Denpasar, In the City

Ida Ayu Wayan Arya Satyani, An All Round Teacher of Art

Ida Ayu Wayan Arya Satyani is a dancing teacher from Denpasar. This beautiful and innocent girl is always busy with art affairs every day. “Since a very long time ago, I was determined to preserve the legacy of our ancestors. I think the only way is by introducing and teaching our children. Unless we do, who else will,” said the girl who was born in Denpasar on 17 September 1977.

A figure, whose nickname is Gek Ani, is an all round teacher of art. She can not only dance but also play nearly all-Balinese gamelan instruments. When teaching dance, I also teach the students how play gamelan. “Such concepts, I always keep in mind in teaching art. If we can dance, being able to play gamelan is a big advantage,” said a player of gong kebyar festival who is never absent in participating in the yearly Bali Art Festival.
The first-born of five children of Ida Wayan Granoka and Ida Supraba she is really creative. Students who are taught various arts at Bajrasandhi art studio learn expressive and creative production. The art studio was established by her father and never shows a frontier between dancer and gamelan playing when performing its productions.
Except for teaching the art of dancing in her studio, an alumna of Indonesian Institute of Art (STSI) often makes visits abroad also teaching dance to several banjar (sub village). She already has visited villages to develop chil-dren’s min-ds. “I teach dancing from one village to another village, but I prefer to choose an afternoon schedule. You know that I’m a woman and if I go out in the evening it’s considered unethical. But, it would be all right if someone accompanies me,” she said smiling.
Not only that, Bali is also famous for its art and culture, giving a great opportunity to teach tourists. She has held dance workshops in Karanga-sem, Denpasar and at Secondary School: SCGS at Bukit Timah & RGS at Orchard and CHIJ Katong Primary School Singapore.
”If we’d like to learn dancing we must have uleng in order that we do not neglect the masterpiece of art of our ancestors. Consequently, the dances we’ve learned don’t become an art that possesses neat molds. One can be an expert at dancing, but in the mind there is already another intention, certainly will be different and finally changes from the concept of art that makes the dance empty without having taksu,” said the choreographer of new Sarasvati Dance seriously.
Recently, the studio that provides art studies seldom makes a performance in front of tourists or at hotel. Why? “It is not because of the sluggish condition of tourism, I’d just like to focus on the program that is now being done by our studio. I disagree with the opinion that without tourism the dancers cannot live. I hope that artists do not too greatly depend on tourism. Artists should always be creative, shouldn’t they?” she resolved.
Since her childhood, this beautiful girl who lives at Kebo Iwa II Street, Lane XVI No.2 Banjar Batukandik, Padangsambian Kaja Denpasar, is used to performing Balinese Dance so that she is not afraid to become dance consultant abroad. She accompanied the Children of Bali who made performances in ten states in the United States (1991), as Body Cak dancer in San Francisco America, danced with the team of Hotel Imperial in Japan (1997) and became a choreographer in cooperation with The Theater Practice who made drama performances with the setting of Balinese Culture entitled The Missing Sun in Australia (2001).
”Right now, I’m busy preparing a production for the program of Bajra Sandi studio. This production will be performed on the program of ngrebek aksara. Ngrebek constitutes a parade that is held from Dibiadesa Budakeling Mancadesa at Karangasem to the Cultural City of Denpasar. This program is conducted in relation to the Cultural crown. That’s why once a month I go to my home village in Karangasem to teach children at the village,” she said while smiling proudly.(BTN/015)