Early in 20^th century many new forms of dance and drama were introduced as a result of the introduction of modern elements to Balinese dance and drama. Among the successful new forms of dance and drama, Prembon is considered to be sum of all dance-drama of Bali. This new form of drama is a combination of previously separate dance and drama genres, a hybrid and composite form of Balinese dance and drama.

Prembon dance drama. Photo courtesy http://www.gsj.org/

(more…)

Gambuh, a classic dance drama that now is in the edge of extinction, is considered as the ancestor of all Balinese dances. All dance-technique originates in its movement, all scales and melodies from its peculiar gamelan. It is so rare that a Balinese may never see a gambuh performance throughout his life.

The origin of gambuh can be traced back to 1007 A.D. the first mention of gambuh appears in a lontar, palm leave manuscript, with a Candra Sengkala (a method of expressing time), in the year of 929 Caka or 1007 A.D. This lontar mentions that in 1007 A.D. King Udayana Warmadewa of Bali had married a Javanese princess from Daha, east Java, named Cri Gunapriya Dharmapatni. When the princess went to Bali, in her entourage she brought Javanese dancers and artist with her. According to the lontar, King Udayana was very fond of Javanese dancing and in this period developed the dance known as gambuh, here is an excerpt from the lontar:

(more…)