Badung
The Center of Tourism
Dharmawangsa Dance Studio
Ready to Perform at Bali Arts Festival
2005
Pak,… kapak,…
kapak… pak, that is the sound of
kendang (doubled drum). Then, eight children
show their rhymed movements, while playing
a stick with their vibrating fingers.
Their feet step firmly, while their ball
eyes glimpse right and left. What a beautiful
performance. That is the short view of
the “Wewalan Asih” Dance danced
by the children of Dharmawangsa Dance
Studio in Sedang Village, Abiansemal sub
district, Badung Regency.
This
dance tells about children while catching
dragonflys. This dance was prepared to
follow the Children Gong Kebyar Festival
at the Bali Arts Festival (BAF) June –
July 2005. The 20 minutes dance duration
that is supported by children Sekaa Gong
of Sengguan sub village, Munggu Village,
Mengwi, was organized by Ida Bagus Yudistira
and I Wayan Gde Arnawa as the accompaniment
organizer.
Being on the stage at the BAF is not the
first ever for these studio’s children.
The studio is located 8 km northwards
of Denpasar and was founded by Ida Bagus
Yudistira on 25 December 2000, successively
performs within the BAF as the representative
of Badung Regency. Firstly, this studio
performed an Ekalawiya Creation Dance
(8 dancers) and Legong Kraton Dance (3
dancers) at the BAF in 2001. And next,
the Sapa Uma Dance with (8 dancers) and
Dolanan (16 dancers) at the BAF in 2002,
followed by the Brata Dance (8 dancers)
and Dolanan (10 dancers) BAF 2003, and
the last, performance is the Rare Kemara
Dance (8 dancers) and Tenun Dance (2 dancers)
at the BAF in 2004.
The dancers of Dharmawangsa Studio often
perform in hotels at Nusa Dua and Kuta,
and also at Taman Ayun Temple, Mengwi.
The children from this studio often win
in each Balinese Dance Competition for
children, for example; as the best dancer
of Manuk Rawa Dance at BaliTV’s 2004
Dance Competition, as the winner of Legong
Kraton Dance (2003) and winner of Panji
Semirang Dance in Kayumas (2004). “We
often ngayah (devotion stage) at the temple,
because the aim of this studio is definitely
for ngayah,” said Ida Bagus Yudistira,
the owner as well as the dance trainer.
The studio divides the student into three
classes which are novice, intermediate
and expert class. The novice class will
supply the basic Balinese dance movements
with several dances such as Legong Dance,
Pendet Dance, Panyembrama Dance, Margapati
Dance (for girls) and Baris Tunggal Dance
and Wirayuda Dance (for boys). The student
in the intermediate class should master
the dance of Legong Kraton Lasem, Wiranata
Dance, Panjisemirang Dance, Oleg Tambulilingan
Dance and Tenun Dance, whilst especially
for the boys will be taught Kebyar Duduk
Dance and other popular dances. And the
students in the advanced class will learn
the Terunajaya Dance and other new creation
dances.
There are only 25 students who joined
in the first appearance of Darmawangsa
studio. After become famed through many
festival and dance competitions, student
numbers have increased to 200 students
but only 150 actively participate. With
only Rp 1.000/ for one training season,
the children will be trained by 2 dance
instructors both male and female teachers.
The studio opens each Monday, Saturday
and Sunday. “I am also available
to go from house to house as a private
teacher,” said the husband of Ida
Ayu Chandra Dewi who also rents Balinese
dance costumes and wedding make-up.
So, is there any obstacle in training?
“I do have a problem in teaching
the novice class, because the students
have no basic knowledge in Balinese dancing.
It needs extra stamina and patience to
train them,” Yudistira explained.
(BTN/015)
Regent
Subawa Supports Kuta’s Carnival
The
caretaker of Badung Regent, I Wayan Subawa
has given his support to the Kuta Carnival
2005, 25 June until 3 of July. This statement
was submitted at the forum of Kuta Small
Business Association (KSBA), Wednesday
(6/4) at the Regents office.
KSBA
was led by I Made Supatra Karang with
10 other organizers to support the activities
that will be held in Kuta and surrounds.
According to Supatra Karang, Kuta Carnival
2005 is the 3rd annual program, since
launched in 2003. “This event was
held at first as a tourism recovery effort
for Bali after the Bali Blast 2002,”
he said while adding, the Australian Prime
Minister, John Howard was present in 2002.
Subawa says, this event is a positive
step to promote, especially Badung tourism,
and Bali in general. “Within this
competitive life, we should not be dozed
on name popularity. It does well with
Bali, do not put it too high which will
be finally forgotten at last and left
behind with other districts that promote
and arrange their territory intensively,”
said Subawa seriously.(BTN/Budarsana)
