I Made Bandem

Prof. I Made Bandem is a Balinese dancer, performer, and cultural preservationist. Born to a family of dancers in Singapadu village, he trained in the old ways and was recognized as a talented dancer from a young age. With the support of his father, I Wayan Kredek, and Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik, a prince of the Karangasem royal family, he was selected to enroll at UCLA. He later became the first Balinese student to earn a PhD, from Wesleyan University, where he met his co-author, Frederik DeBoer. Over his career, Bandem held many awards and positions, including directorships of the Indonesian Academy of the Arts (ISI) and Bali Art Center. He continues to perform and remains active in preserving and promoting Balinese arts.

Prof. I Made Bandem adalah seorang penari, seniman pertunjukan, dan pelestari budaya asal Bali. Lahir dari keluarga penari di desa Singapadu, ia dilatih dalam tradisi lama dan dikenal sebagai penari berbakat sejak usia muda. Dengan dukungan ayahnya, I Wayan Kredek, dan Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik, seorang pangeran dari keluarga kerajaan Karangasem, ia terpilih untuk melanjutkan studi di UCLA. Ia kemudian menjadi mahasiswa Bali pertama yang meraih gelar PhD, dari Wesleyan University, tempat ia bertemu dengan rekan penulisnya, Frederik DeBoer. Sepanjang kariernya, Bandem meraih banyak penghargaan dan jabatan, termasuk direktur Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) dan Bali Art Center. Ia terus tampil dan tetap aktif dalam melestarikan dan mempromosikan seni budaya Bali.