An overview of the art, music, dance, and traditions of the kingdom of Bali. 1 unit - Lasmawan

This course explores the arts and culture of Bali, Indonesia, on location in Bali. Music, dance, theater, and visual arts are ubiquitous in Bali, where artistic production is far out of proportion to the size and population of the island. The Hindu-Balinese religion (Agama Hindu Dharma) requires performing and visual arts for the successful completion of the thousands of ceremonies undertaken each year, and therefore virtually every Balinese person is a dancer, musician, actor, visual artist, or poet, and many individuals are equally competent in several media. The unique history and culture of Bali are best understood through the arts, which connect past to present, self to community, and religion to reality. Students and faculty will live and study at Sanggar Manik Galih, a music and dance studio located in the Lasmawan family compound in Bangah, a small village in central Bali. The compound has been outfitted with a gamelan angklung, gamelan gong kebyar, gamelan gender wayang, gamelan balaganjar, and gamelan joged bumbung for course use. The daily class schedule in Bali will include lectures and discussion of readings on Balinese history, culture, arts, and the environment followed by practical instruction in traditional music, dance, cooking, and the arts. Students will experience Balinese arts and culture through participation in daily life, attendance at a wide range of performances, and lecture-demonstrations by a variety of artists and craftsmen.