The 7th Sanur Village Festival returns to Bali’s popular seashore community from Sept. 26 to 30 2012.
This year’s festival will be held on the grounds surrounding the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, a move from last year’s event on Jl. Matahari Terbit.
The theme adopted for the 7th Sanur Village Festival is Salampah Laku – the title of the Balinese poem written by Ida Pedanda Sidemen.
Salampah Laku is meant to motivate and inspire the people of Sanur to make meaningful contributions to the local community through care for culture, the environment and educational advancement.
While final details for this year’s Sanur Village Festival are still being finalized, activities to be included are a food festival, environmental projects, a bazaar, golf tournament, photo exhibition, a jukung flotilla, mass yoga exercises and staged musical entertainment.
Colorful drama: Balinese artists perform the heroic dance Udawa Tattwa at the opening of the seventh Sanur Village Festival on Wednesday night.(BD/Anggara Mahendra)
A series of jazz music performances will be one of the highlights of the ongoing Sanur Village Festival, which opened on Wednesday night at Grand Inna Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur.
On the opening night of the annual festival, which is now in its seventh year, a jazz concert by prominent musician and composer Dwiki Dharmawan, Tude and Friends, and other jazz groups entertained local jazz enthusiasts.
“What distinguishes Sanur Village Festival from other cultural fiestas in Bali is the presentation of jazz concerts,” Ida Bagus Wisnu Diwangkara, coordinator of the festival, claimed to Bali Daily prior to the festival’s opening.
On the second day of the festival (Sept. 27), Balinese musician and guitarist Dewa Budjana and Friends will stage their concert, along with Johny Agung & Double T.
“This will be Budjana’s first appearance at the festival. He has promised to present an all-out performance on Thursday night,” Diwangkara said.
IB Gede Sidharta Putra, chairman of the organizing committee, decided to present jazz at the festival because, “This musical genre fits perfectly with the artistic taste of many visitors to Sanur.”
The majority of tourists to Sanur are business executives, retirees and honeymooners. “The atmosphere of Sanur as a destination is different from Kuta. Everybody loves the tranquility of Sanur,” he added.
Separately, Budjana said he would perform with a jazz quartet consisting of Sandy Winarta (drummer), Shadu Rasjidi (bassist), Bansaat (flute) and Ade Irawan (pianist).
Budjana is also lead guitarist with the famous Indonesian pop band Gigi.
As a leading jazz guitarist, Budjana frequently performs at jazz festivals around the world. Working with several Balinese artists and musicians, he produced and released a religious album entitled Nyanyian Dharma (the Dharma Song).
On Thursday night, the main stage of Sanur Village Festival will also feature a karate exhibition, Sundown Jazz, Faraby Music and Underground Jazz Movement.
In addition to jazz performances, the festival will also present a fusion of traditional performing arts — Semar Pegulingan and yoga performance. A modern theatrical performance from Devdan will be staged prior to Semar Pegulingan.
A special fashion show displaying Ayulia’s works will also enrich the fiesta.
The annual festival was first initiated in 2006, a year after the second Bali Bombing tragedy in October 2005, and was aimed at helping the island’s tourism rebound and regaining international trust.
