Published on May 13, 2014
he grand arts fiesta on the fabled island of Bali will again throw the spotlight on this tourist paradise as the 36th edition of the annual Bali Arts Festival will be rolled out from 14th June to 12th July 2014, to be centered around Bali’s Art Center in Denpasar, capital of Bali Province.
For one full month, the best of Bali’s dances, music, and artistic expressions will be on display as this tourist paradise showcases its best cultural presentations. There will be daily performances of dance and music alongside countless related cultural and commercial activities during which literally the whole of Bali will converge on the city to present offerings of dance, music and beauty. The month-long festival will commence with a parade of performers from all districts in Bali and other Indonesian provinces. There will also be foreign participants. The grand opening is scheduled to be attended by the Indonesia’s President Yudhoyono.
This year, the festival carries the theme “Kertamasa: Dynamics of the Agricultural Society Towards Universal Happiness”, its philosophy is taken from historical factors, inspiration of folk arts, momentums, esthetics, and everything else that have formed the Balinese art as it is today. The theme will be illustrated in the various parades and processions, exhibitions, competitions, seminars, and documentations. This year, the Bali Arts Festival will feature no less than 320 shows involving over 15,000 arts students, artists and artisans, communities, and other participants from all over Bali and beyond.
The festival will be opened with a colossal dance entitled Bali Dwipa presented by students and lecturers from the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) Denpasar. Accompanied by the Gong gamelan orchestra, ISI Denpasar will also present a grand performance of the Rama Sita Prana Bhuana dance drama which is taken from the classic saga of the Ramayana.
Bali Art Festival
The Bali Arts Festival will also be highlighted with other fascinating features among which are Bali Modern theatre, Gong Kebyar maestro, Photography Workshops, culinary festivals, and musical performances. There will also be exciting competitions such as documentary movie competitions, handicraft competitions, literary writing, painting, photography, and other competitions. Parades and processions will also be presented including the Parade of Flowers and coconut leaves arrangements, a culinary and fashion Parade, Nglawang Parade, Dramatari Arja Parade, Gong Kebyar Parade, Semara pagulingan Parade, Joged Bumbung Parade, and many others.
Each year, at the Bali Arts Festival are featured classical dances of the island, such as the legong, gambuh, kecak, barong, baris, mask dances and the like, on which contemporary dance choreographies have been created and old village dances and activities revived. Since most of the art and cultural activities in Bali are motivated by religious devotion, artists will attempt to create their best works.
While major performances are held at the amphitheater which can hold up to 6,000 spectators in a temple-like stage, others are held at locations across the city and surrounding areas.
Through its 36 years history, the Bali Arts Festival has been a media to rediscover and preserve the unique and celebrated arts and culture of Bali, at the same time increase its people’s welfare. Through this special annual event, it is hoped that the true authentic wisdom and philosophy of the people of Bali will not only be preserved but will also grow and spread to other parts of the world.
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