1 Purnama Sari suggests you to lead fun and creative post- show activities, such as mak- ing original masks and com- posing simple stories that feature those masked charac- ters. They could even create short plays, incorporating their stories and masks. Encourage them to invent movements that express their masked characters. Remind them how Purnama Sari dancers ex- pressed their characters through particular choreogra- phy and improvisation. Addi- tionally, you could also show your students masks from around the world to further explore this fascinating topic. Possibilities are endless, as you can see! Purnama Sari’s Mask Dances of Bali introduces your stu- dents to the Indonesian island highly praised for its natural beauty, rich culture and fasci- nating arts. It provides your students with an opportunity to make connection between the culture from a far away land and their own. Not only entertaining and artistic, Bali- nese mask dance invites your students to capture character traits and express them through creative movement and acting. While having fun throughout this program, your students will develop academic skills in school sub- jects such as; language arts (reading /listening comprehen- sion and writing), social stud- ies (geography), theater, music, dance and visual arts. To prepare your students for the performance, Purnama Sari encourages you to try any or all of the pre-show lessons suggested in this study guide; Have your students read a Balinese creation myth, Ra- japala, which is included in this study guide. Help them identify the elements of the story, such as the plot-line, characters and setting. The pre-show activities could also include map study and listen- ing to traditional Balinese mu- sic, Gamelan. Ask your stu- dents what instruments they can recognize in gamelan mu- sic and how it sounds different from western classic music. At their performance, Purnama Sari will offer an interactive talk on cultural values and beliefs that are expressed through Balinese mask danc- es. There will be opportunities for your students to try on masks and create their own movements that express indi- vidual characters represented by the masks. Your students will also have a time to ask questions and make com- ments. Purnama Sari (meaning “essence of full moon” in Indo- nesian) was founded by Surap- sari and Indra of Sarasota, Florida. Surapsari and Indra, long time residents of Bali, studied traditional Balinese dance, theatre and shadow puppetry with internationally acclaimed artists from Ubud, the arts capital of Bali. Since its inception in 2000, Purna- ma Sari has been performing and teaching internationally. Surapsari mastered a wide range of Balinese dance in both male and female styles. Her extensive dance repertoire includes Gambuh (the 500 year old Balinese theater), classic court dances, ancient ritual dances, mask dances and dance-dramas. Surapsari is also a published author and teacher on Balinese perform- ing arts and culture. She holds a Master’s degree in intercul- tural relations from Lesley University in Massachusetts. Program overview www.purnamasaribali.com I I I I : C O N T E N T S Program Overview 1 Introduction to Bali 2 Balinese Mask Dance 3 Pre-show Lessons 4 Mask Dance Performance 11 Post-show Lessons 12 Purnama sari:the spirit of bali P U R N A M A S A R I B A L I N E S E D A N C E C O M P A N Y Mask Dances of Bali Teacher’s Guide (grade 3-5) Indra received a Master’s de- gree in interdisciplinary study from Lesley University. A great deal of his academic work was conducted in Bali and centered on ethnographic studies, myth and Balinese dance in practice and theory. He studied with renowned masters of Topeng (mask dance) including legend- ary I Made Djimat.
15
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Transcript
1
Purnama Sari suggests you to
lead fun and creative post-
show activities, such as mak-
ing original masks and com-
posing simple stories that
feature those masked charac-
ters. They could even create
short plays, incorporating their
stories and masks. Encourage
them to invent movements
that express their masked
characters. Remind them how
Purnama Sari dancers ex-
pressed their characters
through particular choreogra-
phy and improvisation. Addi-
tionally, you could also show
your students masks from
around the world to further
explore this fascinating topic.
Possibilities are endless, as
you can see!
Purnama Sari’s Mask Dances
of Bali introduces your stu-
dents to the Indonesian island
highly praised for its natural
beauty, rich culture and fasci-
nating arts. It provides your
students with an opportunity
to make connection between
the culture from a far away
land and their own. Not only
entertaining and artistic, Bali-
nese mask dance invites your
students to capture character
traits and express them
through creative movement
and acting. While having fun
throughout this program, your
students will develop
academic skills in school sub-
jects such as; language arts
(reading /listening comprehen-
sion and writing), social stud-
ies (geography), theater,
music, dance and visual arts.
To prepare your students for
the performance, Purnama
Sari encourages you to try any
or all of the pre-show lessons
suggested in this study guide;
Have your students read a
Balinese creation myth, Ra-
japala, which is included in
this study guide. Help them
identify the elements of the
story, such as the plot-line,
characters and setting. The
pre-show activities could also
include map study and listen-
ing to traditional Balinese mu-
sic, Gamelan. Ask your stu-
dents what instruments they
can recognize in gamelan mu-
sic and how it sounds different
from western classic music.
At their performance, Purnama
Sari will offer an interactive
talk on cultural values and
beliefs that are expressed
through Balinese mask danc-
es. There will be opportunities
for your students to try on
masks and create their own
movements that express indi-
vidual characters represented
by the masks. Your students
will also have a time to ask
questions and make com-
ments.
Purnama Sari (meaning
“essence of full moon” in Indo-
nesian) was founded by Surap-
sari and Indra of Sarasota,
Florida. Surapsari and Indra,
long time residents of Bali,
studied traditional Balinese
dance, theatre and shadow
puppetry with internationally
acclaimed artists from Ubud,
the arts capital of Bali. Since
its inception in 2000, Purna-
ma Sari has been performing
and teaching internationally.
Surapsari mastered a wide
range of Balinese dance in
both male and female styles.
Her extensive dance repertoire
includes Gambuh (the 500
year old Balinese theater),
classic court dances, ancient
ritual dances, mask dances
and dance-dramas. Surapsari
is also a published author and
teacher on Balinese perform-
ing arts and culture. She holds
a Master’s degree in intercul-
tural relations from Lesley
University in Massachusetts.
P r o g r a m o v e r v i e w
www.purnamasaribali.com
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
C O N T E N T S
Program Overview 1
Introduction to Bali 2
Balinese Mask Dance 3
Pre-show Lessons 4
Mask Dance Performance 11
Post-show Lessons 12
P u r n a m a s a r i : t h e s p i r i t o f b a l i
P U R N A M A S A R I B A L I N E S E D A N C E C O M P A N Y
Mask Dances of Bali
Teacher’s Guide (grade 3-5)
Indra received a Master’s de-
gree in interdisciplinary study
from Lesley University. A great
deal of his academic work was
conducted in Bali and centered
on ethnographic studies, myth
and Balinese dance in practice
and theory. He studied with
renowned masters of Topeng
(mask dance) including legend-
ary I Made Djimat.
2
B a l i : t h e i s l a n d o f t h e g o d s
Bali is one of over 17,500 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia., the fourth most populous
country in the world. Its rich landscape of hills, volcanic mountains, sandy beaches, lush rice terraces
along with tropical fauna and flora, provides a photogenic backdrop to its colorful and deeply spiritual
culture, awarding the island famed nicknames such as, “The Island of the Gods”, “The Morning of the
World” and “The Island of Thousands Temples”. The core of Balinese culture is Balinese Hinduism,
which has developed as the unique blend of Hinduism, Tantric Buddhism, native animism, ancestor
worship and magico-religious rituals. It reflects influences from different Asian cultures and traditions
over centuries. Balinese Hinduism (called Agama Hindu Dharma in Indonesian) permeates every
thread of Balinese life; from daily rituals to rites of passage celebrations, interpersonal relationships
to the structure of the society.
P e r f o r m i n g a r t s o f b a l i
The arts of Bali are also reflections of its spiritual beliefs and values, rather than a mode of self-
expressions. Dance, theatre, music, visual arts, architecture - all art forms exist and are utilized
to please the deities, celebrate spirituality and convey moral messages based on Balinese Hindu
principles. Among the all Balinese art forms, dance and theatre is the most prominent, arresting
showcase of beauty and refinement; otherworldly gamelan music, ancient chants, regal costumes
with glittering fabric and intricate leather work and sophisticated wood masks. Dance and theatre
is also irreplaceable entertainment in otherwise rather plain Balinese village life. It unites Bali-
nese people from young to the aged, thus making itself as an important social function. As tradi-
tional dances and theatres tread steady decline in the rest of the world, Balinese performing arts
are thriving, churning new creations and generating the ever increasing number of artists while
maintaining their unique style as well as cultural and spiritual values expressed through the arts.
GAMELAN The set of instruments which make up a traditional Indonesian music ensemble. It could consist of as few
as two metallophones or as many as sixty different percussive and wind instruments. Gamelan Angklung (the bamboo percus-
sion) was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2010.
DANCE Balinese dance was created and has been performed as the offering to the
deities and ancestral spirits. It is characterized by intricate hand gestures, sharp eye movements,
low stances and dynamic yet refined choreography. All movements are done on both the right and
left sides to establish harmony, which is the reflection of Rwa Bhineda (the balance between
opposite forces), the principle of Balinese philosophy. Masks have been used in Balinese dance for
centuries, predating the arrival of Hindu culture from India. In Bali, dance is performed at temple
ceremonies, rites of passage rituals, social functions and tourism sites. Any village that can afford it
has its own gamelan ensemble and dance club where anyone from young to aged can learn to dance
for free of charge.
THEATRE In Bali, theatre cannot be separated from dance and gamelan. Performers are required to be skilled in
acting, dancing, singing and chanting. Stories of popular theatrical works have been taken from the Indian epics of Ramayana
and Mahabharata, as well as indigenous Indonesian epics and chronicles such as Malat and Babad. Gambuh, the oldest
Balinese theatre was developed from elegant performances at Javanese courts.
SHADOW PUPPET Shadow puppet is considered to be the source of Balinese dance. Its highly stylized movement reflects the
motion of jointed puppet figures. In Bali, Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet in Indonesian) is not only for children, but for people
of all ages. It is the medium to convey moral messages and philosophy in entertaining and artistic manner. Wayang Kulit was
also designated as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
Once upon a time, deep in the forest of Singapanjara, there lived a young hunter named Rajapala. One day, being exhausted from a long hunt, Rajapala was resting by a pond.
Suddenly, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.
Bidadaris, heavenly maidens descending from the kingdom of Gods and Goddesses, flew over the sky flipping their scarves as wings. They slid on the rainbow and landed by the pond. They all had beautiful hair as shiny as gold and their skin smooth as silk. They were laughing and chatting to each other like playful birds. They took off their scarves and walked into the water to bathe.
Rajapala was struck by the beauty of the Bidadaris. Especially, the youngest caught his heart. Her name was Kensulasih. He felt immediate love for her and couldn’t resist stealing her scarf to create a chance to meet her.
After a long bath, the Bidadaris came out of the pond one by one. Flipping their scarves, they flew back to heaven.
At last, Kensulasih emerged out of the water. She looked for her scarf but couldn’t find it. Kensulasih was alone and in despair. All the other Bidadaris had gone back to heaven.
Rajapala appeared behind a bush and approached Kensulasih. “Beautiful young lady, what’s troubling you?”
Kensulasih told him how she was left behind her celestial sisters and asked him to help her. Rajapala said to her, “I can’t send you back to heaven. But I will make you happy as my wife.” Kensulasih really wanted to return to heaven, but without her scarf, she couldn’t fly.
She agreed to marry Rajapala but told him that she would have to return to heaven once their child was born, which should give her power to fly back home. In this way, they were married.
Rajapala hid her scarf in the bottom of piled sacks of rice in the storage, hoping that she wouldn’t find it.
Magic of rice
Rajapala and Kensulasih lived together happily. Kensulasih’s love for her husband grew day by day, and she soon became preg-nant. Kensulasih was so content about her new family that she forgot about returning to heaven. She was a wonderful wife, showing great love for her husband. Life as a hunter was not easy one. Often times, game was scarce in the forest, and Rajapala came back home with no food for dinner. However, Kensulasih always had a magical way of producing rice enough to feed them for weeks after weeks, never opening a new sack of rice.
One day, Rajapala asked Kensulasih how she can offer him rice at every meal although they hardly had any money to buy the grains. Kensulasih smiled and said to him, “My dear husband. It is made possible with my love.” She then told him never to look at her cooking rice. Rajapala became very curious and decided to watch secretly how Kensulasih cooked rice.
One early morning, before the birds began singing their daybreak song, Rajapala quietly approached the kitchen, opened the door slightly and peeked inside. He saw Kensulasih pick up just one grain of rice and put it into the pan. She poured plenty of water, covered with a lid and put the pot on fire. First, the sound of boiling water and then, aroma of cooked rice came from the pot. Kensulasih opened the lid, and the pot was full of rice – from just one grain!
Rajapala was very surprised and gasped loudly. Kensulasih noticed that she had been spied on and felt betrayed. “I have been a faithful wife since the day I met you. In this marriage, I didn’t ask you for any luxury, nor money, but just a promise not to see me cooking. Since you broke your promise, I will return home to heaven.”
Rajapala apologized and begged Kensulasih to stay. At first, Kensulasih refused his request but realized that she still loved him so much. She was also concerned about their unborn baby. She agreed to stay with Rajapala.
One day, Kensulasih went to the storage, looking for rice. Then, she saw a little piece of beautiful cloth showing under a pile of empty rice sacks. It was the scarf she lost at the pond. Kensulasih retrieved it and decided to fly back to heaven when their child was old enough to live without her.
Kensulasih’s departure
Soon, Rajapala and Kensulasih gave birth to their son, Durma. Durma was a beautiful boy with the eyes shining like stars. Kensulasih was very happy about her new family on the earth. Rajapala, regretful about his broken promise, became a very faithful husband and caring father. Their life remained very modest, but their little home in the forest was filled with love.
There was nothing Kensulasih was unhappy about her life on the earth, but she knew that she had to return to heaven where she truly belonged. One day, Kensulasih told her family that now is the time for her to return to heaven. Little Durma cried and begged her not to leave them. But Kensulasih’s heart was already set. She told her husband and son that she would al-ways be watching over them from heaven. She put on her scarf and flew away.
Rajapala’s departure
Rajapala had been heart broken since Kensulasih was gone. He blamed himself for her departure and felt great sorrow for Durma losing his mother at such a tender age. Rajapala took good care of his son and tried to live happily with him. But Ra-japala’s despair was endless.
Many years passed, and Durma grew up to be a strong, clever, young man with a noble heart. Rajapala saw him mature enough to be on his own. Rajapala decided to retreat deep into the forest, to meditate on his past mistakes and pray for his son’s future.
Durma was left alone in the little hut, without guidance from his parents. Durma, sad and angry, began a journey into the deep forest, searching for his father.
Durma’s adventure
The forest grew thicker and thicker as Durma journeyed. Suddenly, a hideous giant appeared in front of him. Her name was Durgadeni. Durgadeni, the merciless witch, fell in love with handsome Durma. She threatened him, “I will eat you up if you don’t marry me!”
Durma had no choice but making her his wife. Durgadeni was so delighted that she couldn’t resist boasting about the secret of her magical power. “There is only one being who can destroy me – somebody born from a Bidadari and a human! But there is no such a being in this world, and that is why I’m immortal! Ha, ha, ha, ha!!”
Learning about her secret, Durma came up with a plan.
Later at night, Durma quietly approached Durgadeni who was in the deep sleep.
Durma prayed a while for Durgadeni’s soul.
Then, he took out his dagger and thrusted it into her body.
In this way, Durma got away from Durgadeni.
Family reunion
Durma continued the search for his father. After many adventures, Durma finally found him meditating under a tall Bodhi-tree.
Durma approached him quietly. Rajapala, still his eyes closed, felt the presence of his beloved son and talked to him. “My son, please forgive me. I didn’t leave you for the sake of my own happiness. I needed to be alone so that I can return as a stronger, wiser father who can assist you throughout your life.”
Durma was filled with a great joy of being reunited with his father. He forgot about all the resentment and anger he had been feeling. Only endless love and sympathy for his father filled his heart.
The father and son held each other and wept. At the same time, a light shone down from heaven. Rajapala and Durma looked up and then, saw their beloved Kensulasih in the sky.
Kensulasih smiled down and told them that she would be with them whenever and wherever they were. She also told Durma never to forget that he belongs to the both worlds of heaven and earth.
Even today, when a Balinese baby cries, his mother takes him out under the starry sky and tells him that he was born from heaven and earth.