I MADE SuTeJA

DANCER | PAINTER

Made comes from a line of acclaimed masters in the arts of topeng and gambuh dance, and painting in Batuan, Bali. He began studying dance under his father, I Made Bukel, who in turn learned from his father, one of Bali’s most famous performers, I Nyoman Kakul. Made’s performance career started as a young baris dancer in the local temples and soon he was often invited to represent the Gianyar province in the Bali Arts Festival’s gong kebyar competitions. Starting in 2004, he began specializing in the topeng and gambuh traditions of his family’s dance school, Sanggar Satriya Lelana Batuan, and is now a frequent performer oftopeng pajegan. In addition to working for Satriya Lelana, he also performs in Gambuh Pura Desa Batuan, where he plays the characters of Arya, Kadean-Kadean, Panji and Prabu. With this group, he has toured Italy, Algeria, Poland, and Denmark, where he appeared in Odin Theater’s production of Hamlet under the direction of Eugenio Barba. Aside from dance, Made received his undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar and is a reputable artist in the traditional school of Batuan painting. His days are spent painting, performing, and teaching in his home, where many Balinese and international students come to learn topeng, baris, jauk, and gambuh dances.