Legong, arguably the most famous of Balinese classical dances, is the epitome of feminine grace and beauty. It appears that the dance, created in the 19th century by a local prince after experiencing a “vision” of heavenly angels dancing in the sky, employs a set of intricate gestures and choreographies aimed at emphasizing the paramount exquisiteness of Balinese women.

It is no wonder that the dance is usually performed by female dancers.

A recent performance at the ongoing 38th Bali Arts Festival (PKB), however, showed that Balinese men were quite capable of emulating that feminine loveliness. Male dancers from the Ardhanareswari troupe of Sading village presented their Legong Muani, literally male legong, to a packed and clearly amused audience.

“It is not a new thing. In its early days, legong was performed by male dancers,” the troupe manager, Gusti Made Agus Wira Aditama, said.

Yet, the troupe’s recent performance added a new perspective to the ongoing hostility that surrounds the public debate on LGBTs in this country.

“Yes, some [of the dancers] are gay, but the majority are not,” the performance’s song coordinator, Nyoman Wija, said.

“We are often teased as being transvestites,” dancer Nyoman Sukama said, with a wide grin on his face.

A 50-year-old man, Sukama is the most senior dancer in the troupe. He and the other 14 dancers spent the last three months in intensive rehearsals for the performance. It is no easy feat for a male dancer to dress and perform a feminine dance.

“Donning this heavy and complicated costume is excruciating,” he said.

But all the hard work paid off handsomely. The audience loved them and never failed to show its appreciation through booming applause.

“The legong we perform is the authentic and complete repertoire,” Aditama said of the two-hour long performance.

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