I Dewa Putu Berata was born into a family of musicians and painters in the village of Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali and is an accomplished musician, composer, dancer, and visual artist. He is the founding director of Çudamani, a professional performance company comprised of thirty-one skillful musicians and dancers that perform a diverse repertoire of rare, classical Balinese traditional dance as well as highly creative instrumental works. The company is one of Bali's finest performing arts groups and through its international touring schedule has become a cultural ambassador for Bali. Berata has twice been a fellow with UCLA’s Center for Intercultural Performance’s Asia Pacific Performance Exchange and is involved in collaborative works with esteemed artists from Italy, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
The Joyce Award supported Ragamala Music and Dance Theater to commission I Dewa Putu Berata to create and present a global collaboration with Berata’s Çudamani ensemble. The piece entitled Dhvee (Duality) is the second new work created jointly by the two companies.
Founded in 1992, Ragamala Music and Dance Theater performs the South Indian classical dance while incorporating contemporary themes and diverse influences from around the world. Ragamala has performed for international audiences across the globe and presents its annual concert season at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis and the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota.