NEWS | Mar 17, 2008 (Source: )
Bali Spirit Festival brings community together
Bali Spirit Festival offered four days and four nights of yoga, music, dance and song.
An incredible array of Indonesian and international performers and teachers came together to share their talents at this unique festival held from March 12-16 at The Bali Purnati Center for the Arts in Batuan, Gianyar.
Each day offered a full program of workshops followed by evening performances.
On Thursday evening, Becky White, an Acoustic-folk singer performed an uplifting selection of songs drawing her inspiration from Bali's lush rice fields and Hindu deities such as Dewi Sri, Goddess of Rice. Jamie Janover, a self-taught musician followed with a beautiful set of improvisational songs performed on hammered dulcimer.
The night got even hotter when Jacqui Lalita, a professional belly dancer from Venice Beach, California, USA, performed a sensual traditional belly dance to a lively mix of Arabic and Middle Eastern music.
The highlight of the evening was "Silent Awakening" performed by Tina Malia, who infuses acoustic music with many spiritual traditions from around the world. She sang a set of uplifting songs in Spanish and English wrapping up with a compassionate tribute to Heidi Murphy: "Wild Horses". The crowd was moved by her tender and heartfelt vocals.
While Thursday began small, by Friday the festival was hopping with many enthusiastic workshop participants. I Nyoman Cerita taught a "Brute Force" workshop which focused on the basic movements in traditional Balinese dances.
He has been teaching Balinese dance for 37 years and travels worldwide. His auspicious vocation as an instructor began at the age of fourteen, when his grandfather introduced him to a rigorous training in Balinese dance.
The basic principle of all Balinese dances is "Ngaturang Ngayah", which means to offer your work to God.
"Another important thing is that we must give peace to society. The third one is to be in harmony with nature. So there are three main principals: harmony between humans and God, humans with humans, and humans with nature."
Later in the day Jacqui Lalita taught an invigorating workshop on the art of belly dancing. She began studying the dance six years ago and has made two trips to Egypt in search of the subtleties of this ancient form. This is her first time to Bali and she admits she has fallen in love with the beauty and culture of the island.
Katarina, a Canadian who practices yoga and who has participated in two belly dancing workshops said, "I feel that belly dancing is a beautiful feminine and sensual way of expressing ourselves.great to be in a group of women where you can experience everyone's energy."
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