Sanghyang Dedari Dance Poem by Ahmad Shiddiqi

the holy virgins, two underage girls
are placed in a trance to dance
between female and male choirs
accompanied by a complete gamelan group

carried on palanquins or shoulders
around village and stopping at magically charged spots
crossroads, bridges, and in front of homes of people
who can Tran transform themselves into leak or witches

Sanghyangs lead the villagers
back to a dancing arena at the temple or bale banjar
where with eyes closed, they dance for up to four hours
execute the entire dance on the shoulders of men
performing astounding acrobatic feats

Sang means holiness, and dedari means angels
a divine spirit descends to a villager in the form of dance
performed to maintain health, and well being of the village
drives out evil spirits, stops sickness, death in community
stories based on the Calonarang and the Cupak

sway freely in a dream vision
movements are supposed to coincide with their eyes closed
the chanting stops, the girls start hopping around
brought out of the trance by the pemangku
who pray beside them and bless them with holy water