Dell'Arte Bali, 2007

The Dell'Arte Study Abroad Trip 2007--

We began our trip with 7 plus 2 program directors. I met the group on January 31 when they all arrived in Bali and ferried them to our lovely home in the rice paddies above the town of Ubud. The second photo is a view of the sunset from my balcony.

One person wishes she didn't have to leave early, but can't get a plane seat out any later—seems like Chinese New Year is causing all available seats on China Air to be packed solid for the next few weeks with wildly partying Chinese people.


A TYPICAL DAY ON OUR PROGRAM
We begin our day here with 7 AM class, and I alternate mornings of Alexander technique and yoga with Jodi Gilbert, who does voice work. It's been a great way to start the day.
Breakfast is 8 – 9--fresh fruit, banana pancakes, scrambled eggs, tea or coffee.....


For those studying dance (see the first photo--Ayu our teacher in front, Theresa and Kajsa in back) they are in class for two hours from 9 - 11. Kajsa Ingemansson is one of the hearty ones who is determined
to soak it all up, so when dance is over she heads out to another village for shadow puppetry /music class with 3 others. In this four-hour class they are learning music, the making of rawhide shadow puppets, and how to use them.


I head off to the carving teacher's house in the village of Mas at 10:30 and work there till 4 PM every day. I'm still working on my first mask of this trip, but David Knezz is on his 3rd mask already. I struggle with trying to create the underlying structure, the volumes of the face, rather than trying to draw a picture on the wood. The wood is beautiful and the knives are beautiful. I prefer the knife work to the chisel work, which comes before it, preceded by the axe work.


Our schedule is very full—in addition to the morning practice, the various training classes, etc. we also do language classes or monkey chant (kecak) classes on some afternoons, as well as seminars with mask carvers or puppet masters, and we spend some evenings watching
performances. There is time to swim in the pool, eat great food, and shop. Everyone still on the trip is happy as a clam, as well they should be--this is a great program!


Happy Valentine's Day!