Gambuh: the oldest traditional Balinese dance

If you are lucky enough to be able to attend a Gambuh Dance show, don't miss it. Few Balinese artistic expressions demonstrate such finesse and complexity of performance as this dance dating back to the end of the Majapahit Era (circa 15th century) and with very few changes over the centuries. Gambuh Dance is characterized by a combination of elements, including dance, singing, acting, music and drama. Gambuh Dance performances can be extremely long and complex, often lasting several hours, involving a large cast of performers, musicians and singers. Initially supported by patronage at the royal courts of Bali's aristocracy, the dance, during and after the wars with the Dutch, found support solely by playing for temple ceremonies, becoming increasingly rarely performed. Music is a crucial element and is performed by a gamelan orchestra, which is a set of traditional Balinese instruments. Gambuh Dance features mythological and epic stories taken from the rich Balinese tradition, particularly the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. One of the features of the play is the Kawi language, an ancient literary language, spoken by refined characters and translated for audiences into contemporary Balinese.