9 Balinese Dance Declared As UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage

Bali is full of events that are evidence of historical continuity, major pride of the island. The great variety of dance performances is one of the distinctive elements of this uniqueness, also recognized by UNESCO which declared traditional dances World Cultural Heritage, helping to protect and preserve them. This includes supporting the training of new generations of dancers and musicians given the complexity of the choreographies and movements which require particular technical mastery. Balinese dances are inspired by nature and symbolize particular traditions, customs and religious values, they are divided into sacred, semi-sacred and dances intended for the enjoyment of communities in general. The performers are dressed in elaborate traditional costumes, and perform by staging mythological or historical episodes linked to local culture, giving life to characters such as princesses, gods or spirits. Thus, for example, in the Barong Dance, dancers whose movements represent the struggle between good and evil are opposed, while in the Baris Dance 30 adult men hold spears and greet the coming of the divinity into the world. In Sanghyang Dedari dance is danced to protect villages from epidemics or natural disasters, while the Sidhakarya Dance usually becomes the conclusion of religious ceremonies as a complement to seal any ritual performed previously.