Tunas Mekar and Bantaba World Dance & Music present

ON TOUR FROM BALI - Wayang Kulit - Shadow Puppet Play
Featuring master puppeteer, I Nyoman Sumandhi and
musicians I Wayan Winata and I Wayan Sutartha

Friday, April 26, 7:3O pm - New Vista High School, 805 Gillaspie
Drive, Boulder

Saturday, May 4, 7:3O pm - King Performing Arts Center, Concert
Hall
Auraria Campus, 855 Lawrence Way, Denver
Shadow Puppet Demonstration and Lecture with I Nyoman
Sumandhi 4:00 pm

Tickets for Shadow Play - $10/12 adults, $8/10 seniors,
students, children
Admission for Demo/Lecture $10
For advance tickets call Tunas Mekar, 303-433-3782 or Bantaba,
303-499-6484

note*: Tunas Mekar is not performing at this special event.


The shadow puppet plays, known as wayang kulit are popular
not only in Bali but throughout Indonesia. Far more than mere
entertainment, the wayang kulit is an extremely important vehicle
of culture, serving as carrier of myth, morality play, and form of
religious experience rolled into one.

The puppets are believed to have great spiritual power, and are
"brought to life" by special ceremonies performed by the dalang,
the puppet master and storyteller. The dalang is a man of many
talents: he must have a repertoire of hundreds of stories, play
the music, have a flair for showmanship, perform the necessary
sacred rituals, and also know how to make the intricate, flat,
leather puppets. Through the puppets, he relates the story line
(which the audience usually already knows by heart) and
embellishes the universal themes through improvisational
asides incorporating the local village's gossip or happenings.
These asides are usually hilarious to the audience.

The function of the shadow play is to educate as well as amuse,
by portraying good and evil, with good always triumphing,
although evil is never destroyed. In Hindu thought, good and evil
are necessary parts of the whole and must exist in equilibrium.
In Bali, shadow plays are extremely popular, with performances
given during sacred temple ceremonies, private family
ceremonies, and in the villages, just for fun. A typical
performance can last six hours or more, often ending at
daybreak. The audience, including little children, sits on the
ground, enthralled, for the entire story. Although involving much
horseplay and slapstick comedy in the lighthearted Balinese
fashion, every aspect of the shadow play has mystical overtones,
symbolism, and esoteric meanings. - Notes by Julia Ingersoll

For more information please visit http://www.tunasmekar.org,
email us at info@... or call 303-433-3782.
Sponsored in part by the University of Denver, Lamont School of
Music Tunas Mekar is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all
donations to the ensemble are tax-deductible.

These performances are sponsored in part by Island Teaks -
303.399.3856, Isle of Singapore - 303.777.8388, Oriental Food
Market - 303.442.7830, Shepton's Antiques -
http://www.sheptonsantiques.com and Truszt Teak Furniture -
http://www.trusztteakfurniture.com.

About Gamelan Tunas Mekar - a community orchestra
Tunas Mekar performs the indigenous music of the island of
Bali, Indonesia. Modeled after typical village groups found
throughout Bali, and learning by traditional methods directly from
Balinese teachers, Tunas Mekar provides American audiences
with an authentic glimpse of one of the world's most fascinating
cultures. Tunas Mekar has been invited for the second time to
perform this June at the 24th international Bali Arts Festival in
Bali, Indonesia. Visit the website and see the new Tunas Mekar
t-shirt design. Join the Tunas Mekar e-mail list and download
free music of Tunas Mekar---www.tunasmekar.org. Balinese
music and dance workshops available.

About Bantaba - a school with a vision
Bantaba World Dance & Music (http://www.dancingcircle.com), a
meeting place for world cultures, is committed to the vision that,
through the arts, we best appreciate the richness of human
diversity. Bantaba's African program is one of the strongest in the
USA. Bantaba hosts a Boulder community Balinese gamelan.
Other class offerings include Tango, Salsa, Bolero, Latin
Rhythms, Middle Eastern, Hip Hop, Break Dance, Jazz, Ballroom,
and Afro-Modern. Bantaba has a yoga center and a CD-video
label.


Gamelan Tunas Mekar will be featured as part of the Friends of
Whatley Chapel's "Bells and Whistles" campaign.

Music and Dance of Bali - Sunday, May 26, 2002, 3:00 pm
Enjoy Gamelan Tunas Mekar in a beautiful outdoor setting at the
Whatley Chapel amphitheater 18th and Oneida, Denver

Hear the rich sounds of the large semara dana orchestra played
by the 21 member ensemble, and see the exciting dances,
Kebyar Trompong, Jaran Teji, and Puspan Jali.

Featuring Artists in Residence: I Made Lasmawan, Ni Ketut
Marni, Ni Nyoman Erawati and I Putu Tangkas Adi Mayena

For more information about this concert call 303-433-3782
Donations requested. Your tax-deductible contribution supports
this and future concerts.