Balinese girl dressed in purple and gold costume waves fans in welcome dance

A young Balinese girl dressed in a purple and gold silk costume waves her folded fans in a welcome dance. With her knees bent, her back straight, and her arms bent and raised to shoulder height, the dancer pivots a closed folding fan in each hand.

Balinese have distinctly different dance styles for female and male characters. Females make smaller and more precise moves, isolating flexible joints such as fingers, and moving though space with bent knees. Males hold their limbs farther away from their bodies and take large, often straight-legged steps. Both females and males move their eyes precisely for each choreographed dance.