their cultural roots, but also as an entertainer travelers who traveled to the island of Bali. Many attractions including dance art that has a positive purpose and philosophy behind the dynamism of motion. One of them is the Barong Dance. Dances derived from pre-Hindu culture treasures illustrate the struggle between good and evil.


In the Barong Dance, Barong  represented as virtues, Barong is two dancers with a four-legged animal costumes. While evil played by Rangda, a creepy figure with fangs in his mouth. Both fight while dancing to the music of traditional Bali.

The costumes of Barong were interesting because it comes with a variety of trinkets. Barong itself is described as being a combination lions, tigers and bulls. In barong body decorated with ornaments of leather, pieces of mirror and equipped with feathers made from pandanus fiber.

In addition to playing pre-Hindu stories, there are also several other supporting characters like the monkey who is a friend of Barong, Dewi Kunti, Sahadev and followers of Rangda. Although dance is about the struggle between virtue and evil, this dance contains elements of comedy are inserted in the middle of the show. This was reflected in some movements of the Barong and monkey that makes laught.

Barong Dance is still an element of Balinese culture, its very strong especially at the things mystical. In making barong costumes, materials derived from sacred wood. Besides the Barong Dance is also interspersed Keris Dance. It is therefore not only a cultural dance, Barong dance is also very sacred by the Balinese.

Like the other arts and cultural of Indonesia, behind the uniqueness and beauty barong dance has meaning. The message that virtue will always triumph against evil its shown with the victory of Barong against Rangda.