Pendet dance, The oldest welcoming dance in Bali

Balitraveldiary.com – Pendet dance is one amongst the oldest welcome dances on the island of Bali. This dance has become an indivisible part of the nonsecular lifetime of the Hindu community in Bali.

Balinese performing art experts, based on several records. Agree that 1950 was the year of the birth of the Pendet dance. Not only when welcoming important guests. In every Balinese dance performance, but this dance is also always used as part of the opening dance.

This type of welcoming dance is performed by a group of young women. Each carrying a silver bowl of colorful flowers. And at the end of the dance. The dancers sprinkle the flowers they bring to the welcoming audience or guests, as a welcome.

Initially, Pendet Dance was used as a complement to piodalan ceremonies in family temples or shrines. As a symbol of gratitude, respect, and joy. When welcoming the presence of deities who descended from heaven.
The initiators of this dance are two artists born in the village of Sumertha, Denpasar, namely I Wayan Rindi and Ni Ketut Reneng.

Both created a welcoming Pendet dance with four dancers staged as part of a tourism performance at a number of hotels in Denpasar, Bali. In 1961, I Wayan Beratha developed this dance and increased the number of dancers to five people, as is often shown now.

In 1962, I Wayan Beratha and his friends re-develop.d the Pendet Dance which was danced en masse, the number of dancers was not less than 800 people and displayed at the gap ceremony of the Asian Games in the capital of Indonesia.

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