There is no image more essentially Balinese than that of the young dancers, bound in golden cloth and sporting crowns of fragrant blooms, weaving about the stage to the accompaniment of the gleaming gamelan orchestra. It is instant enchantment.
Every village in Bali has at least one gamelan orchestra. Members of a village who are not painters, carvers, or artisans, participate as dancers and musician. In this way, Balinese culture is forever replete.
The gamelan, a mixture of Javanese metallaphones, Chinese symbals, Indian drums, and Arabian "Cello," is at the core of the island's performing arts. It is the symphony of temple rites, associated dance offerings, the short perfomance dances known as "Tari Lepas," mask plays, processions and myriad divertisments that has become a part of the Balinese musical legend. Add to this the trance dances,with their choral accompaniments, the fabulous wayang-kulit, or shadow puppet plays, the many types of Barong dance (the islands morality play-cum-excorsism rite which sometimes just springs up at any major temple festival) and the richness and diversity of Balinese performing arts is truly astounding.
There are many excellent performances held for tourists in hotels and other venues in Ubud and the surrounding villages. However, it is well worth it to contact a local guide, don proper ceremonial attire, and be escorted to a Balinese temple festival to witness the real thing.