Ideological Struggle behind the Marginalization of Contemporary

Dance in the Bali Arts Festival

I Nyoman Cerita

Faculty of Performing Arts, Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar, Jl. Nusa Indah, Sumerta, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Keywords: Balinese Arts Festival, Ideology, Marginalization, and Contemporary Dance.

Abstract: Bali Arts Festival (BAF) is an important outlet for presentation of Balinese artswith important functions and

meanings regarding the exploration, preservation and development of Balinese art and culture. This annual

festival has served as a venue for artistic performances that are creative, competitive, appreciative and

educative. As contemporary danceis created based on a multitude of different culture ideas, this event has the

potential to create momentum for contemporary dance’s in Balinese performing arts. However, strong

ideology within Balinese society makes contemporary dance performance a serious challenge,because

inperforming arts spheresit is considered a break from traditional values. This assumption is held dear for

Balinese people, because BAF is a medium of activity and artistic creativity that upholds local cultural

values.This study aims to find out and understand the ideological struggle behind the marginalization of

contemporary dance in BAF by using qualitative methods in the data collection system conducted through:

interviews, observations, and documents analyzed accurately with critical cultural study theories. The results

of this study, implicitly and explicitly show that there is a sharp gap in the quantity of contemporary dance

performances each year when compared to traditional dance. The gap is a resultof the popularity of traditional

dance artsas being closely related to the domain of spirit and socio-cultural ideology; thus, the marginalization

of contemporary dance in BAF. Until now, it has always been a struggle in various discourses both in

theinformal and more serious levels, namely formal or scientific.

1 INTRODUCTION

In the contemporary era which is characterized by the

influence of globalization, there has been a rapid

development of technology, telecommunications, and

information so that it is very difficult to stem the rapid

cultural changes. Globalization that unites Bali with

the countries of global capitalism-Bali as part of the

global village has resulted in “market religion” which

is quickly entering Balinese socio-cultural system

(Atmaja, 2010:74). Contemporary dance is created

through creativity, intention and sense which is part

of the culture, and born in the present era should be

accepted and favored by the community, because it

has been accordance with the artistic preferences of

society nowadays. Theoretically, views concerning

the existence of contemporary dance are very logical,

because cultural elements, including the arts that are

seen havingimportant function for people's lives will

still survive in the contemporary society. In other

words, if the society and its culture experience a

change, then the artistic and philosophical values of

dance art will possibly change according to its time.

Therefore, the dance art still survives, even developed

in accordance with the socio-cultural conditions of

the community. It provides an open space for

performing artists, especially artists who are

struggling in the contemporary field for activities and

creativities which are at the same time used as

momentum for change, reform and development of

contemporary dance which is a current dance.

In this regard, the Province Government of Bali

has conducted various events. One of the most

prestigious ones is Bali Arts Festival (BAF). BAF

which is covered by Regional Regulation of Bali

Province Number 7 of 1986, then revised by Regional

Regulation No. 4 of 2006, is a grand Balinese cultural

program that is carried out periodically every year as

a medium for creative, innovative, competitive,

appreciative, and educative art performances. The

regulation was issued based on two strong grounds,

namely (1) Balinese art as an integral part of national

culture and (2) Balinese cultural elements that has a

fundamental function in Balinese civilization process

Cerita, I.

Ideological Struggle behind the Marginalization of Contemporary Dance in the Bali Arts Festival.

DOI: 10.5220/0008544500200028

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities (ICONARTIES 2019), pages 20-28

ISBN: 978-989-758-450-3

whose function and existence need to be maintained.

BAF is a cultural activity that has a cultural,

educational and economic function (Government of

Bali Province, 2013:1)

Through BAF event, the development of

contemporary dance works in Bali that always has a

new, creative and innovative nuance can generate the

dynamics of Balinese performing arts showing

different color year by year.However, in reality

contemporary dance has always been marginalized in

BAF events. This fact clearly shows that it is not in

line with the vision and mission of the BAF itself,

namely as an assessment, maintenance, preservation

and development. Concerning its dynamics, it is

expected that its developmentis proportioned based

on the potential, relevance and development of art in

the global era which consists of sixty percent (60%)

in the field of conservation and forty percent (40%)

in the field of development (Culture Board of Bali

Province 2015: 13). Having a close look at

proportion, relevance potential as well as the vision

and mission of BAF, the logical consequences of

contemporary dance as an explorative work can live

and develop as much as forty percent (40%) of the

development program. Conversely, the fact is that

contemporary dance in BAF is increasingly out of

breath even it is almost extinct in BAF programs. It

can be assumed that the popularity of a dance art is

closely related to the domain of spirit and socio-

cultural ideology that lies behind the marginalization

of contemporary dance in BAF. The ideological

meaning in BAF is to be able to provide a better way

of life for the community based on the ideas,

suggestions, norms or values agreed upon in the

socio-cultural life of Balinese people. In this case,

ideology carries out its mission as the binding factor

in Balinese society. It gives guidance to those who

believeconcerning the goals, ideals, practical plans

that showthe changes and progress of the expected

social condition. Based on facts and thoughts

including the ideological influence on the

marginalization of contemporary dance in BAF every

year is interesting to be further investigated through

this study,.

2 DEFINITION, FUNCTION AND

MEANING OF IDEOLOGY

Before presenting the discussion to the ideological

struggle behind the marginalization of contemporary

dance in BAF, the meaning and function of ideology

in the perspective of cultural studies. Literally,

ideology is ideas or suggestions that regularly handle

various political, economic and socio-cultural

problems. It can also be as a principle, view of life,

direction in human life both individually and in

groups. In accordance with this understanding,

Takwin said as follows.

"... the ideology that spreads throughout the

practice of life, in small and large acts, in the ordinary

and natural mind, in the conversation about the

weather of today, and all the smallest sidelines of

human life. Ideology for Althusser is not "false

consciousness" as Marx affirms, but something

profoundly unconscious, as things that are not deeply

realized. Ideology is everything that has been

embedded in the individual, throughout his life;

history turn into nature, a product of history that

seems to manifest something natural. From the cradle

to the grave, a man lives with ideology "(Takwin in

Althuser 2008: xvi).

Reality, based on its function and meaning,

ideology becomes a social phenomenon that is faced

with trust and distrust (rejection). As a discourse,

ideology continues to be discussed because of its

existence which generates controversy and is

continuously debated by two different forces, namely

those who support and who reject it as a form of

reconstruction of an order (Warjio,2016:264). In the

history of politic, the wordof ideology does have

negative connotations in everyday life. It is associated

with deception, mystification, duping, as a period

filled with violence, intrigue, and political conflict.

For example, the G30S(Gerakan 30 September)

Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI)in1965tragedy, the

reform movement, and various other social conflicts

as factual evidence that has claimed human victims.

In such situations and ideology, it is in a position as a

struggle for meaning that is debated between

trustworthy and untrustworthy. Further the meaning

of ideology by Seliger (Thomson, 2014: 117 in

Warjio, 2016: 264) says as follows.

"An ideology is a collection of beliefs and

disbelief (rejection) expressed in sentences and

explanatory statements. It provides a relative

permanent basis for a community group to justify

trust in moral norms and evidence of factual facts and

self-awareness-based rationalization related to the

legitimacy of implementation and the technical

prescriptions that are intended to guarantee the

actions displayed for the protection, reform,

destruction or reconstruction of the existing order"

The opinions of the experts above and in the

context of the implementation of BAF which is a

great occasionof Balinese art and culture shows that,

Ideological Struggle behind the Marginalization of Contemporary Dance in the Bali Arts Festival

in its implementation there are elements of ideology

in a liquid manner for each program. The indicator is

that BAF is a set of ideas that are drafted

conceptually, systematically, as well as in a

coordinative manner as a guide in every

implementation, the targeted order, and held firmly

and believed by Balinese both formal and non-formal.

Through BAF’s vision and mission, namely:

exploration, preservation and development of

Balinese art and culture. The annual implementation

of BAF highly upholds these elements so that they

have an impact on the social gap in the performance

program. Gaps occur in staging programs that are

always dominated by traditional dances, and

contemporary dance is always marginalized. In such

a position, ideological functions and meanings

become never-ending debates and struggles. It is said

that because on one side, ideology can be meaningful

as an adhesive for social relations together by

establishing collective values and norms that are

agreed upon. But on the other hand these values and

norms cannot fully build a society's stability because

they are strongly influenced by people's actions and

behaviors (Warjio, 2016: 265). In this case it can be

understood that a community’s social life with its

pluralistic backgrounds of thought, profession,

experience, behavior, mentality and belief cannot be

inevitable in arising elements of militant hegemony

and fanaticism for certain ideological supporters.

From the bigotry, it is implicitly seen the occurrence

of marginalization against contemporary groups of

people.

2.1 Ideology in Critical and Polemic

Genealogy as a Background of the

Marginalization of Contemporary

Dance in BAF

In social life, criticizing is a representation of the

ideological debate of each principle, outlook and

belief both individually and in groups. In everyday

language according to Sylvan Barnet's observation

(Marianto, 2006:170) critics is generally defined as

an activity of "finding fault and /or being able to find

weaknesses". In such conditions, the situation of one's

thoughts in the activity will be found, that is, feeling

of depressed, disappointed, and frustrated for those

who are criticized, and feeling of proud, and even

extraordinary for those who criticize. The occurrence

of such situations and conditions gap creates a

conflict. In this case, critics is positioned as a

reproach, condemnation, scorn, and a review that

enables debates to happen on certain objects, both

into positive and negative directions.

The function and meaning of ideology in the

phenomenon of critics and polemic generally cannot

be separated from the elements of trust and distrust

(rejection) against the ideological meaning as

mentioned by the experts above. Therefore, based on

its nature, critics and polemic ideology can be

classified into two, namely constructive and

deconstructive critics and polemics. Constructive

critics and polemic is an activity in the form of

suggestions or messages and impressions of certain

objects which are expressed in writing or verbal

discourses which are constructive, motivating, based

on the values relating to the construction of the object.

This kind of critics refers to a cultural value approach

in which the process of giving and receiving (sharing)

is carried out, mutual understanding with the

awareness that everyone has advantages and

disadvantages so as to arouse a person's spirit into a

positive direction. Deconstructive polemic and critics

are expressions in both written and verbal language

of a person against a particular object in a

controversial form, usually by means of reproach,

derision, and sometimes in a rough manner. Such

critics use a radical approach to subjectivity, leaving

the professionalism and proportionality of an object

so that it disrupts consensus and often causes negative

things or conflicts. Looking at the form and nature of

critics in the form of critics writing, by borrowing the

opinion of W.H. Audens quoted by Sylvan Barnet in

(Marianto, 2006: 171) it is described that a critic

would be useful if the critics directs attention to things

that are worthy of observation. A critics should create

an atmosphere of focused consensus, and not be

patronizing. With regard to this,treats critics

succinctly, namely "humans must be taught as if you

were not teaching them. Unknown things are

proposed as forgotten things”.

In the field of art, the issue of critics as an

ideological debate is a normal thing, even common in

artistic activities and creativity as in contemporary

dance. The journey and development of

contemporary dance in Bali is packed with polemics

and critics that are deconstructive when confronted

with traditional art. Both of these streams with their

respective characteristics and ideology have caused a

shocking event in Bali in the form of critics and

polemics which have become debates, contradictions,

arguments and then exposed in the mass media. The

following is the data in analyzing ideology in critics

and polemic genealogy amid the dominance of

traditional dance in Bali as well as the

marginalization of contemporary dance in BAF that

is using two data, namely: First, contemporary dance

polemics and critics by Sardono W. Kusumo entitled

ICONARTIES 2019 - 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities

"Kecak Rena in Teges village, Ubud, Gianyar in

1972. Secondly, the work of I WayanDibia entitled

"SetanBercanda" in 1978.

In 1972, Sardono, who is called “Mas Don”,

created a contemporary dance along with a kecak

dance group in Teges Village, Ubud, Gianyar. This

work was programmed to perform on a tour around

Java. The plan was well organized by Mas Don with

his friends from Jakarta Arts Education Institute (now

the Jakarta Art Institute or IKJ). The different

atmosphere happened when slowly but surely a

negative attitude emerged with the start of the

publication of a shocking polemic in the mass media,

on the first page of the Bali Post newspaper. The

polemic in the article titled

"EksperimentKecakTelanjang". The article gave the

impression that dozens of people were naked doing

kecak dance, and Sardono had ordered a Hindu cleric

(pemangku) to dance. These two problems provoked

the anger of Balinese people (Sardono, 2004: 2). The

uproarious polemic in the community became a

media of intense discussion, debate and struggle and

deconstructive critics against Mas Don's work.

Sardono's dance work is considered to be destructive

and abusive of the standards of Balinese tradition and

culture. There are still many expressions and

blasphemies that corner Sardono with various

scathing critics from artists, cultural observers,

officials in the bureaucracy, and officials of the Bali

Province Government.

Secondly, the ideology in the genealogy of critics

and polemics of contemporary dance by I

WayanDibia, entitled "SetanBercanda" in 1978. This

contemporary dance is a dance work that artistically

shows a new breathing dance performance. The

presence of this contemporary dance was at the

beginning of the development of contemporary dance

in Bali in 1978. At that time the community did not

recognize contemporary dance. As a new dance work

that has never been seen or watched by the public,

especially in Bali, it gave rise to interpretations,

perceptions, responses, mockeries, even insults in the

form of scathing critics toward the dance. A

contemporary dance performance that was

considered breaking and even leaving the Balinese

tradition with its strong existence and highly held up.

Balinese fanaticism towards tradition, made the dance

blasphemous and even reviled. It was begun with

Balinese community who watched the dance

performance of "SetanBercanda" on Denpasar TVRI

station which was aired in order to fill the Bhineka

Tunggal Ika broadcast program on November 6,

1978. The community was surprised by the dance

performances they saw which was so different from

the habits that they thought it was strange, weird, and

even considered crazy. The contemporary dance

performance "SetanBercanda" on TVRI made an

uproar and shocked the performing arts, causing

various reactions and responses, critics, and polemic

in the mass media. Various kinds of mockery,

reproach, scolding as scathing critics were sent to I

WayanDibia through Bali Post newspaper. Bali Post

media had become a fierce ideological battlefield as a

media of debate and exciting struggle about

contemporary dance "SetanBercanda" for a month

(Kuswanti, 2012: 68). Critics also came from I

NyomanSumitrajaya B.A, having his address at

JalanMotaAin 16 Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. It

was said that the dance "SetanBercanda" may be

inspired by the film of Leak Ngakak, then his

imagination did not focus to Bali anymore, "The Last

Paradise", but to the Baliem Valley, IbanDayak even

"Apache Indians". (Sumitrajaya, Bali Post November

15, 1978, in Kuswanti, 2012: 69). Facing this critics,

I WayanDibia responded calmly through the

"PikiranPembaca" column. All critics were

considered attention to his work that had been

difficultly worked out, and appealed to "critics" when

assessing a dance work not only through its outer

look, but also through its themes, concept, designs,

and ideas contained in it. (Dibia, Bali Post, 13

November 1978, in Kuswanti, 2012: 69).

The two data above are social phenomena as a

representation of ideological social life. The ideology

embedded in this community group is classified as a

social non-political ideology, namely religious,

philosophical, and artistic ideology. Critics and

polemic of contemporary dance in the midst of both

formal and non-formal societies is the spread of social

ideology whose implications cannot be separated

from the element of hegemony. According to

Gramsci, these ideological apparatus are the most

sophisticated tools of hegemony to preserve power,

preserve the structure of the dominant class, and

perpetuate oppression. The trick is by striving as

much as possible so that the ideology is adhered by

all classes and groups, both ruling and controlled

classes. Gramsci reaffirmed that statement, so that

those who are controlled to obey the authorities, those

who are controlled not only must feel to own and

internalize the values and norms of the authorities,

more than that they must also give consent to their

subordination. This is what Gramsci meant by

"hegemony" or ruling with "moral and intellectual

leadership" (Pramono in Santoso et al, 2007: 89-90).

In this context, it can be analyzed that how the

mass media has been in a hegemony by the fanatical

power of the people towards traditional Balinese

Ideological Struggle behind the Marginalization of Contemporary Dance in the Bali Arts Festival

norms as their ideology. The ideology is transformed

and disseminated by the mass media through

provocative news so that critics and polemics occur

on both contemporary dance works. Departing from

such situations and conditions, the affirmations can

be given that there are differences in ideology that

have become a struggle and a debate in the

phenomenon of critics and polemic in the mass

media. The ideology behind each party in the debate

is as follows: First, on the side of the dominant

community the background is the preservation and

formalistic ideology. The ideology of preservation is

that people who are ideologically holding up and

believing the values of local culture dissolve and melt

with the news or polemics in the mass media that

corners contemporary dance works of Sardono and I

WayanDibia. In the ideological aspect, the dominant

community has a strong desire to keep preserving the

values, traditional norms in dance work. Formalistic

ideology is that people who are still bound by

customary rules and having a different view of the

presence of contemporary dance in Bali so that the

dance gets less appreciation and is even less adorable.

Prolonged polemics have made both formal and non-

formal society a priori to the presence of

contemporary dance which was assumed to damage

the performance of performing arts in Bali so that the

two contemporary dance works were marginalized.

From the contemporary artists themselves,

especially Sardono and I WayanDibia, are with their

emancipation and ideology of reform. The

emancipation ideology is meant here as creative and

innovative artists offer freedom from the traditional

values or norms. To seize the same degree, rights and

equality of contemporary dance works with

traditional Balinese dances which at the same time

hope that contemporary dance can develop in

harmony as part of Balinese cultural arts. The

ideology of reform is an ideology that leads to artistic

change in dance art, both in the perspective of form

and content in accordance with the present. But in

reality these critics and polemics are taken as the dark

history on the development of contemporary dance art

up to now.

Based on an understanding of ideology in the

genealogy of critics and contemporary dance

polemics in the mass media, there are three significant

aspects that can be proposed as the conclusions. First,

critics and polemics constitute a common thread for

the existence of contemporary dance in Bali which is

doubtful about the entity and its quality. Today it is

still not accepted by society because it is ideologically

considered being conflicted with traditional values.

Second, critics and polemics in the mass media can

trigger a legacy of responses, skeptical expressions or

discourses, assumptive even they lead to things that

are negative towards the existence of contemporary

dance. So that ideologically its presence in Balinese

society becomes a stigmatic dance performance.

Third, critics and polemics are a legacy of bitter

experience and make contemporary artists and

dancers traumaticto develop their works. Fourth, on

the other hand it must be realized, that contemporary

dance is a dance style of newcomers entering

Balinese society which is fortified by a very strong

and strong tradition, a strategy in the form of a

cultural approach to be accepted as part of Balinese

performing arts is still badly needed, including in

BAF. If this is not understood and not embodied in

the form of cultural acculturation and fine adaptation,

contemporary dance will surely experience

marginalization in the BAF continuously.

2.2 Ideological Struggle in the

Discourse of the Marginalization of

Contemporary Dance in BAF

Artists and art lovers spontaneously express

themselves in terms of creation, observation and so

on. it is a spontaneous language. Of which Marx and

Lenin argue that every spontaneous language is the

language of "ideology". Spontaneous language is a

means for an ideology, in this case, the ideology of art

and productive activities of various aesthetic effects

(Takwin in Althuser, 2008: 192). In relation to this,

Foucault understands that both in the theory of power

and knowledge with his discourse theory focus on

language as the main medium. Language as a sign and

marker in communicative meaning is theoretically

omnipresent or can occur everywhere. Language in

people's lives as a communicative media

ideologically has a certain form, purpose, function

and meaning. Discussing language as a system of

thought and ideas at the level of discourse, therefore

post-structuralism by Foucault is called the discourse

theory (Jone, PIP, 2009: 202 in Lubis, 2014: 83). "For

Foucault, discourse is the only way for us to

understand reality (the world). Because discourse is a

way for us to know and explain reality, it is an

important factor that shapes us (the power of

discourse). Discourse is a way of thinking, how to

know, and express something. Discourse is

functioned as a communicative medium to find

solutions — or as a tool to solve a problem, then can

produce a legitimate decision by Habermas. It should

use discourse ethics. Discourse ethics is a legitimate

system, not descriptive but rather perspective or

giving clues in understanding the importance of the

ICONARTIES 2019 - 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities

actual discussion. Habermas's thought orientation is

"discussion". Discussion is based on an ideology

which is the strength of a structural tradition that has

become a collective agreement, contains common

truth, and can be implemented together. "Habermas

considers that the social life of a community which is

minimally ideological, requires coordination to solve

problems, or demands that disagreement about what

is good to do (i.emorality) needs to be resolved in fair

manners" (Jenny Edkins-Nick Vaughan Williams ,

2010: 252).

The above theories can provide an overview to

dissect the existing ideology in the discourse of

marginalization of contemporary dance in BAF.

Today the marginalization of contemporary dance in

BAF is still a discourse of debate. The discourse takes

place from amateur discussions to serious, formal and

scientific stages. In an ideological perspective, for

practitioners and art observers, the discourse on the

marginalization of contemporary dance is still a

conversation between pros and cons. Some expect

contemporary dance can be developed in the same

level with traditional dances, some disagree on that

idea with the reason of destroying the order

established traditions. As an unfinished discussion,

every problem has not got any solution yet. To

discuss the ideological constellation in the

marginalization discourse of contemporary dance in

Bali, including BAF, refers to the theory of Michel

Foucault who is a critical figure in the postmodernist

school. His theory of power and knowledge is

remembered by his idea of "discourse" into the social

sciences. "Discourse analysis has become a tool to

collect things that are said and written about a

particular subject in a particular context by a

particular group of people" (Neal in Jenny Edkins-

Nick Vaughan Williams, 2010: 220). As the data, the

following is described various kinds of discourses,

expressions, statements among artists, cultural

observers and arts observers in Bali about the

existence of contemporary dance performances in the

perspective of social ideology as follows:

First, contemporary dance is said to be like a

"tissue" having been used will be thrown away just

like trash. The purpose of the phrase is that

contemporary dance is the result of artists' creativity

with its style and characteristics having a limited

quantity of space and time for performances, such as:

limited space, opportunities, chances, types, forms,

performances. It was done once, two times and then

disappeared without a trace or a mark. There is rarely

a regular contemporary dance performance in Bali,

both for customs and religion or tourism. Like, for

example, the works of Denpasar - ISI’s students,

which are only staged once for the requirements of

the final examination, then they will be forgotten and

never be performed anymore. Likewise in BAF, it is

only performed once for the sake of BAF, then it

disappears. For me, contemporary temporary dance

works have not been understood yet so that they are

less popular among Balinese people. For them,

especially those with strong traditional concepts, they

consider contemporary dance works less ethical and

aesthetic, and even considered damaging traditional

norms.

Second, contemporary dance is an "esoteric" art

form that owns limited fans, audience and observer.

This means that works of art that can only be

performed in certain events, be watched, understood,

enjoyed, understood, and lived by certain people. To

observe contemporary dance, it takes an experience,

at least watching frequently, attending seminars,

training, workshops, and other similar events of

contemporary dance. It is considered necessary

because contemporary dance is a style and form of

dance art whose pattern of its creation uses a

choreographic approach with an orientation to global

and contemporary concepts. For ordinary people or

groups of artists who embrace a strong tradition will

find it difficult to understand the forms of the show.

Figure 1: Contemporary dances by ISI students of Denpasar

staged during 2014 final examination. (Photos: Yustika

2014).

Third, contemporary dance is a class of "escape"

dance art. Lately this discourse is often discussed

among artists and art observers. The phrase is aimed

at artists and actors in contemporary dance with the

intention that artists or actors who do not have good

skills in the field of mastering traditional dance

techniques run away to study contemporary dance. In

other words, to be a good Balinese dancer must meet

strict requirements, including: good posture, face,

good mastery of wirasa, wiraga, wirama, and wirupa.

To make the show come alive on stage and filled with

taksu, he has four aesthetic powers referred to as 4-

W, namely wirasa, wirama, wiraga, and wirupa.

Wirasa is the force in cultivating musical and

movements of aestetic sense; wirama is the strength

Ideological Struggle behind the Marginalization of Contemporary Dance in the Bali Arts Festival

in controlling tempo and dynamics; wiraga is the

strength and beauty in body movements for giving

cues from the beginning to the end of the dance;

wirupa concerns posture, figure, facial countenance,

and charisma appropriate for performance. The most

binding requirement in studying Balinese traditional

dance is the rules, norms, standards and traditional

values that exist. Therefore, for people who do not

meet these requirements, take shortcuts to escape or

move to the field of contemporary dance. This field is

considered easier, free, open in creativity or not

shackled by strict and binding traditional rules.

Fourth, contemporary dance is a type of dance that

is not "metaksu"(having charisma, spiritual power or

artistic inspiration). According to Balinese beliefs, a

dance which is not metaksu is considered a dance that

does not have a soul, charisma and religiously magic

energy. Taksu is a spiritual power possessed by a

dancer and a drummer while performing on stage.

Taksu is gained through the process of learning,

perseverance, discipline, hard work, and is supported

by a strong belief in the manifestation of God

Almighty as the God of art, DewaSiwanataraja. The

combination of great technique and confidence is an

important requirement and must be done by artists or

performers of traditional dance in Bali to make the

dance soulful or metaksu. Contemporary dance in the

view of fanatical natural artists is considered not to

possess taksu because it tastes like a kind of cheap,

easy, arrogant, and crazy dance. It is said, because

visually in the show, the dance has a variety of

movements that are not in accordance with the norms

of art in Bali, such as: showing the buttocks to the

audience, opening the thighs, wiggling the hips, and

other movements that are considered taboo for

Balinese people. Forbidden or taboo things according

to the beliefs of the Balinese people, especially for

those who embrace Hinduism, will not be granted

taksu by God.

Figure 2: Anak Agung Gede Rahma`s contemporary dances

was perfomed in the framework of the 2014 Bali Arts

Festival. (Photos: Gung Rahma : 2014).

In relation to the description above, it is

interesting to report a seminar organized by the

GeriaOlahKreativitasSeni (Geoks) located in Banjar

Sengguan, Singapadu Village, Sukawati District,

Gianyar Regency. The main topic in the seminar is

contemporary dance with a speaker as well as a paper

writer, Dr. Sal Murgiyanto, a great and famous critics,

academic figure, and artist throughout the world. The

seminar was held on Tuesday, December 21, 2015,

which was attended by senior and junior artists from

academics throughout Bali. However, in the event

there were no natural artists involved, so the

atmosphere of the discussion only occurred in one

direction in the academic realm. The output and

outcome of the seminar continued to focus only on

the academic region. In fact, the thing that attracted

more attention besides in the form of discussion, is

the socialization and understanding of the existence

of contemporary dance art to society as a whole,

especially in Bali. The marginalization of

contemporary dance in Bali has become a serious

discussion in the seminar which lasted for two and a

half hours. The questions appeared alternately to the

speaker and the discussion occurred with excitement

so that the atmosphere of the seminar became formal,

intellectual, and scientific.

The discussion that took place in the seminar

dominated the discussion about the four expressions

of contemporary dance discourse as described above,

namely: contemporary dance is like tissue, runaway,

esoteric, and not metaksu. However, the four

discourses that became big and crucial issues in Bali

about the existence of contemporary dance, have not

received satisfactory answers or explanations,

because Sal Murgiyanto always discussed

contemporary dance outside Bali such as in Java,

China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, America and Europe. He

set an example of Miroto’s contemporary work from

Yogyakarta which was well received and famous in

Java and abroad. EkoSpriyanto’s work from Solo was

also accepted in his area of birth and had traveled to

various countries, and there were still many examples

given from abroad. However, the problem would

have been different if the works had been performed

for Balinese people.

Bali with its different cultural background and the

strength of its tradition will very likely emerge the

same discourse or responses as the four above. So Sal

Murgiyanto in that case has not provided a thorough

argument and answer to the existence of

contemporary dance discourses in Bali including

those in BAF..

ICONARTIES 2019 - 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities

3 CONCLUSIONS

As the main initiator and architect of the Bali Arts

Festival (BAF), Professor Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra also

served as Governor of Bali when the event was first

opened in 1979. He manifested his idea based on

noble concepts, philosophies, and goals, and

acknowledging that outside cultural contact is

difficult to avoid. But this kind of cultural contact

should not destroy Balinese cultural identity. Cultural

contact is a basic factor in the formation of

personality patterns and shades that become a

strength for civilized Balinese people (Head of the

Bali Provincial Culture Office, 2004: vii). He further

argued that the development of Balinese cultural arts

which focused on developing the life of traditional

cultural arts should not be static. BAF is directed at

the excavation, preservation, and development of

Balinese arts and culture, the most important of which

is revitalizing the culture in order to exist and function

in a global society (2004: vi). BAF presents five

major programs, namely: (1) traditional parades and

arts, (2) arts and crafts exhibitions, (3) art

performances (4) trials, and (5) cultural discussions.

The whole description above shows that the issue

that becomes the discourse debate of the

marginalization of contemporary dance in BAF is

based on socio-cultural ideology that includes,

artistic, religious, and philosophical ideology. First,

artistic ideology as a fundamental foundation by

traditional dominant society is the issue of fulfilling

aesthetic legal criteria based on the strength of values,

norms, local cultural standards in contemporary

dance works in Bali. From their point of view,

contemporary dance works still do not fulfill the law

of these criteria. This can be observed in the form of

performances, such as: the arrangement of costumes

is too minimal from aspects of value, shape,

creativity, and material. The arrangement of the

motion motives is too vulgar such as, shaking the

buttocks, spinning, opening the thighs, buttocks move

forward (memperlihatkan pantat kepenonton) and

others. Dance structures are too wild or free from

traditional norms. The makeup is too abstract and

tacky and even weird. Second, religious ideology is

the involvement of intellectual, spiritual, and

experiential ideologies that cause a faith or belief.

Ideological involvement, especially in Balinese

society, receives dogmatic matters which are believed

to be the Word of God. Activity and artistic creativity

for Hindu people in Bali cannot be separated from

religious rituals. Dance as part of religious rituals has

religious magical functions and meanings. Today,

contemporary dance works have never been involved

as part of religious rituals in Bali. It has never been

performed for the sake of traditional and religious

ceremonies. Therefore, contemporary dance works

that do not meet the criteria of the aesthetic law of

Hindu religion are naturally marginalized. The three

philosophical ideologies are beliefs of Balinese

people including creative artists towards the values

that become the foundation in the work. There are

three pillars as a philosophical force that is always

given attention and trust by Balinese artists in dance

work, namely: Siwam (chastity and spirituality),

satyam (truth, sincerity, honesty and faithfulness) and

sundaram(beauty, harmony and peace). From the

philosophical perspective, contemporary dance

works are regarded as works that are oriented towards

freedom, critical, political and confrontation by

traditional dominant society.

The three ideologies mentioned above, have a

significant effect on ideological struggle in the

marginalization of contemporary dance in Bali,

including in BAF. Studying the four issues of the

marginalization of contemporary dance described

above, is basically an ideological debate that each has

goals and interests. If it is understood academically

critical, that issue can be solved fairly as the reference

of Foucault's theory. An important point used as a

reference is his discourse idea. Discourse as a

medium to know, understand reality, and gets eclectic

with Habermas's theory of discourse ethics that

focuses on the truth of discussion. But until now the

discourses based on each of these ideological beliefs

have not found a clear path to the existence of

contemporary dance in Bali. This phenomenon is

what makes the marginalization of contemporary

dance in Bali including in BAF..

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ICONARTIES 2019 - 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities