Tightly wound in golden costumes, quivering flowers atop tooled leather crowns, the dancers’ eyes dart from side to side, matching the energy in their hands as their fingers seem to shimmer in their joints. Balinese dance is perhaps one of the most well-known in the world.

Steeped in sacred religious rituals, dance is one way Balinese communicate with their gods and deified ancestral spirits. Dance (and theater and music) entertains both the mortal and divine audience. Both males and females dance and begin to study at a very young age. Towns are filled with dance studios (sanggar) where children go after school a few hours a week. Recitals and
performances at temple festivals are de rigeur , whether or not the piece is polished or not. The process of learning is almost as important as the finished dance and the entire community can get involved, from the teachers to the musicians to the vendors who feed the hungry students to the drivers who take them to the venue. Rituals are replete with children as young as 3 and 4 years old performing the sacred forms of Rejang Dewa and Baris Gede. The deities don’t mind that the feet are in the wrong position or if you look at your neighbor when you forget a step–it is dance as an act of devotion that is important here.

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Dealing with the painting in Bali is not a simple matter, if you a beginner in this area, your best choice is to acquire a paper booklet on painting. If you are seriously interested in purchasing a high quality painting you have to seek an advice from the expert. You can go to the Neka gallery, Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) or Rudana Art Gallery and have a chat with its director or the senior staffs of those galleries. They will give you significant information on Balinese painting; they are treasure box of information about the Balinese painting. It is better for you to go to a gallery in order to find a fine quality genuine Balinese painting.

If you want to buy a classic Balinese painting, it is better for you to go to Kamasan village in Klungkung regency. Kamasan, a quiet, traditional village, 45 km east of Denpasar is the origin of Kamasan style of classical painting. Several artists have workshops and small showrooms along the main streets. The work is often a family affair, with one person doing outlines, while another mixes the paints and another applies the colors. The paintings depict traditional stories or Balinese calendars, and although they are sold in souvenir shops all over Bali, the quality is better here. Look for smooth and distinct line work, evenly applied colors and balance in the overall composition.

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Çudamani Gamelan Music & Dance Summer Institute Bali, Indonesia 2007
2 week program: July 2-13: 3 week program: July 2-20
www.cudamani.org

Study with the illustrious Gamelan Çudamani in Pengosekan this summer. In the village of Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali, across the street from the temple, is a family compound that is the home to Çudamani. Comprised of virtuoso musicians and dancers, Çudamani has a working philosophy of a sanggar–that is; their work is dedicated to the communal and spiritual life of the village. The company is famous for teaching, performing, and preserving the rich and rare classical Balinese repertoire. At the same time the active composers in their ranks creatively contribute to both traditional and contemporary music and dance projects.

In addition to intensive classes with master artists/teachers, the program will include: visits to temple ceremonies and sacred sites; observations of a wide range of performances including Çudamani rehearsals; and daily encounters with the local artists and the community. This program is a rare opportunity for participants to be a part of one of the most vibrant and creative cultures in the world.

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