SPECIAL EVENT FOR THE ASIA SOCIETY PHILIPPINES FOUNDATION
AT THE BALI PURNATI CENTER FOR THE ARTS
1. WELCOME music is played for the arriving guests from Jalan Gunung Abang to the Purnati.
2. In the entrance area a white “wall” of fabric is a stage for a PUPPET SHADOW SHOW and puppet performers with attractions involving about10 children-actors.
3. Single BARIS Dance by a12 years old performer is followed by six KAKANG-KAKANG dancers coming down the stairs and dancing at the entrance area while guests enjoy a welcome drink .
4. After finishing Kakang-Kakang the dancers are guiding the guests up the stairs followed by KODOK, twenty FROG DANCERS (wearing frog masks), guiding everyone through the gardens to the pool side for a cocktail party.
5. The cocktail party is accompanied by a KERONCONG singer. The guests are then slowly lead by the pavilion to hear instrumental music similar to that composed for I La Galigo.
6. Flute music for PAKARENA dance from Makassar and Pencak Silat (of South Sulawesi) is then coming from the amphitheatre, accompanied by traditional drums with new composition for this famous, traditional female dance with fans.
7. A male traditional fire dance from Makassar, TUTU-PEPEKA RI MAKKAH is then performing on the wooden covers over the small river as guests are coming down from the amphitheater followed by a procession of musicians.
8. Balinese BARONG dance is staged atop a small hill next to the pavilion.
9. Barong is followed by BARIS GEDE Dance of ten male dancers at the amphitheater and the show is continued with a grand finale, a contemporary new dance that includes all the PAKARENA dancers.
10. After the performances guests are welcomed up to the Pavilion for dinner accompanied by live, soft music.
11. After dinner there is once more a PUPPET SHADOW SHOW being performed at the entrance area as guests are leaving Purnati.
PAKARENA is an ancient traditional dance originating in the Bugis and Makassar areas of south Sulawesi. Until quite recently, only the royal family could perform this dance, which arrived with Tu Manurung (the first Queen of Gowa). This sacred dance demands skill, concentration, calmness and full passion. Through the movements women dancers express religious faith, value of family and their own personal strength.
KODOK is a traditional frog dance. It tells a story of a prince of Jenggala who was fond of catching dragonflies and disappeared in a dense forest near an erupting volcano. A few years later a frog emerged which was believed to be the reincarnation of the lost prince. One day the prince-frog encountered a beautiful princess of Daha, fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. Unable to fulfill this dream the frog committed itself to ascetic life, but by the great God Wisnu was turned into a handsome young man, resembling the lost prince of Jenggala.
KAKANG-KAKANG dance is performed as a welcome to most important guests. Young girls dressed in traditional Balinese costumes, each holding a silver bowl filled with fragrant flowers, perform this dance.
BARIS is a warrior dance. It depicts a hero departing for a battlefield. Striking movements illustrate actions and acute alertness of a noble warrior. He detects signs of hidden enemy and steps into the unknown world of a horrible battle. Precision, speed and strength are required of the dancer.
BARONG dance illustrates a contest between opposing forces of Chaos and Destruction (Rangda) and order (Barong). The story teaches of positive and negative forces necessary to create balance in everyday life..
KERONCONG music originated in Portugal and Spain and later evolved in Indonesia using traditional instruments accompanied by voices. The songs ate typically local.
TUTU-PEPEKA RI MAKKAH is a classic yet unknown fire dance from Bugis Makassar. The dance playfully shows how a sarong fabric can be touched with fire without being burned. This dance teaches the importance of unity between men and fire
This special evening of performances was organized