Out of many kinds of masked dances in Bali, Jauk and Telek can be categorized as the most singular one. Jauk is the male version of this genre while Telek is the female one. Jauk and Telek are kind of masked dance that can be distinguished from other kind of masked dances out of its mask, outfit and dance movement.

The mask of Jauk is white or brown, fierce with large eyes and shiny teeth, moustache and sometimes with beard. The striking features of Jauk’s outfit are the bright head dress in the shape of Buddhist stupa and long artificial fingernails. Telek also wears the identifying stupa-shaped headdress and carries a fan, as for the mask, telek wears white mask with smiling pleasant expression. For the movement, Jauk movements is similar to baris (warrior) dance but with more exaggerated violence.

Jauk and Telek is closely associated with Barong performance; Jauk usually serves as the attendant of the Barong while Telek serves the Rangda, the opposite of the Barong; in some areas in Bali Jauk is correspond to Sandar while Telek to Omang. However, as a matter of fact, can be performed as solo dance, it is usually ten to twenty minute solo accompanied by Gong orchestra; no story is connected with the solo performance. Beryl de Zoete and Walter Spies in their book “Dance and Drama in Bali” also mentioned Jauk as a part of Calonarang performance, in which Jauk served as King Jayasenggara while the Telek served as the disciples of Calonarang.

Jauk and Telek, nowadays are rarely seen in dramatic performance; Jauk is usually performed as solo dance; as for Telek, I have never encountered a solo Telek; Telek can be categorized as a rare piece of Balinese dance.

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