Development of tourism has penetrated into all aspect of Balinese life. And of course Balinese dance as an icon of Bali is among the first aspects of Balinese culture that are reshaped by the tourism. Balinese dance is reshaped from a performance for God sake to a show for amusement of tourists.

Sanghyang Dedari; source: Nadi; Trance in the Balinese Art;1999

The best example for profane-ization is the commercialization of Sanghyang Dance. Sanghyang Dance is a genre of sacred trance dance which is performed in the inner courtyard of a temple. There are nearly two dozens varieties of Sanghyang, most of them found only in remote northen and eastern mountain villages. All involve putting one or more dancers into trance by means of incense, chanting, and prayers, in order to receive possessing divinities. Inhabited by either by demonic or heavenly spirits, the entranced dancers then interact with the audience, and occasionally with each other, dancing like nymph or mimicking the animal movements and in some areas, speaking as oracles. The performance invariably involves improvisation by visiting spirits, which takes place along pre-established lines.

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Pura Samuan Tiga, an exceptionally unique temple situated in the village of Bedulu, 25 km from Denpasar, 5 km from Ubud, and only 400 m from Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah) sanctuary. Built in 10^th century in the reign of King Chandrasangka Warmadewa, this sacred temple was the royal temple of ancient Warmadewa dynasty. As suggest by its name, Balinese believe that Pura Samuan Tiga is a venue for the great meeting of the gods, deities, and saints – the word “samuan” means “meeting” and “tiga” means “three.”

This sacred temple is flanked by a meeting of two rivers – river Pande and river Tegending – on the east side and a reminiscent of an ancient pool on the west side and sacred trees such as banyan, pule and curiga which grow around the temple serve as giant umbrella. Unlike other Balinese’s temples that consist of three courtyards, Samuan Tiga temple has seven courtyards separated by walls and split gates, connected only by stairs that leading up to the innermost courtyard, the meeting hall of gods, deities and saints.

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The Sanghyang dance is included in trance dance genre. This dance is believed to have the power to invite the gods or sacred spirits to enter the body of the dancers and put them in a state of trance. It dates back to the ancient Pre-Hindu culture, a time when the Balinese people strongly believed that by the help of Holy Spirit through a medium of dancer sickness and disease could be eliminated. The is dance is usually performed in the fifth or sixth month of the Balinese traditional calendar as it is believe that during these particular months, the Balinese are vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses, or in the time of plague, failed crops or disaster.

There are 6 kinds of sanghyang dance widely known by the people: Sangyang Dedari, Sanghyang Deling, Sanghyang Jaran, Sanghyang Bojog, Sanghyang Celeng and Sanghyang Grobogan.

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