Legong classical dance is a dance of Bali which has a very complex movement vocabulary that is bound to the structure of percussion accompaniment that is said is the influence Gambuh propagators. Legong developed in royal-palace of Bali in the 19th century the second half. Legong dance is still closely connected with religion, both in terms of both history and spectacle.
No one had ever come across the word Legong in ancient records. Presumably the word comes from the word Legong Leg, which means that luwe dance movement or bending which is the principal characteristic of the Legong dance. The Gong means retinue means gamelan instruments. Thus implies Legong dance movement that is bound by the gamelan mengirinya.
According to the Chronicle Dalem Sukawati, an old history Sukawati village, Legong dance was created by a dream I Dewa Agung Made Karna, the king who reigned in 1775-1825 Sukawati M. I Dewa Agung Made Karna was doing penance in a temple near the village Jogan Supreme Ketewel Sukawati. In their meditation he dreamed of seeing fairies are dancing in heaven. They danced with a beautiful dress and wearing a gold headdress.
When aware of the dream, I Dewa Agung Made Karna ordered the Bendesa ketewel to make some toppeng and create dance that is similar to the dream. Not long after that Bendesa Ketewel managed to make nine fruit mask diragakan by two of the dancers now wear hyang and choreography that has been alleged to have been invented at that time.
In Legong dance movement motif is geared towards Gambuh basic dance movement, which indeed has had a strict etiquette to dance. Contained in the palm Panititaling Gambuh, namely on the basics of dance namely:
a. Agem, poisis basic motion that depends on the role. Then Abah Badminton, agem transition from one movement to another agem.
b. Away, ie, how to walk and the movement of the dancer, here will be known motifs such motion ngelikas, nyeleog, nyelendro, nyeregseg.
c. Tangkep, which contains all the basics of expressions, ranging from eye movements, there is such thing as dedeling, sweet carengu, girah, nredeh and rules also include a fan-like nyekel, nyingkel and ngaliput.
Characteristics that are very strong in the dance Legong dancers are eye movements that make the dance come alive with the expression of a very wowed by the dancers.
Legong dance structure is:
a. Special: pepeson, Bapang, ngengkong, ngaras, pepeson muanin oleg and ngipuk.
b. General: papeson, pangawak, pengecet and pakaad.
c. Typical fashion Legong is a brightly colored (red, green, purple) with paintings of leaves and flowers of gold ornaments head that sway to every movement and vibration
Typical fashion Legong is a brightly colored (red, green, purple) with paintings of leaves and flowers of gold ornaments head swaying and vibration following each movement of the dancer's shoulder simplified by the dominance of black and white.
There are several kinds of Legong, namely:
a. Legong Kraton
b. Legong Jobog
c. Legong Legod Bring
d. Legong Heron
e. Legong Andir (Nadir)
f. Legong Mask
Gamelan is used to accompany dance Legong is Semar Pangulingan gamelan. Balinese people know there are two kinds of Semar Pangulingan:
a. Semar Pangulingan barrel pelog 7 tone
b. Semar Pangulingan barrel pelog 5 tones.
Instruments are: Trompong with 12 pencon, Gender vines bladed 14, Gangsa Barungan bladed 14, Gangsa pemande hanger, hanger gangsa magnolia, jegongan, respectively jublag bladed 7, small drums, kajar, kleneng, kempur (small gong), ricik , gentorag, fiddle, and flute.