Background - In the village of Pengsekan, Ubud, Bali, across the street from the temple, is a family compound that is the home to Çudamani. Comprised of a core membership of thirty-one young virtuoso musicians and dancers, Çudamani is a professional company with a working philosophy much like a family temple or sanggar. Members see themselves as a community of leaders who, through their music and dance, positively contribute to the artistic, cultural, and political life of their village.

The Group - The group traces its roots from the '70s when the children of Pengosekan, a village well known for its community of painters, weavers, and musicians, gathered after school to play music in the village balai (pavilion.) Over the years these independent-minded children formed a new kind of organization that has become a pride of the village. Tourism has had a powerful impact on the arts in Bali, particularly in Ubud, the famous tourist town just north of Pengosekan. By the 1990s most of the musicians of Ubud were playing for tourists in lieu of the needs of the community, and members were hired and fired depending on their technical ability. The youth of Pengosekan often found themselves working in this system- experiencing the financial benefits of tourism while also being keenly aware of the artistic and cultural dangers of this "professional" arrangement.

In September 1997, Dewa Putu Berata (Director), Dewa Ketut Alit (Artistic Director) and others from Pengosekan called together a number of talented and promising young people from different areas in Bali to form Sanggar Çudamani.

The Philosophy and Practice - Çudamani maintains that the vitality of Balinese arts relies on the connection of performance to the religious and social life of the village. The group sees itself as an activist community that responds to the philosophical, practical, and problematic issues that face Balinese artists today. To insure democratic group process, all major decisions are arrived at through consensus and discussion (a method that is rather unique to gamelan groups in Bali.) Based on a traditional village model, i.e., not for financial profit or individual gain, the group sets the highest artistic standards in the service of the temple and the community.

Members of Çudamani work to achieve a balance of being active creative artists while also preserving ancient and rare forms of Balinese music and dance. The group invites older master artists to Pengosekan to study classic repertoire that is seldom performed. Members of the group also compose new music. Çudamani composers are reknowned for their inspired contributions to the repertoire of Balinese music.

The Performance - The group performs a diverse repertoire ranging from rare classical forms of dance to highly creative instrumental works with great technical precision, high collective spirit and an impressive understanding of musical nuances. Maintaining an active performance schedule requires a highly dedicated group of individuals - particularly since participation is voluntary. Since its creation four years ago, they are in great demand throughout Bali. Their technical accomplishments are unparalleled but perhaps more importantly their vitality and dedication to Balinese traditional values are their hallmark.

Dances - Dances performed by the group include the classic Legong, rare pieces in the Kebyar genre, and new choreography. Their outstanding musicianship and dance technique add weight to the revival of classic works. In addition, their efforts demonstrate a respect for and dedication to the senior masters who are too often dismissed as outdated by the young tourist- oriented artists of Bali.

The dancers' graceful bodies mirror every musical nuance of the gamelan as they bring to life vivid tales of gods and heroes of Balinese mythology and history. Beyond mere aesthetic entertainment, Balinese arts capture and amplify the shifting dimensions of human emotion, nature, the spirit world, and the cosmos.

Musical Instruments - Of significance is the set of instruments used by Çudamani which is a "Semarandana" ensemble. This type of ensemble is still quite rare in Bali, and Çudamani is on the forefront of work in this style. The tuning system used contains "extra" notes which allows the group to perform a pieces from "Angklung", "Semar Pegulingan" and "Gong Kebyar" (all distinct gamelan ensembles) on the same set of instruments. This of course allows the group great freedom and diversity in its repertoire, with the numerous modes and tuning systems each having a distinct atmosphere, color or "mood".

Should you have questions regarding Cudamani, please send an email to: s.rodriguez@ucla.edu.



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