Badung
The Center of Tourism
Ida
Bagus Yudistira, Admires the Seriousness
of Tourists
Hundreds of kids
come on the weekend to Dharma Wangsa Dance
Studio in Sedang village, Abiansemal sub
district, Badung regency. The studio was
founded by a versed dancer Ida Bagus Yudistira
and his wife Ida Ayu Candra Dewi.
“Its not only the children who learn
the dancing technique, but also people
from women’s organizations,”
they proudly said.
Ida
Bagus and Ida Ayu are also skilled in
classical dances sufficient to teach the
tourist even though temporarily, but it
completes their self-pride for they can
introduce art and culture to the outside
world and earn money for the family.
“The tourists who come here to learn
arts are from Japan and Holland through
travel tour biro. Yes, that was years
ago before the bomb-blast,” Ida Bagus
Yudistira asserted.
According to him, dance training requires
fitness and energy, because we need to
perform the movements directly in front
of the pupils. So, the mouth and other
parts of body never stop working. Further
more, he explains, because there are plenty
of students, they must be trained in turns.
The training is followed by a taped cassette.
After they get used to the music, they
will train directly with the real music
played by musicians.
Then, what is the difference in training
the local and the tourist? While smiling,
the father of one son said, “Its
actually the same, but the tourist is
more serious in training. They never give
up on the difficult dance movements. Their
disciplines are very good. Its differs
with the local people whom sometimes become
lazy and not serious, however, not all
the locals are like that,” he said.
As a dancer, Ida Bagus Yudistira possesses
much experience gained overseas. He did
an Expo with STSI (Indonesian Arts Institute)
Denpasar in Hanover (Germany), Holland,
Belgium, and Finland (1995), with Arti
Foundation that staged the new version
of Gambuh dance taking the story “Macbeth”
in Germany (2000), approved the contingent
for the Badung government for a tourism
promotion to India in New Delhi and Bombay
(2000), and together with the Arti Foundation
Festival in Singapore (2001).
As a dance instructor, Ida Bagus Yudistira
teaches from village to village, to preserve
the Balinese art tradition.
Ida Bagus Yudistira also formally taught
dancing in schools. “Its generally
based on a contract for 1 to 2 years.
At present, I teach dancing in SLTP (Junior
High School) 4 Denpasar,” he said.
From his natural talent as a dance instructor,
and affectionately called Gus Yudis is
a trusted choreographer associated with
the Gong Kebyar Festival as the representative
of Badung regency. He started his profession
in 1995 involved as a choreographer in
collaboration with other dance instructors
from Badung regency for a Sendratari (dance
drama) entitled Danureja. However, after
gaining his academic dance title in STSI
Denpasar, he was trusted to work for a
new dance creation for the children Gong
Kebyar Festival in 1997. Next, he worked
on a new dance creation entitled Ekalawya
(2001), Sapa Uma (2002), and Bharata (2003).
This cheery man who loves traveling is
often involved in the Baleganjur dance,
which is prepared for competitions. “Just
last September in the Puputan Badung Competition,
I worked on baleganjur dance for SMU (Senior
High School) 1 Kuta and SLTP (Junior High
School) 2 Abiansemal,” said the choreographer
of Dharma Khsetra dance set for the final
examination. (BTN/015)
