THE CONCEPT OF LOCAL GENIUS IN BALINESE PERFORMING ARTS

Ni Made , Ruastiti (2011) THE CONCEPT OF LOCAL GENIUS IN BALINESE PERFORMING ARTS. Mudra (JURNAL SENI BUDAYA), 26 (3). p. 1. ISSN 0854-3461

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Abstract

Local genius refers to what humans know, how they behave and what strategies they develop to sustain their existence where they live. The knowledge they have, the way in which they behave and the strategies they develop to sustain themselves imply the local genius of the area where they live. One of the local geniuses in Bali is the socio-ecological and spiritual principle referred to as tri hita karana. It is considered a dimension of balance in Balinese culture. It is deemed local genius which regulates the balanced relation between man and his God, between man and his fellow-beings, and between man and his environment. In Bali, layout and culture cannot be separated. Every space occupied by Bali Hindus has been designed in such a way that nothing deviates from the system of values the Balinese culture has. Another example is the concept of tri mandala, another local genius which is referred to when a temple is constructed. In addition to having religious function, a temple also has aesthetic function which is highly related to the performing arts performed. It has indirectly caused the creation and performance of the Balinese performing arts to be divided into three. They are the performing arts which are created and performed in the inner or main part of the temple (dalem); the performing arts which are created and performed in the ‘madia’ (middle) part of the temple (jaba tengah); and those which are created and performed in the ‘nista’ (outer) part of the temple (jaba sisi). Apart from the concept of tri mandala, there is also another concept referred to as tri angga, the aesthetic concept of how the structure of a Balinese traditional performing art should be created. It is made up of the head (pepeson or pengawit), the initial part; the body (pengawak), the main part; and the feet (pengecet and pekaad), the final part. The concept of tri angga, as a local genius, has been organized in such a way that it does not deviate from the system of values the Balinese culture has. The performing arts in Bali cannot be separated from the Balinese culture; in other words, the performing arts are an integral part of the Balinese culture. Therefore, every performing art in Bali always has its performing structure organized by referring to the concept of tri angga, a local genius referred to by a choreographer when creating a Balinese performing art.

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