Bali Comes to Buffalo! - A Celebration Performance

Nusantara Arts welcomes you to join us for Buffalo's first major presentation of Balinese arts and culture. Nusantara Arts has been presenting Javanese music in Buffalo for 8 years and was given a set of Balinese "Semar Pegulingan" instruments a year ago, launching this new exciting program. Explore with us an enrapturing series of Balinese compositions, showcasing both historical and modern styles of gamelan music. The Performance will also present two dance pieces "Rejang Dewa" a classical sacred dance usually performed in Hindu temples and "Topeng keras" mask dance showcasing the strong male style.

I Gusti Nyoman “Komin” Darta - Guest Balinese Artistic director

Komin is one of the most well regarded and talented Balinese musicians living in the US. He is one of the only teachers that knows the traditional Balinese gamelan Semar Pegulingan repertoire that is played on Nusantara Arts instruments and is very talented at the Barong Dance.

Komin is from Pengosekan village on Bali and comes from a family of musicians. Komin’s father was a poor but exceptional musician and teacher. In his youth Komin went to temples to watch his father play and started learning many instruments.Komin learned in the true Balinese way: at home, in the temple, and in the community through experiences with close family and friends. He became known as a virtuoso player and helped found one of the most famous Balinese performing arts ensembles: Cudamani. For the last 10 years Komin has been living in New York and teaching at various colleges such as MIT, Bucknell, Queens College, and in community groups such as Dharma Swara.

Ida Ayu Ari Candrawati - Master Balinese Dancer

Ibu Candra began dancing the challenging “Pelegongan” repertoire at age seven under the renowned teacher Cok Istri Agung of Singapadu village. Her professional dancing career began with the Sadha Budaya group of Ubud, Indonesia in 1982. In 1992 she graduated from the Indonesian National Arts Conservatory in Denpasar, Bali. She has performed in international tours in Asia and Europe. From 1995-2000 she danced with the ARMA ensemble, Kumara Sari, and in 1999 choreographed a new work that was performed at the island-wide Bali Arts Festival. She was the dance director and instructor of NYC’s Gamelan Dharma Swara from 2001 – 2012. She is now the dance director of Gamelan Padma Bhuana New York, and teaches Dance classes at the Indonesian Consulate in New York City. Ibu Candra is well known in the Indonesian community in the US for her masterful dancing and excellent teaching abilities, using teaching techniques she learned in Bali.

Seating is all General Admission:

Floor Seating: sitting on the floor in front of the musicians Indoensian style is the best way to get close to the music and enjoy the experience in the traditional way, small floor-mats fit 2-3 people, large floor-mats fit 5-6, Floor mats are first come first served

Regular Seated Admission: Regular Seated admission will be spread out around the venue. If you want to sit with your family and friends buy your tickets together so we can maximize viewing angles in the room

Day of Tickets: There will be Day of tickets available if the show doesn't sell out in advance, please purchase ahead of time if you can!

Accessibility: Our venue has a flight of stairs to access the performance space. It is not suite d for people in wheelchairs. We hope to raise funds for an elevator in the future.