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Ubud is a center for traditional Balinese dance, and performances take place every evening. We saw one of the most dramatic: the kecak, or monkey dance. It enacts scenes from the Hindu epic the Ramayana and combines vocal music, dance, and drama. It’s performed by firelight, with the score coming entirely from intricate, percussive chanting by the male chorus. We found the performance hypnotic and beautiful; it felt both intricate and very primal.