MASTER DANCE OF BALI- A DANCE REVIEW
Shimpony space New York
In Bali age is no barrier to movement dancers learn their craft as children often as young as age four and may continue performing well into old age. Mature performers are revered for the mastery they bring to their form. A program presented by the world music instute featured several highly accomplished dancers and musicians ranging in age from their late from their late 30s to their early 80s
The most senior of these octogenarian NI ketut cenik presented her joged pingitan an excerpt from an hour long solo choreoghraphy. She began moving her head so subtly that it appeared still; while the flowers on hear headdress swayed in time with the music throughout the dance she combined stillness and motion in ways that heightened a sense of phrasing and stimulated the audience,s attention with her serene smiles delicate shimmies and fluttering fan, Cenik cast a teasing spell of seduction
Contrasting this portrait of feminine grace I Made Jimat performed baris tunggal a character study of a male warriior. He displayed a commanding sense of control with his balancing manuevers and his quivering handa.Balinese dances often emphasize eye movements in his baris Djimat,s eyes appeared to scan the horizon for danger registering a range of emotions from alarm and fear to pleasure and excitement