10 Interesting Facts of Kecak Fire Dance at Uluwatu, Bali

Bali has such amazing traditional dance forms, each so colorful and full of grace. Wiki mentions there are at least nine dance forms! Kecak Fire Dance is one among them.

As per customs followed by locals children are taught this art right from tender age. I read somewhere that even in womb they are played Balinese music. And before they can stand on feet they are taught to express with gestures, with fingers, hands, head and eyes.

Sita in Kechak Dance

Balinese Dance Forms

Balinese dances are performed on different occasions and for different purposes too. There are performances for pure entertainment, in cultural parks to mark festivals, and in the temples (Uluwatu Temple) too. Based on the purpose Balinese dance is grouped into 3 popular categories: Wali Dance (Sacred), Bebabi Dance (Semi Sacral), and Balihan Dance (entertainment).

Some of the popular Balinese dance forms are: Cendrawasih dance, Grouse dance, Margarita dance, Mask dance, Pendet dancing, Joged dance and more.

Kecak Fire Dance

Though I have seen couple of other forms of Bali dance it is Kechak fire dance which has left an unforgettable impression in my mind. (It is spelled as Kecak but the ‘c’ in Kecak sounds ‘ch’ as in chalk.) That lasting impact is most probably because the way it starts and also because of some bit of humor added to this otherwise serious story plot.

Chak chak

The stage is first set with just a lamp. A Balinese purohit covered fully in white garment enters the stage lights the lamp and chants prayers. This is one indication that the dance is a sacred one. Group of men in black and white checkered sarongs just around their waist enter the stage and sit cross legged around the lamp.

And then it starts. Men sitting in circles begin to chant chaka chaka chaka. They throw their arms in air and sway their bodies in rhythm. It is a bit of a surprise especially when you are hearing it for the first time. Slightly mind boggling and you wonder… whatever does it mean?! The entire dance drama has 5 scenes and each scene starts and ends with this chant of cak –cak.

Some find the noise similar to the chatter of monkeys. Some even claim it is just a sound produced to scare enemies. The nonstop chant of cak cak fully justices the name of the dance.

Humor by Hanuman

Hanuman, the Monkey God, makes a dramatic entry in the last scene of the dance drama. With quick jumps he lands right in middle of the audience. To the amusement of all he snatches a cap and exposes the bald head, or he pretends to search for lice in head of another, or takes the sunglasses and tries them on. The audience too plays on with his acts cheering him continuously.

This actually made me wonder if the monkeys of Uluwatu picked up the trait of snatching tourists’ belongings from Hanuman himself!

Hanuman makes his entry – Kechak dance Nov 2017.

Interesting Facts of Kecak Fire Dance

I have seen this dance twice and each time I was mesmerized in the same manner. The chant kept ringing in my mind even long after the dance ended. Here are some interesting facts of Kecak Dance that I read up from several sites.

• This dance drama enacts a part of Ramayana which is most famous epic of Hindus in Asia. Part of the story is taken and presented in dance drama form. It is the scene when Goddess Sita was abducted by King Ravana.
• Kecak Balinese community claims that the Kecak Dance was first developed in Bona, Gianyar.
• This dance first started in the 1930s. An artist named Wayan Limbak worked with a painter from Germany called Walter Spies. Together they developed this dance themed on a small part of Ramayana’s dramatic story. Their goal was to put up a performance for public.
• Since its inception in 1930s Kechak dance was performed by only men.
• It was in 2006 when for the first time women too began to perform this dance.

Ravana comes in disguise of beggar seeking alms from Sita

• This dance is credited to have the most number of dancers on stage at any one time compared to all of Bali’s famous dances. The figure can be easily 50+.
• The significant roles are performed by only 10 or 15.
• Kechak dance is a musical dance-drama. The music for this is a fusion of music accompanying Sanhyang Dance.
• Initially this dance could be staged only in temples because Sanhyang dance is one of the sacred dances of Bali. Now it is performed in cultural parks and in international theaters too.
• It is also called the Fire Dance because of the scene where Hanuman’s tail is put on fire and he jumps around creating chaos.
• Another among the interesting facts of Kecak dance is that here is no use of any musical instrument during this dance drama.

Entry of Ravana – Kecak Dance Uluwatu November 2017.

5 Scenes of Kecak Fire Dance

During the drama single shrill cries raise over the rhythm which changes the mood and tone of chaka chaka chaka sound. The voices rise high pitched and then fall to low hissing sounds as if all are in some trance. It is a kind of voice orchestra.

Scene 1 – Sita is attracted to a golden deer and asks Lord Ram to get the deer for her. Ram instructs His brother Lakshman to take care of Sita and sets off for the deer. A shrill cry of distance puts Sita at unease asks Lakshman to go help Ram.

Scene 2 – After Lakshman leaves Ravana comes in the form of a mendicant and asks for alms. Sita steps out to give alms when Ravana abducts Sita.

Scene 3 – Hearing Sita’s cries, Jatayu comes to fight for her but Ram cuts off his wing and leaves him injured.

Scene 4 – Ram and Lakshman set off to search for Sita. They meet Sugreev, help him twin over his kingdom from his brother Vali. In return he offers his entire army of monkey to Lord Ram to fight his enemy Ravana and bring back his wife Sita. Hanuman his friend too offers his help.

Scene 5 – Hanuman lands in the garden where Sita is imprisoned and offers the ring of Lord Ram. He assures her that she would be rescued soon. He then gets himself caught by Ravana’s soldiers. They set fire to his tail to kill him. But the Monkey God sets himself free and burns down whole of Ravana’s kingdom.

Traditional Dances

Interested in more traditional dance forms from around the world? Check these:
Flamenco Dance from Seville Spain
Tusu Dance from Sundarbans India

Kechak Fire Dance in Ubud

You can watch Kecak Fire Dance in Ubud too. They are held in Dalem Ubud Temple and in Padang Tegal Kaja Ubud. The dance starts in the evening 7 PM. And tickets cost IDR 75,000 per person.

Conclusion

A beautiful culture and art of Bali, don’t miss a chance to see Kecak Dance. Arrive early at the gallery of Uluwatu Temple to get the best seat. Thanks for the Familiarization Trip by Indonesia Tourism and Malindo Air. Opinions are completely my own.

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