Bali Anjani BLOG: Welcome Dance PANYEMBRAMA

One of the most reasons why people love Bali is because of the hospitality. Balinese always welcome you to enjoy their beautiful island with the unique culture and tradition.

[ Download ]

Panyembrama is Balinese welcome dance. The dance was performed for the first time at the Pandaan Festival in 1971, and now Panyembrama Dance is not only performed on the commercial stage, but is also performed as the opening dance of religious ceremonies in temples.

After spending many years learning Balinese dance and traditional instruments, I Wayan Berata made a composition for a new dance called Panyembrama, 1963. The name of the dance comes from the Balinese word for welcome.

The dance is danced by two or more female dancers wrapped in Tapih (layers of cloth), kamben (sarong), and belt (a long cloth which bandages the body from waist till chest). These are colorful traditional Balinese fabrics which are adorned with golden motifs called prada. The dancer's hair is decorated with frangipani and gold flowers. They are just like angels floating down from the sky.

The dancers' movements follow vibrant gamelan. They enter the stage slowly. Their smiles set nicely on their vividly made up faces. Their wide eyes look more spectacular and mysterious with a touch of vivid black eyeliner. Their slow steps emphasize their exotic curvaceous bodies. According to the creator, all the routines in the Panyembrama dance are the combination of basic routines of Balinese dance such as Legong Keraton and Condong. Although this dance has no story to tell but it is still very attractive since the classic moves and smile of the dancers create a charming nuance.

Roses, frangipani, and other flowers play an important role in this dance. The dancers carry a bokor, an engraved bowl made from silver or aluminum, laden with flowers. There are two unique routines in this dance. The first one is when the dancers bend to their knees and make a gesture as if they are praying in Balinese Hindu way.

Actually this routine is designed to wish for blessing from God so the dancer may dance perfectly and the audience will get charmed by the dance.

The second routine is when all the dancers make a round movement and scatter the flowers over the guests as an expression of welcome. This routine is also a sign that the performance is finished and you have spent more or less seven minutes enjoying the performance, but it can seem like a timeless moment.

This is how the Balinese welcome their guests and is how Bali Anjani Vacations welcome you as our Balinese family.

More Info :