Given the enormous cultural and ethnic mix that makes up Indonesia, it's hardly surprising that the range of traditional music and dance across the archipelago is so vast. Best-known are the highly stylized and mannered classical dance performances in Java and Bali, accompanied by the gamelan orchestra. Every step of these dances is minutely orchestrated, and the merest wink of an eye, arch of an eyebrow and angle of a finger has meaning and significance. The tradition remains vibrant, passed down by experts to often very young pupils. Ubud on Bali and Yogyakarta on Java are the centres for these dances, with shortened performances staged in several venues every night for Western visitors. Yogya is also the main place in Indonesia to catch a performance of shadow puppet plays, wayang kulit .

Gamelan
A gamelan is an ensemble of tuned percussion, consisting mainly of gongs, metallophones and drums. Gamelan instruments may be made of bronze, iron, brass, wood or bamboo, with wooden frames, which are often intricately carved and painted. ...
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