Back in my childhood days, my friends and I used to play traditional Balinese children game called “meong-meongan” or “the cat” game. It is a simple game, derived from the well known theme of a …

Tantri can be classified as an individual genre in Balinese literature, deals mainly with fables; Tantri is similar to Aesop’s fables in Western literature. In its story, the Tantri usually gives moral teaching, promoting good …

So many people, young and old, men and women, natives and foreigners came in flocks to see a unique ritual in Banjar Kaja, Sesetan village, South Denpasar, a day after Nyepi. The old men from …

The word “ngelawang” in traditional art context is equivalent to “door to door art performance”. In the beginning of 19th door to door mask performance was an everyday spectacle. But since the beginning of 20th …

In Bali, there are in fact around thirty-five different types of gamelan which could be considered rare. Among the very rarely seen or heard is the sweet-sounding seven tone semara pagulingan, a remnant of the …

Essentially, music, or sound is untamed energy which is open to interpretation. However, through the formation of man’s culture and civilization, music has been given meaning, symbol, usage or function within the context of man’s …

In Bali, the arts have a major role in the teaching of moralistic and spiritual values. The arts are one of the three elements that guide us in reaching enlightenment. From a young age, the …

Opening Music
To begin the performance, we present a small musical composition created by adopting characteristics of the music performed on the gamelan slonding.
Scene 1
Nakula’s son Sida Paksa meditates in the forest.

The scene is accompanied by …

Almost every one of us desires holiness. It is like a lamp shining in the darkness of the night that guides our footsteps from going astray, so that we keep on the right path. Holiness …

The first traces of the story of a young woman named Sri Tanjung are found on stone reliefs at various archaeological sites around East Java which date to the Majapahit period. These are the Candi …

In facing the changes which continue to take place, we need to understand more deeply about the essence of our culture. This essence as the central idea will always influence the process of creativity which …

When we come face to face with a work of art, we often find ourselves in between tradition and modernity, two aspects which at first sight seems contrastive, although it is not so. Those who …

WELCOME
The activities of the Arti Foundation, with its creative process based on the understanding of the essence of Balinese culture, to be reinterpreted and adapted in order to influence and strengthen the tradition of Bali, …

Just days after leaving the Constitutional Court office, where I served as the court’s Justice for five years, I suddenly found myself involved in an ambiance that I had left years ago: the world of …

Sri Tanjung: The Scent of Innocence, the newly-created contemporary dance-drama was staged last night at Ksirarnawa building, Art Centre, Jl. Nusa Indah, Denpasar by dancers from Arti Foundation. This contemporary dance-drama was created by Gusti …

The celebration of Tumpek Wariga (a holyday when a blessing ceremony is given to the plants) which was held on Saturday, (2/21/09) in Puputan Square, Denpasar was quite different from the previous celebration. This time, …

There may in fact be more than forty different types of gamelan in Bali, each one serving a different function. Here’s a rough guide to explain what gamelan ensembles you may see at different ceremonies …

Here is an interesting article on the religious role of puppeteer in Bali. this article is an excerpt taken from Umeda Hideharu’s writing entitled “Between and Adat Agama: The Future of the Religious Role of …

My time has come,
If my blood is fragrant, it is proof that I am innocent.
These were the words of a young woman named Sri Tanjung before she was stabbed to death by her jealous …

Sanghyang Jaran, the Pemangku (temple priest) or a group of chosen men becomes himself the Sanghyang, possessed by ancestral deity, a Gandarwa (celestial soldier) on horseback. The dance is performed in the inner court yard …

Another performance of rare and sacred Baris Cina Dance was held in Kahyangan temple of Renon village on Saturday (12/13/08). This rare dance is usually held on the temple anniversaries of certain temples in Renon …

Cat, in traditional Balinese point of view, is an animal that its existence is dilemmatic, respected but plays no significant role, exist but rarely comes up to the surface. In vast inventory of Balinese religious …

Here is an interesting excerpt on legong dance and its survival which is taken from a thesis entitled “The role of Westerners in the conservation of the Legong dance” by Stephen Davies.
The Legong dance achieved …

Here is an interesting excerpt on legond dance and its recent history which is taken from a thesis entitled “Balinese Legong:Revival or Decline?” by Stephen Davies.
Legong is a genre of Balinese dance accompanied by gamelan. …

The village of Tenganan in Karangsem regency is indisputably the village with most preserved culture and nature in Bali. It’s popularity as been spread all over the globe but only visitors know the beauty of …

The West Bali National Park, established in 1941, covers 77,000 hectares of wooded slopes, savannah, rainforest, monsoon forest, mangrove swamp and coastal flats, and is the only remaining natural habitat of the endangered jalak putih, …

Study Balinese Music and Dance with

There are lot of dances and drama performances that you can enjoy in Bali, if you just know where and when they are staged. The best way to find a free traditional dance or drama …

A wedding at The Ritz-Carlton sets a new standard in romantic elegance. From bridal showers at afternoon tea to martini nights for bachelor parties, we offer the most comprehensive wedding services and specialize in creating …

Many traditional art performers from various parts of Indonesia gave their best performance in Nusa Dua Fiesta 2008. One of the 5-star performances in Nusa Dua Fiesta 2008 was Ramayana Performance Hanoman Obong performed by …