'Originally a religious ritual, Baris dance is probably the most complex of all Balinese dance, requiring a very rigorous training. Baris dancing is the male equivalent of the Legong dance. The name “Baris” means “line”, referring to the line of soldiers who served the Rajas of Bali in ancient times. Baris dance is a traditional war ...

W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp was born in Holland and first came to Bali in 1904. He was the 1st Western artist to visit Bali. After a quick return to Holland, he came back in 1906. Even though he didn’t settle in Bali like Walter Spies, he travelled around a lot, often coming back to Bali. His motto was “Vagando Acquiro” (while ...

'Adrien-Jean Lemayeur came to Bali in 1932 and first settled in Denpasar. As many artists after him, he simply fell in love with Bali and what was supposed to be a 8 months stay, became a lifetime decision when he met Ni Pollok, a 15 year old girl who was famous for being the most talented Legong dancer in Bali. She later became Lemayeur’s model ...

The gamelan is the Balinese orchestra that can be heard as a tribute to the Gods and deified ancestors in temple ceremonies, weddings, cremations, family temple ceremonies and procession. There are more than twenty different types of gamelan, each with their own traditions, repertoire, social and religious ...

The Barong dance is also a story of Good overcoming Evil. The Barong, mythical creature, protector of good (embodied by two dancer in a costume), fights Rangda, the evil Lord of Darkness. The tale is told by a dance rythmed to the sound of a Gamelan gorchestra. As the fight goes on, supporters of Barong, a group of men armed with Kris, try ...