Experiencing the Barong Dance in Kemenuh Village

The Kemenuh village was our destination for this bus trip. It was part of a Bali tour to visit a group of Balinese dancers performing a short piece called the Barong Dance. These dancers are traditional performers, meaning they don’t learn professionally in schools but rather within the village communities.

We stopped at the house of a successful Balinese man who had converted part of his property into a stage for dancers. Located at the back of the main building, the open-air stage was arranged with chairs for tourists to watch the show. Initially, they planned to perform in the open yard, but since it was raining that day, they had to move the performance to one of the pavilions.

The rain didn’t dampen the dancers' spirits. One by one, they appeared from behind the curtains.

The Barong dancers made their entrance, captivating the audience. Barong is a mythical lion that resembles a Chinese lion. Then, a group of young girls performed a welcoming dance, inviting the tourists to enjoy the show.

Curious, I wandered toward the end of the stage for a behind-the-scenes look. There, I saw a dancer dressed in a Rangda mask and costume. Rangda symbolizes evil, contrasting with Barong, the symbol of goodness. Rangda waited patiently for their turn to perform.

Meanwhile, additional characters added humor to the performance, playing the roles of jesters. Other dancers portrayed courtiers, reminding me that this was a tale from Bali’s ancient kingdoms—a time long past.

Then the Rangda appeared casting its evil magic only to stop by barong. There was fight between the two. Unlike the usual story, the good wins at the end, this fight is eternal. Symbolizing there is always good and bad in everything, or in this life.

Time seemed to fly, and soon the show reached its conclusion. The dancers bowed and thanked the audience for their attention.

Afterward, I guided the travelers back to the bus in the rain, and we continued our journey.