SEMARA RATIH is distinguished by being a group of highly motivated and dedicated musicians and dancers brought together at the invitation of Anak Agung Anom Putra and his wife Gusti Ayu Sukmawati — both of whom are celebrated Balinese dancers. Their lineage is of five generations of dancers (Gusti Ayu’s aunt is Gusti Ibu Raka who did the American and European tour with John Coast in 1952! Both of them have studied with Anak Agung Mandera, of course).

Usually gamelan groups in Bali consist of performers all drawn from the same village and village club (banjar) — both young and old and of various abilities. For Semara Ratih, Anom and Ayu carefully selected from various villages the best young players and dancers with whom they liked and respected, and so Semara Ratih was born as an innovation in Balinese musical history.

They rehearsed and worked prodigiously with the best teachers, and most importantly, aligned themselves with some of Bali’s most talented and exciting young composers, continuing a tradition from previous generations.

The group soon won First Prizes in the major Competitions in Bali, and joined the small and select gamelan groups given Government of Bali permission to perform overseas, and therefore to represent their country internationally.

SEMARA RATIH soon was invited to tour Japan (where it made its first CD, now there are three), Finland, Germany, and further tours are to be undertaken to Japan, America, Finland and other European countries in the coming years.

SEMARA RATIH was featured in the CNN documentary on Bali of the Indonesian Fashion Parade, made at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bali and world-wide audiences saw its Artistic Director Anak Agung Anom perform his famous Baris Dance — the great warrior dance of Bali.

Two ground-breaking festivals were held in 1994 and 1995 with the group presenting some of Bali’s most renowned and legendary dancers and musicians (aged between 50 and 92), many of whom had not appeared in public for decades. These performances at the Puri Agung in Peliatan, were a revelation to the younger dancers and musicians, as well as to the younger generations of Balinese people and the fascinated visitors to Bali......more