Programs

Lessons

Take private one-off or group* lessons with an expert, either at our centre or remotely. These practical lessons focus on a specific gamelan instrument or dance. For a deeper understanding of gamelan or dance history and sociology, book a private workshop with our English-speaking experts. We also offer package lessons for long-term study.

Practical lessons last 60 minutes for one-off and 1.5 hours for package lessons.

Contact us for pricing and details. Please book at least two weeks in advance.

*Please note, you need to form your own group as we do not provide groups to join.

Check out our reviews on Trip Advisor and Google.

Workshops

Take a private or group* two-, three- or four-hour workshop with two experts either at our centre or remotely.

Workshops are for people who wish to learn about the history, sociology and receive professional explanations by English-speaking experts and researchers about gamelan or dance.

Contact us today for prices and details. Booking is essential and is must be at least two weeks in advance.

Read review on Trip Advisor and Google about studying at our centre.

Cultural Immersion

If you are thinking of creating or doing a study abroad from your country, you can take a cultural immersion program at our centre. Gamelan, dance, puppetry, mask painting, cooking, tours, performances, final student performance, in-house rehearsals, delicious local cuisine, spectacular traditional ceremonies, certificates of completion and more.

Download this Mekar Bhuana Cultural Immersion Program to find out all the options we offer and we create something truly memorable for you or your group .

family group activities

Our Family Group Activities are inclusive, fun, education and suitable for all ages. They are available for children, teenagers and adults, and are based on minimum numbers of participants.

Contact us today for details.

Read reviews on Trip Advisor and Google about studying at our centre.

Instructors

We have a team of expert instructors from a number of different villages in Bali who are experienced in teaching both local and foreign students.

LESSONS

For private lessons, we offer a 10% discount for 2 students and a 20% discount for 3 students.
Students may take a maximum of 3 hours a day for gamelan or 2 hours a day for dance.
Lessons are held at Mekar Bhuana Centre. Outside lesson requests shall incur additional transportation charges.
To confirm instructor availability and schedule, lessons are to be paid for in advance before arriving in Bali. Click for Payment Options.
Confirmation and full payment required at least 2 weeks in advance.
Intensive workshop programmes that include extensive explanations and professional demonstrations are also available. Contact us for more details.
We offer a cultural attaché and interpreting (Indonesian/Balinese to English) service to visit gamelan makers, off-the-beaten track temple performances, as well as source artists or purchase instruments or dance costumes etc. Explanation and interpreting by ethnomusicologist and long-time Bali resident.
Note that during high season (December 20th – January 5th), lessons incur a 10% surcharge.
Recording of lessons is permitted for educational purposes only. Sampling or use of Mekar Bhuana gamelan sounds recorded for compositions, creation of music for commercial use is not permitted.
Our instructors are not to be contacted personally for personal, collaborative or commercial reasons via any means: contact about study or working together with Mekar Bhuana must only be done through Mekar Bhuana management.
We also sell instruments, dance costumes, puppets, masks and accessories at our online store.

Workshops

This is the breakdown of the components of our typical gamelan or dance workshops where partipicants are taught by two professionals:

Explanation and demonstration session taught by a researcher who has lived, researched and performed gamelan music in Bali and who is a native speaker in English with demonstrations from our instructor (25%)
The practical session where participants can try many of demonstrated instruments or learn different dance styles (75%).

Workshop Terms and Conditions:

Booking with payment must be made up front at least two weeks before the date of the workshop. Payment is non-refundable under any circumstances.
Once booking is made, we can confirm your instructor and schedule.
Combination (gamelan and dance) workshops need to be a minimum duration of three hours.
Refreshments and Balinese snacks included. Note that Mekar Bhuana is a single-use-plastic-free zone and that we provide a refill station for drinking water. Students are welcome to bring tumblers for refills.
Copy of study material will be sent via email. Souvenir sarong and Mekar Bhuana music CD or DVD dance tutorial (CD/DVD while stocks last) are included. Souvenir sarong only for under 12s participants.
Workshops are not to be filmed or recorded. Workshop materials provided are to be used for educational purposes only.
Participants are not to exchange contact details (including social media) whatsoever with our instructors.
Dress-up in dance or gamelan costumes (1.5 – 2 hours) is available for (contact us for details). Advanced booking required
We also sell instruments, dance costumes, CDs, puppets, masks and Mekar Bhuana merchandise on our online store.

If you are interested in only learning the practical aspects of gamelan or dance, you should book private lessons. Note that workshops can also be combined with private lessons: we can even create a personalized program for you based on your interests or needs.

*you need to have an already formed group as we do not have workshop groups you can join.

CULTURAL IMMERSION

Immerse yourself in Balinese performing arts and culture at Mekar Bhuana, a warm-welcoming family based centre with 10 years’ experience creating custom-made programs for individuals and groups from around the world.

You will learn how Balinese live by a concept of harmony, caring for nature and the environment as well as human relationships and their connection to the universe through ritual, devotion and artistic creativity.

Contact us today to customize your program options. Booking for customized program is essential and must be at least 3 months before you or your group arrives. We can also arrange accommodation and meals during your program.

Read review on Trip Advisor and Google about studying at our centre. Check out other group’s program on our YouTube channel.

Family Group Activities

To qualify for family group activities, there must be a minimum of three adults and one teenager or child.
If your group includes four adults, children under five years old are free.
Children aged five and under join free of charge, as long as they are accompanied by a paying adult (minimum of four paying adults for four children aged five and under).
Price above will be added to for puppet painting materials for a puppet workshop.
Inclusions:
- Professional demonstration and hands-on practice
- Cultural storytelling and explanation
- Refreshments and Balinese snacks
- Souvenir batik sarong for each paying participant
- Leather puppet to paint and to take home (for puppet workshop).
Optional Add-Ons:
- Dress-up
- Shadow puppet show.
Age Categories:
- Children (6–11 years old)
- Teenagers (12–15 years old)
- Adults (16 years and older)
Terms & Conditions:
- Payment required at least 4 weeks in advance to confirm booking
- Weekend sessions: +10% surcharge– High season (Dec 20 – Jan 5): +20% surcharge
- Number of participants is fixed after payment
- Workshops are not to be filmed or recorded (only allowed for private documentation or Mekar Bhuana program promotion).
- No exchange of contact details with instructors to maintain our professional ethic.

I Wayan Gede Purnama Gita – Gamelan Instructor and Workshop Demonstrator
A specialist in rare gamelan music such as Gamelan Genggong and Gamelan Gambuh, he is our main gamelan instructor. Known as “Pur” by friends and students, he is from a long line of gamelan musicians and dancers in his home village of Batuan, and has been playing gamelan music since and early age. he represented Gianyar Regency Gong Kebyar troupe for seven years running in his youth and won on three occasions. In 2015 graduated from ISI Denpasar with a major in composition, and is now deeply involved with the reconstruction process at Mekar Bhuana as an understudy of co-founder, Vaughan Hatch.

Putu Hartini – Gamelan Instructor

Daughter of gamelan maestro Wayan Suweca from Kayumas, Putu is a lecturer in gamelan at ISI Denpasar (Denpasar Arts Institute) specializes in Gender Wayang, teaching children and women, and has a lovely, calm teaching technique.

Putu Evie Suyadnyani – Female Dance Instructor and Dance Workshop Presenter

A naturally gifted dancer and singer, Evie was trained under the late Ni Reneng of Kedaton and I.G.A. Susilawati. She was first-prize winner of the prestigious Legong Condong competition for all of Bali in 1993 and has been teaching since junior high school. Evie has extensive experience teaching foreigners and has also danced and played gamelan overseas. In 2013, she and Vaughan Hatch taught semara pagulingan music and dance as world music artists in residence for three months at Toronto University. She is the founder of the dance component of Mekar Bhuana.

Vaughan Hatch – Gamelan and Dance Workshop Presenter

A self-defined ‘music archaeologist’ and ethnomusicologist, Vaughan’s experience of 20 years living and researching gamelan music in Bali is poured into the explanation and demonstration component of private and group workshops. In 2013, he and Putu Evie taught semara pagulingan music and dance as world music artists in residence for three months at Toronto University. Vaughan also performs gender wayang, selonding, angklung, semara pagulingan, pelegongan and bebarongan music, as well as makes iron practice instruments which are sometimes demonstrated at Mekar Bhuana workshops. Founder of Mekar Bhuana in 2000, he also assists Putu Evie to explain the history of Balinese dance in dance workshops.

Made Suteja – Male Dance & Mask Instructor and Dance Workshop Demonstrator
Internationally acclaimed gambuh and mask dancer, Made Suteja is more popularly known as “Made Cat” because he is also a talented traditional painter (cat = paint). He is the son of famous dancer, Made Bukel, who is known for his strict and effective teaching technique. While Made is a very serious teacher, he is also a humorist and this comes out clearly in his improvisations when dancing comic characters.

Komang Supadmi – Female Dance Instructor and Dance Workshop Demonstrator

Known as ‘Mamik’, Komang is Putu Evie’s aunt and original dance teacher, she is the motherly figure in the dance instructor line-up at our centre. She helps Evie to demonstrate female Balinese dance and has a very patient and refined teaching technique.

I Wayan Bawa – Male Dance & Mask Instructor and Dance Workshop

I Wayan Bawa, son of renowned mask dance interpreter I Nyoman Sadeg, mastered Gambuh, Topeng, and Tjalonarang under maestro I Made Djimat. An STSI Dance Academy alum, he is now the artistic director and principal instructor for male roles in the Gambuh Desa Batuan Ensemble. Since 1995, he’s collaborated with ISTA and is a permanent member of Theatrum Mundi Ensemble. Since 2000, Bawa has toured independently, offering workshops and presenting “The Total Actor,” created with Julia Varley.