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I Made Djimat was born in the village of Batuan (Sukawati-Gianyar - Bali-Indonesia) in 1948, by a family of artists. His father, I Nyoman Reneh, performer and sculptor had been well known primarily as a painter, while his mother Ni Ketut Cenik was a legendary and celebrated dancer.
"Child prodigy" began at the age of 5 years, dancing in the temple of his village, where he arrived on his father's shoulders. His life, since the first steps, was thus marked by the arts: painting, music and dance, following and participating in household activities and in particular by attending the lessons imparted his mother.
Moved by such a passionate interest, he preferred to immerse himself deeply into artistic training, finding no time left to go to public school, which he left after achieving elementary leve.
Then he continued his studies with other famous masters of the time, such as Anak Agung Raka and I Nyoman Kakul in Batuan, and moreover learning by the legendary I Made Marya, the great creator of Kebyar style dances.At the age of 16 he made his first tour abroad, with a group representing the best of Bali (it seems his passport was then "adjusted" to appear on age). Only 18 years old, he won the first prize in Balinese festival /competitions as the best performer of Baris (warrior dance) and two years later as Jauk (demon).
His fame spread out in the island and was later on established as he became an extraordinary interpreter of the ritual masked play Topeng. Soon he organized his own musical ensemble (Panti Pusaka Budaya, renamed later Tri Pusaka Çakti) with which he achieved excellence in many forms of Balinese Theatre, e.g. cultivating and preserving the oldest dance-drama of Bali Gambuh, interpreting the sacred drama Calon Arang (Barong and Rangda), and the spectacular and entertaining "Genggong" (frogs dance).
Since 1971, his international career went on unceasingly. He visited more than 50 countries all around the world, both for demonstrations and workshops, as for performances with his own group. He has collaborated with prestigious artists and festivals, such as ISTA, the International School of Theatre Anthropology, directed by Eugenio Barba.
Next to that of performer, parallel thereto, he has always carried on the activity of pedagogue. With great dedication and humility I Made Djimat devotes much of his time to teaching: both with the young people of Bali as with students from all over the world. With them he shares the treasure of his knowledge and skills, keeping alive and pulsing the incredible and extraordinary arts of the theater of Bali.
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