Tarian Buruh (Labour Dances): The Semi-Secret Life of Socialist Realist Dances in Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract This article investigates the shifting meanings of three Balinese socialist realist dance pieces created between 1957 and 1962 that portray fishermen, weavers, and farmers. Based on interviews with performers and analysis of scholarship, ethnographic material, and performances, this article reveals remarkable ironies resonating between the dances’ political origins during the Indonesian Communist Party’s rapid growth and how they have been repurposed since the 1970s to support New Order ideologies and capitalist uses like tourism. The additional use of these dances today in supporting environmental sustainability raises questions about their potential to reclaim aspects of activist intent.