Mission Statement
The Foundation dedicated to Conservation of the traditional Balinese Dance and developing the Balinese performing art.
The Founder
Ni Ketut Arini
Ni Ketut Arini is one of Bali’s most revered teachers and performers and an expert on classical and modern Balinese dance. She was born into a family of artists in Bali’s capital city, Denpasar. Encouraged by her first teachers, she attended KOKAR, the Indonesian Conservatory of Performing Arts, from the year of its inception in 1960. Her gifts became quickly apparent and, upon graduation, she was asked to join the faculty. However she attended both the College of Religious Studies and the National Academy of the Arts before accepting the position at KOKAR (later known as SMKI, the National High School of Performing Arts ).
I
bu Arini, äs she is universally known, is famous throughout Bali for several rea-sons. As a performer, her riveting interpretations offormative kebyar-style works such äs Taruna Jaya (“Dance of the Victorious Youth”) and Margapati (“Kingof’the Forest”) won her top prizes and widespread recognition in the heady first years ofthe Bali Arts Festival. She also became a skilied performer in various classical styles, such äs legong and arja.
As a choreographer, she created several dra-matic works based on Balinese mythology and folklore, such äs the award-winning Legong Subraba Duta. But even beyond these achievements, Ibu Arini is one of the most highiy regarded teachers in Bali-an artistwhose unquestioned mastery of dance, passionate love of her art, and gentle spirit has made her a guiding light to thousands ofdancers and otherartists throughout Bali. She appears frequentlyon Balinese television in demonstrations and explanations of various dance styles äs an articulate spokesperson for one ofthe world’s richest dance traditions.
In addition to her ambitious touring schedule (she has performed and taught in more than twenty countries), Ibu Arini has performed several times with the member Bay Area ensemble, Gamelan Sekar Jaya. She recently finished her second extended residency with the group äs Guest Dance Director. Sekar Jaya is currently producing a documentary video of her work, focusing on many dances now in danger of being lost but which still live intensely in the mind-and movements of Ibu Arini.
Ni Ketut Arini is one of Bali’s most accomplished and versatile dancers and musicians and is celebrated as a teacher and performer. Bu Arini was born in the same village, Lebah, where her school now resides. Bu Arini comes from a family that have been artists for several generations…