31 May 2013 Written by NOW!

Bali
Telek Dance
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TEXT AND Photo by Kartika D. suardana
Friday evening: While most of the Ubuds visitors are indulging in its thriving culinary scene,
enjoying light-hearted chat in one of the many cafes, or strolling the pretty streets of Ubud,
partaking in a little window shopping, some visitors thirsting for culture might fill the seats
arranged inside the Ubud Palace compound. There are no reservations, but come early for
the hottest seats.
Every Friday evening, Sadha Budaya Troupe, a dance troupe from Ubud, perform at Ubud
Palace. Normally they perform several dances in an evening but on Friday, an extra - special
performance attracts me to become part of the audience: the Telek Dance.
The Telek Dance is considered as sacred and serves as a legacy from the dance that ancestors
used to perform in temples. In some villages in Bali, Telek Dances must be performed on a
specific sacred day in the hopes of obtaining salvation. In some other villages, not performing
Topeng Telek means inviting hazard. However, the Telek Dance performance at Ubud Palace
has since been re-choreographed.
When the musicians begin the dynamic sound of music, known as Gong Kebyar, the dancers
enter the stage. They all wear white masks showing handsome, smiley and soft characters,
they wear long white sleeves covered with colorful fabrics. A Keris, Balinese traditional
dagger, is tucked into the back as part of the costume and every dancer holds a fan with their
right hand. The costume may showcase masculinity, but the dance routines illustrate elegance
and gracefulness.
This is related to the philosophy Rwa Bhinneda, Rwa meaning two and Bhinneda,
meaning difference, these two differences are believed to keep the world spinning. The two
differences do not refer to the goodness or badness of character or behavior, nor to
contradiction. Rwa Bhinneda is more comprehensive, just like sky and earth, female and male,
hot and cold, and so on. So, it is said that the Telek Dance translates the Rwa Bhinneda
philosophy into the form of performing arts.
Rather than standing alone, the dance is usually accompanied by the performance of Topeng
Jauk a mask dance depicting a harsh character; Rangda is a monstrous character symbolic
of black magic and maliciousness, Barong is a character symbolic of goodness, the dance
finishes with a group of men captivated by a trance-like state who thrust daggers into their
own chests.

Telek dance usually performed by four or more dancers wearing white masks of beauties or devils
perform the battle between the virtue and the vice. A typical balinese view of the world, Rua Bineda,
which mean everything has two sides, that is, any world is knitted together with opposing two
elements, is said to have been represented in this dance.
Derrived from the epic legend of ancient India, Ramayana and Mahabrata, the story has been
accomplished as the present one.
Out of many kinds of masked dances in Bali, Jauk and Telek can be categorized as the most singular
one. These masked figures which still exist in Bali today. Jauk is the male version of this genre where
the dancers putting on the devil mask and its expression is more violent and far exaggerated then
that in Baris (Warrior), while Telek is the female one.
In Jauk, the males wear special conical, pointed chandelier-like head-dress in the shape of a Buddhist
stupa. The masks are similar in form and bright red color. The style of carving and painting resembles
the mask of Rawana in Wayang Wong. The face is fierce, with large eyes, shiny visible teeth, and
moustache and beard. The dancers wear long artificial finger-nails.
In Telek, the corresponding female characters, the dancers refined masks are also uniform, they are
white in colour with visible teeth, but the expression is pleasant and smiling. These masks are
identical to the Sang Hyang Legong masks preserved in Ketewel. The female dencers also wear the
identifying pagoda-shaped crown and carry fans.
Jauk and Telek is closely associated with Barong performance. Jauk usually serves as the attendant
of the Barong while Telek serves the Rangda, the opposite of the Barong. In some areas in Bali, Jauk
is correspond to Sandar while Telek to Omang. However, as a matter of fact, can be performed as
solo dance, it is usually ten to twenty minute solo accompanied by Gong orchestra, no story is
connected with the solo performance. Beryl de Zoete and Walter Spies in their book Dance and
Drama in Bali also mentioned Jauk as a part of Calonarang performance, in which Jauk served as
King Jayasenggara while the Telek served as the disciples of Calonarang.
At the present time the Jauk dancers are rarely seen in dance-drama, and the Telek dancers are
hardly to be found at all. Two style of solo dance for a male dancer clad as Jauk, however, are
commonly included in concerts presenting a sampling of different kinds of Balinese dance.

Jauk and Telek Dance
by Sidarta Wijaya on Tuesday, 1 June 2010One Comment | 4,262 views

Out of many kinds of masked dances in Bali, Jauk and Telek can be categorized as the most
singular one. Jauk is the male version of this genre while Telek is the female one. Jauk and
Telek are kind of masked dance that can be distinguished from other kind of masked dances
out of its mask, outfit and dance movement.

The mask of Jauk is white or brown, fierce with large eyes and shiny teeth, moustache and
sometimes with beard. The striking features of Jauks outfit are the bright head dress in the
shape of Buddhist stupa and long artificial fingernails. Telek also wears the identifying stupa-
shaped headdress and carries a fan, as for the mask, telek wears white mask with smiling
pleasant expression. For the movement, Jauk movements is similar to baris (warrior) dance
but with more exaggerated violence.

Jauk and Telek is closely associated with Barong performance; Jauk usually serves as the
attendant of the Barong while Telek serves the Rangda, the opposite of the Barong; in some
areas in Bali Jauk is correspond to Sandar while Telek to Omang. However, as a matter of
fact, can be performed as solo dance, it is usually ten to twenty minute solo accompanied by
Gong orchestra; no story is connected with the solo performance. Beryl de Zoete and Walter
Spies in their book Dance and Drama in Bali also mentioned Jauk as a part of Calonarang
performance, in which Jauk served as King Jayasenggara while the Telek served as the
disciples of Calonarang.

Jauk and Telek, nowadays are rarely seen in dramatic performance; Jauk is usually performed
as solo dance; as for Telek, I have never encountered a solo Telek; Telek can be categorized
as a rare piece of Balinese dance.

TITLE: Tari Topeng Telek
CHOREOGRAPHY: Anonymous
PERFORMED: "Yama Sari" ensemble of Peliatan village - gamelan and dance groupe from Peliatan,
Ubud, Bali

Tari Topeng Telek is a masked danceTopeng means mask, and Telek refers to temple guardians.
The original creator of Tari Topeng Telek is unknown. This sequence is from the story of Siva, and is
part of the famous ritual drama Barong Telek, which tells about the protectorthe Barongand the
demonic destroyerRangda. Here, Telek and Jauk characters engage in their own conflict which
takes place before the central confrontation between Barong and Rangda. The Telek dancers are the
temple guardians and the protectors of good. They wear white masks to reflect their gentle and
refined nature. The Jauk dancers are fierce and bold demons who seek to attack the Barong. They
wear red masks and long fingernails, to represent anger and destruction.

The costume is based on the Balinese temple outfit and its traditional symbols. The gelungan/udeng
(hat/headdress) is elaborately ornamented because it covers the holiest part of the body. The lamak
covers the torso with softness, and the wide belt holds back desires. The kipas (fan) is used as an
extension of the hand, in kindness or as a weapon.

The music is also traditional and it is completely united with the dance. Changes in dynamics, accent,
and musical structure are tightly synchronized to the dancers' hand, foot, and eye gestures, as both
dancers and musicians give and follow cues. The Indonesian gamelan is the traditional orchestra,
with instruments of bronze, iron, wood, or bamboo.