For the Balinese, the resonance is considerably more profound. The stylized choreography radiates a universal appeal. In Karna's opening solo, a promenade of bare feet slapping the floor, the torso is askew and the spread fingers suggest an openness of spirit. The two young Legong dancers favor the aligned shoulders and oscillating heads that one associates with Asian dance. Beyond steps and postures, these dancers communicate with arched eyebrows and gentle smiles.
Symmetries govern the climactic temple dance.
From simple gestures, narrative sequences grow. The costumes, designed by Ni Ketut Arini and Kompang Metri Davies, inflamed the senses with their golden headgear and sumptuous brocades. The witches, by contrast, were faceless creatures with wild manes, and they skulked around with simple white cloths flying from their heads. Larry Reed directed the often breathtaking shadow projections, which seemed to leap off the rear screen. It surely merits more than this two- performance engagement.