Indonesian university teaching Balinese arts including padalangan (puppetry; see Wayang) in Denpasar, Bali. This state institute of the arts was founded in l967, and soon was called Akademi Seni Tari Indonesia (ASTI, Indonesian Academy of Dance), then, in 1998, changing its name to Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia (STSI, Indonesian College of the Arts), and, in 2003, becoming Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar (ISI, Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Denpasar).

The Institute’s male and female graduates are the first generation of formally trained Balinese puppeteers (dalang). Early teachers were village artists like Dalang Sidja of Bona, I Wayan Nartha, I Wayan Wija, and I Wayan Loceng of Sukawati, and Ida Bagus Puja of Budak. By the l990s, graduates of the school itself taught, including Dr I Nyoman Sedana (b.1962), director of research; I Made Sidia, innovator in new technology and son of Dalang Sidja; and I Ketut Kodi, a popular mask (topeng) dancer. Graduation projects are major experiments in Balinese contemporary puppetry. Among the most famous graduates is I Wayan Nardayana, best known as Dalang Cenk Blonk (b.1966).

Many students come from the Balinese High School of Performing Arts (called (KOKAR, Konservatori Karawitan Indonesia, in the 1960s; SMKI, Sekolah Menengah Karawitan Indonesia, in the 1970s; and currently SMKN 3, Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Negeri 3, relocated in 1999 to Batu Bulan, Sukawati) where Dalang I Nyoman Sumandhi (b.1944) first established formal secondary level puppet training and developed the first Balinese female dalang in the l970s.

(See Indonesia.)