Global and Popular Musics
Mini-term Abroad in Balinese Performing Arts (354T)
Study Balinese gamelan and dance through both group and private lessons on the magnificent island of Bali.
This mini-term will take between 12 and 16 students to the magnificent Indonesian Island of Bali, which is renowned for its beauty and outstanding artists. There, students will focus on the intensive study of the performing arts of Bali through both group and private lessons, as well as attend live performances and visit key religious and architectural locations. In addition to sponsored events and travel, students will have the option of scheduling additional excursions at their own expense on free-days.
Course of Study
Students will have daily group instruction with master performers in both gamelan (Balinese orchestra of gongs and xylophones) and dance, as well as additional private or semi-private lessons in an art form of one’s choosing (e.g. mask making, painting, etc.). This instruction will culminate in final presentations and performances. Students will visit many important artistic and religious locations, attend professional performances, and meet with local Balinese peoples in a variety of contexts. Students will complete extensive journal notes on all these experiences and partake in additional required activities, including a scavenger hunt.
Master Performers
Instruction on the gamelan will be led by I Gusti Nyoman Darta. Pak Komin, as he is fondly referred to, taught gamelan at Union College in Spring, 2011. He is a highly respected musician with a growing global reputation. He began studying traditional music with his father and went on to study at the High School for Performing Arts. He was one of the founding members of the internationally acclaimed Gamelan Çudamani, with which he performed until 2007. He continues to express his unique creativity through many collaborative projects.
Instruction on Balinese dance will be led by Ni Ketut Arini Alit. Ibu Arini Alit is one of Bali’s most revered teachers and performers of classical and modern Balinese dance. She was a teacher at the High School for Performing Arts for years as well as a consultant on dance at the Department of Education. She is credited founding the respected Warini School of Dance. She has performed and taught all over the world in more than twenty countries and is well known for her riveting performances and creative choreography.
(Please note that Balinese Instructors may change due to extenuating circumstances.)
Pre-requisites
No previous experience is required, though enthusiasm and a willingness to explore the arts is a must!!
Accommodations
All students will stay at Villa Kerti Yasa in Nyuh Kuning Village (www.villakertiyasa.com). This is a full-service resort located south of the Monkey Forest, just outside of Ubud, a mecca of Balinese arts and culture. The gamelan and dance lessons will be held on-site in air-conditioned facilities.
Calendar
(For specific dates, contact International Programs, Old Chapel, Third Floor.)
April: Application deadline is the third Friday of spring term.
May: Non-refundable deposit due at the Cashier’s Office in McKean House, and receipt brought to the International Programs Office
Fall term: Orientation meetings
Late November: Mini-term begins
Mid-December: Program ends
For More Information
Students may contact:
Professor Jennifer Milioto Matsue, TMC 208 or by phone at (518) 388-8075