LEGONG SABA BALINESE DANCE #BaliGoLiveCulture

Legong Saba dance is one of the classic dance that is believed to be the source of inspiration for the emergence of new dance creations in Bali. Legong comes from the word “leg“ which means flexible dance movement and “gong“ which means gamelan. Legong is a form of Balinese dance. It is a refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions. Legong probably originated in the 19th century as royal entertainment. Legend has it that a prince of Sukawati fell ill and had a vivid dream in which two maidens danced to gamelan music. When he recovered, he arranged for such dances to be performed in reality. Others believe that the Legong originated with the sanghyang dedari, a ceremony involving voluntary possession of two little girls by beneficent spirits. Legong is also danced at public festivals. Excerpts from Legong dance dramas are put on for tourists.