Press Release - July 25th, 2007

BALAM Dance Theatre Names Prominent Indonesian Dancer

Nani Devi as Resident Guest Artist

Prominent Indonesian dancer Nani Devi in “Oleg Tambulilingan”

Photograph: Julie Lemberger

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Joyce Luhrs, Publicist, 201-592-9126

Carlos Fittante, Artistic Director, 646-361-9183

BALAM Dance Theatre Names Prominent Indonesian Dancer Nani Devi as

Resident Guest Artist 

(July 25, 2007—New York, NY) --BALAM Dance Theatre (BALAM), a unique New York dance ensemble that creates and performs contemporary world dances inspired by Balinese theatre , announced today that internationally known Indonesian dancer, Nani Devi, has been named Resident Guest Artist. Ms. Devi specializes in and performs classical Balinese dance, as well as those from the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi.

"As a New Yorker, Ms. Devi understands the pulse and sophistication of the people here, and yet when she dances, Nani captures the charm and sweetness of the Balinese village,” said BALAM's Artistic Director Carlos Fittante.

Ms. Devi previously appeared as a guest artist with the company in 1981 in "Night Shadow-A Balinese Dream” and continued performing as a Balinese guest dancer until 1988. In BALAM's 2007 season, she returned in Building Bridges with Friends at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College.

She is scheduled to perform in the fall with BALAM's Artistic Director, Carlos Fittante, in the duet "Oleg Tambulilingan", the love dance of the bumblebees. The Oleg, a Balinese dance duet, inspired the company's whimsical contemporary point piece, "Tigerlily & the Dragonfly".

Born in Bali, Indonesia, Ms. Devi began dancing at the early age of ten in the village of Tabanan. Noted for dancing with a natural grace and sweet expression, she was selected by the Indonesian government to perform in the palaces of Bali for visiting heads of state. She has performed throughout the world, including Russia, Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, in several Middle Eastern countries and the United States.

BALAM Dance Theatre Names Nani Devi Resident Guest Artist 

She has distinguished herself as a knowledgeable instructor in a variety of dance traditions, having collaborated with many notable dance masters and performers throughout Indonesia. Ms. Devi studied at the University of Indonesia, and in 1972, she settled in New York City performing and promoting Indonesian dance forms for the Ministry of Culture.

Currently, Ms. Devi serves as Artistic Director of the Nani Devi Indonesian Dance Company and is an instructor at Lotus Music and Dance Studio, a gathering place for master performers and teachers of traditional world music and dance in New York City.

The BALAM History

Islene Pinder, a City University of New York dance educator, founded the company in 1979 to bring the mesmerizing Balinese dance and theatre style to New York. Under the directorship of Spanish choreographer Carlos Fittante, BALAM presents a cutting-edge vision of contemporary world dance that appeals to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Its repertoire, shaped by the artistic team of Pinder and Fittante, emanates from the dancers' individual movement skills --ballet, Baroque, Lester Horton, Spanish, Latin, ballroom, and karate movement techniques--fused with Balinese dance.

BALAM creates and performs original works inspired by traditional Balinese theatre. The dance company has been featured at numerous festivals and venues, including First Night New York; Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors; La Mama Experimental Theatre; Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival; and internationally at the Bali Arts Festival, Denpasar, Bali, and the 2nd Encuentro Internacíonal de Danza Contempor á nea, Canc ú n, Mexico.

  The company's work has been commended and highly praised by the Governor of Bali, the Semara Ratih Gamelan of Ubud, Bali, and the Indonesian Consulate of New York.