Presenter Bio: 

I began studying dance in the court of Karangasem from the age of 7 years and later went to villages to continue my studies with some of Bali’s greatest dance masters: Ida Bagus Raka Bongkasa, I Kakul, I Mario and Gusti Biang Sengog. I mostly danced Oleg and Condong Legong for the well known Gong Peliatan under leadership of Anak Agung Mandera. I also was invited to dance for other groups in Bali until I moved to Bandung to pursue studies in Medicine in 1965. From 1960 on, I was often invited to dance at the state presidential palaces in Tampaksiring and Jakarta, and perform in cultural missions to other countries all over Asia and Europe. I was a dancer of the Indonesian Pavillion for a three month period at the World Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan. Several heads of state like Kaisar Hirohito, Prince Akihito, Kim II Sung, Queen Sirikit & King Bhu Mi Bol, Prince Sihanouk, President Bill Clinton and Hillary (during their visit in 1994), Queen Beatrix (1995) have all seen my dance and been able to appreciate art as a medium for cultural understanding between nations.

I have been active as board of the World Dance Alliance, Indonesian Chapter (1994 -1996). In 1997 active member of the executive board of the Indonesian Society for Performing Arts (MSPI), and chaired the MSPI Mileniart seminar and workshop in Tirtagangga Bali, Sept 1999. Since 2001 until now appointed as member of the MSPI Board of Trustees.

Workshop Descriptions: 

Legong Dance Peliatan Style

From its creation, Legong is  a court dance inspired by the sacred Sanghyang Dedari trance dance by little girls, and also the ancient dance theatre Gambuh.  In the past it was considered a status symbol for the Bali Kings to have a Legong dance group.  Only in some parts of Bali, the Legong is danced in the temple and is strictly a sacred dance.  Although we can enjoy Legong as a pure dance form, behind the dance is an abstract, mythological drama. Each dancer can change her character through movements and symbolic expressions .There are many types of Legong dances depending on the story or character it depict.  The most popular is the Legong Lasem in which the first dancer is called Condong.  The story begins when she hands over two fans to the other two Legong dancers.   In this course, a part of the Condong dance will be taught, in the Peliatan style.

Some movements’ names that will be taught and its description

Agem:  foundation of the dance, an asymmetrical basic stance.

Ngeed: lowering of the whole body without changing the agem

Seledet: eye movements to the side and back to the front

Angsel: quick energetic burst of movement of arms and feet

Ngumbang: a walking pattern

Ngeregseg: shuffling in a semicircle to the sides

Ulap-ulap:  looking, observing