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The Smallest 'Barong'
Perfect movements: Despite his youth, barong dancer Putra Pratama dances through the complex steps of the barong dance
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Perfect movements: Despite his youth, barong dancer Putra Pratama dances through the complex steps of the barong dance.
Putra Raditya Pratama, at just 7 years of age, is believed to be the youngest barong (lion) dancer in Bali.
A long-tailed monkey chattered at the feet of the great barong (lion). Combing through the mythical beast's dense hair, the monkey groomed the animal towering above him, just as he did with his family in the forest.
A 125-people strong audience at Bali Budaya in Sumampan sat in suspended disbelief as the bright blue monkey drew the crowd into his world. So immersed in his character was the dancer within the monkey costume that viewers scarcely believed he had just stepped out of the jungle nearby.
The dancer who carried this audience of cruise-ship holidaymakers away into the midst of Mahabaratha legends is an extraordinary performer and his tiny stature belies his ability.
Putra Raditya Pratama, at just 7 years of age, is believed to be the youngest barong dancer in Bali. With his father, Nyoman Triyana, the little boy regularly performs across the Hindu island and as far away as Java.
And he loves it. 'I started dancing when I was little. I like it because when I dance the monkey role I feel like a monkey. Best of all is wearing the mask,' says Putra, who performs a range of classical roles, including the complex and physically challenging barong dance.
He was born to dance, says Putra's father, Nyoman, seated on the family veranda and surrounded by gamelan instruments and barong and Calon Agung costumes.
In a far corner of the Tengkulak village compound, a pair of barong stand waiting for their new owners. A dancer and costume maker, Nyoman has carved out a life dedicated to Bali's traditional arts, crafting the exquisite costumes and masks for public and sacred performances. His children are following in his dance steps.
From the moment of his birth, little Putra has been immersed in a magical world of heroes and villains; they hover on his veranda as the songs and dances that tell their stories and rock the boy to sleep. By the age of 3, he was already dancing, says his father.
'I could see Putra's talent even when his was very young. I saw when he was alone that he danced the barong movements without being taught, he had learned just from watching the dancers,' says Nyoman, who was born into a farming family that had little interest in the arts. Where his own fascination with Balinese arts came from is a mystery, he says.
'We were not always a family of artists. My parents had no interest at all so I was not taught by my parents or grandparents. My interest started when I was as small as Putra. I liked the arts even though it was not a family heritage,' says Nyoman, who is today a well-respected barong dancer. He teaches the grandchildren of Bali's Governor, I Made Mangku Pastika, the classical dances of Bali.
'As a child I loved barong and decided to follow that art form because barong is a heritage, a gift, from all of our ancestors in Bali. I want to protect that heritage now and for future generations,' says Nyoman who with Putra performs almost weekly across Bali.
As a barong craftsman, Nyoman has made a miniature barong costume for his son. Weighing just 6 kilograms, this perfect scaled down version allows Putra to dance alongside his father, attracting young audiences to the performance.
'Normally, little children are frightened of the big barong and cry when they see it. Putra's barong costume is little and friendly and so he opens a door to these children to join the dance,' says Nyoman, whose goal is to preserve the Balinese arts.
'I want these unique arts to give the young their heritage without cost. When Putra goes to villages to dance, other children are motivated to learn and we share and teach our unique culture,' says Nyoman, stressing that Balinese arts and culture are an essential element of its religious practice.
Dance, gamelan and wayang (shadow puppet) performances are 'tied to our religion, so it's important to protect this culture. The temples are critical to maintaining the arts and the arts are critical to the temples', says Nyoman.
For little Putra, dancing is like breathing. Climbing into his barong costume, his body twitches and stiffens into the precise movements prescribed. For just a second, however, the costume shifts and within is seen a little boy laughing with delight in the magic of the dance.
' Photos by JB Djwan
