ABSTRACT
Balinese Topeng has, until recently, been a wholly male preserve. For foreign women who wish to study Topeng, there seem to be no barriers, but there are few female Topeng masks, so the female dancer must learn to embody and project various aspects of maleness. This chapter explores some reasons why foreign women have been attracted to Topeng, the kinaesthetic means by which the female body “becomes” male, and the psychophysical effect of these transformations on the performer. It also explores pedagogy: teaching Topeng to students who are unfamiliar with the genre and the culture in which it resides.
