In the performance, the Balinese men sit in concentric circles, their upper bodies bare, and lead by two men playing cymbals who sit back to back in the center of the circle. All of the dancers sway back and forth, their hips and heads following their lead. While in a trance-like state, they chant the word "keh-chack, keh-chack" over and over again in rhythm to the tempo of the gamelan which is played at the same time. Some of the dancers who play monkeys enter the arena. They wear black-and-white checked sarongs, representing monkeys. They form three groups, each representing one of the three monkey armies of Sugriva, the monkey general.
The story of Kecak:
In the Ramayana tale, Dewi Sita, the wife of Rama, has been abducted by the Lankan King, Rahwana. Rama and his brother, Laksamana, seek the help of Sugriwa and his monkey army to invade King Rahwana's palace and rescue her. Before he is willing to help, Sugriwa requests that Rama help him retrieve his kingdom, which has been usurped by his brother. Rama agrees to assist Sugriwa and, as a promise of his support, gives Sugriwa his ring. With the ring as validation of Rama's promise, Sugriwa calls his army together and charges them with finding Dewi Sita.
One of Sugriwa's generals is the able and resourceful monkey, Hanuman. He leads a group of monkeys from tree to tree in search of Dewi Sita, and eventually finds her in the Ashoka grove, where she is held prisoner by Rahwana. Hanuman speaks with Dewi Sita and reassures her that he is there to help her. Rama, Laksamana, Sugriwa, as well as the rest of the monkey army (including Hanuman) have now invaded Lanka.
At this point in the kecak dance, the men who play monkeys become agitated, and as the tempo of the gamelan music quickens, they work themselves into a frenzy. Some go into trances and become possessed by spirits. The trance is broken when the dance leader waves a kris dagger or keris over their heads. The kris is said to be the only thing that can break their trance.
Kecak today
Kecak was created in the 1930s by a German painter named Walter Spies, who was inspired by the sanghyang ritual. Today, kecak is performed in villages throughout Bali as a form of entertainment for tourists. It is also performed in temples during religious ceremonies. Kecak is a popular tourist attraction, and it is often performed in open-air theaters or temples in Ubud, Kuta, and Denpasar.
Kecak is a unique and captivating performance that offers a glimpse into the culture and traditions of Bali.