Balinese Art Study Program Draws Participants From Four Countries

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Some 25 people from the United States, France, Norway, Jakarta and Bali are to take part in an intensive Balinese gamelan and dance study program at the artists village of Ubud in Bali's Gianyar district.

Ubud Cudomani Pengosekan studio chairman Dewa Putra Bearata said here on Friday the program will last three weeks. 

The foreign participants would be spending part of their quality time to study some of Bali's famous traditional dances and music intensively under the guidance of maestros.

A number of Balinese dance and gamelan maestros like Ni Ketut Arini, I Nyoman Cerita and I Made Arnawa would be among the instructors in the program.

The participants' week-day schedule would consist of eight hours of study, discussions and tutors' demonstrations.

They would also study many Balinese art performances for religious ceremonies, and interact with the local people.

"These activities are part of the training curriculum. A unique formula to present the 'Cudamani Summer Institute 2010 (CSI 2010)' as a whole and authentic experience in an effort to give the partcipants an understanding about the link between art, spirituality and culture in Bali's community," said Dewa Berata.

The program's activities would be arranged in such a way that  the foreign partcipants could be expected to come to Bali again in 2011 for further explorations into Balinese arts.

The Cudomani foundation has many times held Balinese dance and  music performances in the USA, Japan and European Union countries.

Dewa Berata set up the foundation in 1997 togther with several Balinese dance and gamelan maestros.

Cudomani studio is practicing and teaching the works of past traditions as well as creating and enacting new breakthroughs as its service to the community.(*)