"Wayang kulit, " or shadow puppetry, connects a mythic past to the present through public ritual performance and is one of most important performance traditions in Bali. The "dalang, " or puppeteer, is revered in Balinese society as a teacher and spiritual leader. Recently, women have begun to study and perform in this traditionally male role, an innovation that has triggered resistance and controversy.

"Wayang kulit, " or shadow puppetry, connects a mythic past to the present through public ritual performance and is one of most important performance traditions in Bali. The "dalang, " or puppeteer, is revered in Balinese society as a teacher and spiritual leader. Recently, women have begun to study and perform in this traditionally male role, an innovation that has triggered resistance and controversy.