- EACH movement of the Pendet Dance looks so graceful as well as attractive.
- In both functions, this dance is equally intended to welcome the arrival of deities and official guests
Pendet Dance for ritual is one of the Balinese dances which are considered sacred in Hindu ceremonies. Therefore, this dance performance is only devoted to the yadnya ceremony. This dance symbolizes welcoming the coming down of the deities to earth or the arrival of the gods from the melasti or purificatory procession.
This Pendet Dance is a sincere offering and an expression of joy in welcoming the gods within the ceremony. By and large, this Balinese dance is performed by women in groups. Dressed in ceremonial clothes, they each carry a bowl filled with flowers and offerings.
In later development, this Balinese sacred dance with simpler and very striking religious element was not only performed related to religious rituals such as the piodalan ceremony at temple (sacred function) but also functioned for commercial or profane purposes, namely for the benefit of tourism sector or official purposes.
In the profane function, it is performed for entertainment purposes or as a welcome dance in non-religious official activities. This can be seen from the costumes used, the composition of the dance movements and the costumes. Nevertheless, all the dancers still bring along a bowl filled with colorful flowers which are then sprinkled at the end of the performance as a welcome greeting.
Both for sacred and profane functions, the dancers always performed it seriously including in exercise. Aside from being intended for devotion to God, this activity also has the mission for conservation of Balinese culture. Hence, it can survive from generation to generation.
