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Dewa Putu Berata, Founding Director

Born and raised in the village of Pengosekan, son of a great drummer, Berata was immersed in Balinese performing arts from birth. His creative talents, teaching capabilities and leadership qualities make him a noted figure in the Balinese music world. He is renowned for his compositional skills in both traditional and innovative styles and a rare ability to communicate a diverse knowledge of Balinese arts to both Balinese and international artists. He is the founder and director of Çudamani, and has lead Çudamani, on tours to venues including a nine-city tour with Arts Midwest 2012-13, Jazz at Lincoln Center (NY), the World Festival of Sacred Music-(LA), the Cultural Olympiad (Greece), EXPO (Japan) and the Tong Tong Festival (Holland) among others. As a result of Berata’s vision and commitment, Çudamani, has become an important artistic center in Bali, endeavoring to study and preserve rare classic forms of Balinese arts and also provide a space that nurtures the creative energies of young artists in Bali. Frequently he serves a the Music Director for the USA Bay Area based Gamelan Sekar Jaya. He is a graduate of STSI, Denpasar (Bali’s National Academy of the Arts).

Emiko Saraswati Susilo, Associate Director

Susilo was raised in a family rich with the arts. She began her study of Balinese dance with Ibu Ni Made Wiratini and her study of Javanese dance with late Master Rama Sasminta Mardawa, teacher of the Court of Yogyakarta. She is a gamelan/vocal student of Bp. Tri Haryanto and Ki Midiyanto. Susilo is a founding member of Çudamani and has been a core leader since the group’s inception. She works teaches and choreographs for Çudamani’s senior dance students. Overseeing the dance program, she works closely with master dance teachers, and takes a special interest in the groundbreaking girls gamelan program. A vocalist who performs with Cudamani as well as Javanese Gamelan, her collaboration with master guitarist Rob Levitt demonstrates her ability to bridge a wide range of musical styles.  Susilo has a deep love of bringing together traditional and contemporary forms and ideas across the disciplines of dance, music, voice and visual arts. She received her BA from UC Berkeley’s Dept. of Anthropology and her MA from the University of Hawaii’s Dept. of Asian Studies.

Judith Mitoma, Artistic Advisor and Administrator and President, Foundation for World Arts

Professor Mitoma has a long history of work in the performing arts.  An Emeritus Professor of UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance, she founded and Directed the UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance, she created and Directed the Los Angeles based World Festival of Sacred Music, she created and directed  the Aratani World Series (Japanese American Cultural and Community Center), and is the President of the Foundation for World Arts.  Professor Mitoma works with  Gamelan Cudamani  as artistic advisor, producer of ten international tours,  administrator of the Cudamani Summer Institute, and currently serves as administrator of the Cudamani school.

The Foundation for World Arts has provided administrative, planning and production support for the Bali based music and dance non-profit Gamelan Cudamani.  As the American based admin for ten USA tours, FWA has also assisted in promoting and overseeing the international teaching program, the Cudamani Summer Institute (2007- present)   Since January 2022 the FWA has provided underwriting for the education and public performance program for Gamelan Cudamani.  These outreach efforts are a part of the long range support of the village teaching program. 

 

 

Foundation for World Arts

The Foundation for World Arts (FWA) founded in 1999 is a Los Angeles based not-for-profit organization committed to peace, cultural understanding, and universal responsibility.  Our programs in the performing arts are diverse and inclusive and we aspire to creating long-lasting relationships between individuals, artists, and organizations both here and abroad. We believe that cultural exchange through the arts promote tolerance, understanding, and is a viable strategy that builds community across racial, cultural, and geographic boundaries. Since its creation, FWA has brought together tens of thousands of people of diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, including artists of all types, community and religious leaders, educators, and students. FWA accomplished its goal through the World Festival of Sacred Music (1999-2011). In 2011 the FWA curated and produced WATER IS RISING a multi city USA tour for 36 performers from pacific island nations.  Their coral atolls are at risk due to climate change.  In 2014 the FWA launched a partnership initiative with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center- the ARATANI World Series.  From 2015-2017 the FWA produced eighteen concerts presenting music and dance from Angola, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Ghana, Hawaii, India, Iran, Japan, Indonesia, Madagaskar, Mexico, Philippines, as well as our own urban sounds like Cumbia, Hip Hop, etc.   FWA supports artists who have limited access chance to perform on a formal concert stage, we present performing arts that are new and unfamiliar to our mainstream audiences, we present works with an education objective in mind while dignifying artists with excellent production values. We are privileged to advocate for an inclusive platform that is not driven by the demands of the commercial/entertainment popular marketplace.

Gamelan Teachers-

I Dewa Putu Berata,
I Dewa Putu Rai
I Made Supasta,
Dewa Made Mega Putra,
I Made Karjana,
I Komang Gede Sandanu Arta,
I Dewa Gede Wijaya,
Kadek Candy Cintya Dewi

Dance Teachers-

Dewa Ayu Dewi Larassanti,
Ni Wayan Somawati,
Ni Wayan Suweni,
Dewa Ayu Swandewi,
Gede Agus Krisna Dwipayana,
Ngurah Dian,
Ni Wayan Pia Wahyuni,
Ni Putu Vikky Aldelia.

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