Balinese Dance, Drama And Music

Rating:
Summary: A captivating tour of the history, style, and function
Review: Extensively illustrated with over 200 full-color photographs, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music: A Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali takes the reader on a captivating tour of the history, style, and function of Balinese gamelan music, dance, drama, and puppetry. Suitable for all ages, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music covers how performing arts are learned in Bali, the principal Balinese values that artistic media passes on, and discussion of individual forms of performing arts, such as Gameland Gong Kebyar, Lgong Keraton, Baris, Wayang Kulit, and the relatively recent phenomenon of women's and children's performing groups. A bibliography and discography round out this superbly captivating survey, written by expert dancers and choreographers.


Rating:
Summary: CAPTURES THE MAGIC AND BEAUTY OF BALINESE CULTURE
Review: This excellent book provides an extensive, reader-friendly overview of Balinese dance, music, drama and culture. It's the book we've all been waiting for. Written in an informal and high accessible style with wonderful pictures and illustrations it will no doubt be treasured by academics, Baliopihiles or anyone wanting to visit Bali and more deeply experience it's powerful culture. Rucina and Dibia (I know them both) are extraordinary and passionate lovers of all things Bali and have written and taught extensively for decades. If anyone was to write this book, they were the obvious choice.

There are dozens of books on this subject - most far too academic and inaccessible - including some of the classics. They got the information right, found the right expressive tone, and the layout is stunning.

A wonderful experience throughout!

Michael Wiese, filmmaker, publisher and Baliophile