( ban, ᬲᬂᬳ᭄ᬬᬂ) is a traditional sacred Balinese dance originated from the Indonesian island of Bali, it is based on the premise that an unseen force enters the body of an entranced performer. The force, identified as '' hyang'', is an important type of spiritual entity in ancient

Indonesian mythology The mythology of Indonesia is very diverse, the Indonesian people consisting of hundreds of ethnic groups, each with their own myths and legends that explain the origin of their people, the tales of their ancestors and the demons or deities in ...

. The ''sanghyang'' dances are considered sacred ritual dances and are performed exclusively at Balinese religious ceremonies.

Variants

''Sanghyang bojog''

The dancer is a man dressed like a monkey (''bojog'') and accompanied by a chorus of chanting ''sanghyang''. Before it begins, the dancer goes through the phases of summoning ape spirits. After conceding, the dancer will jump into a tree and mimic the behavior of an ape. This dance is only found in Bugbug, Karangasem.

''Sanghyang celeng''

This is a ''sanghyang'' dance variant only found in Duda, Karangasem, danced by a man wearing palm fiber clothing. The dancer mimics the movements of a pig.

''Sanghyang dedari''

''Sanghyang dedari'' is a dance performed by pre-pubescent girls, similar in some ways to the ''

legong Legong ( Balinese: ) is a form of Balinese dance. It is a refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions. Origins Legong probably originated in the 19th centu ...

'' dance. Often the girls are carried on the shoulders of men; trance is associated with this

ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized ...

''Sanghyang deling''

This dance is performed by a pair of pre-pubescent girls who are entered by the spirit of Goddess Sri (Goddess of Fertility). Each dancer holds a tree linked to a thread, where two suspended dolls are made from a lontar leaf called ''deling''.

''Sanghyang grodog''

This is danced by 23 people, each of whom has a different character.

''Sanghyang jaran''

''Sanghyang jaran'' is a dance performed by boys, who ride coconut hobby horses ('' Kuda Lumping'') in and around a fire. Trance is also associated with this ritual.

''Sanghyang sampat''

Drawn by a girl who has conceded a spirit with an intermediate broomstick (''sampat'') that is moved freely to the left and right. There is a similar dance with a piece of bamboo, called the ''sanghyang bungbung'' dance.

Gallery

File:Sanghyang dedari dance.jpg, ''Sanghyang dedari'' File:Sanghyang Deling.jpg, ''Sanghyang deling'' File:Sanghyang Jaran Fire Dance.jpg, ''Sanghyang jaran''

References

External links

Youtube video of Sanghyang

Sanghyang-Jaran-Dance

Balinese culture Theatre in Indonesia Traditional drama and theatre of Indonesia Dances of Bali Sacred dance Spirit possession {{Dance-stub