BALINEWSID.CO, DENPASAR – Ruang Kreasi Community will hold PAKSI (Panggung Ekspresi) 2026, a Bali-level operetta competition involving junior and senior high school students. The event will take place from August 28 to 30, 2026, at Dharma Alaya Negara (DNA), Denpasar.

The competition is organized to revive creative spaces for young people who are interested in operetta and performing arts. Ruang Kreasi Community said that opportunities specifically dedicated to helping students develop operetta skills are becoming increasingly limited, despite the art form being part of Bali’s performing arts development, particularly in Denpasar.

Chairman of Ruang Kreasi Community, Iko Putra Tara Tiyasa, A.Md.T., said operetta was chosen because it is relatively easier to learn compared to other forms of performing arts while serving as an important foundation for stage performance development.

“Operetta was chosen because the format is easier than other performing arts forms, but it remains a basic foundation of performing arts. It can also be enjoyed by people from all sectors and all age groups,” he said.

For its first edition, PAKSI 2026 carries the theme of world figures. The theme was selected as an educational approach for students through inspirational stories containing positive values and role models for the younger generation.

Participants are free to choose figures from various fields, as long as the characters have positive values that can be emulated and adapted into an operetta performance.

Iko emphasized that the event aims to encourage young people to pursue their dreams, strengthen their character, and develop their potential to create positive impacts on society.

Meanwhile, PAKSI 2026 Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Ida Bagus Gde Santa Prasada, revealed that participant enthusiasm exceeded the committee’s initial expectations.

Initially, organizers targeted 16 teams consisting of eight junior high school teams and eight senior high school teams. However, registration closed with 17 participating teams, comprising eight junior high school teams and nine senior high school teams.

“Honestly, the enthusiasm from participants exceeded our expectations. Since registration opened, the number of applicants increased rapidly, and the most encouraging thing was seeing how seriously they prepared,” he said.

The junior high school category will be represented by SMP Negeri 2 Denpasar (Teater Lingkar), SMP Negeri 4 Denpasar (Teater Loak), SMP Negeri 5 Denpasar (Teater Panca), SMP Negeri 6 Denpasar (Teater Dirga), SMP Negeri 7 Denpasar (Teater Klakson), SMP Negeri 8 Denpasar (Teater Nirwana), SMP Negeri 9 Denpasar (Teater Layar), and SMP Negeri 12 Denpasar (Teater Angkasa).

The senior high school category will feature SMA Negeri 4 Denpasar (Teater Blabar), SMA Negeri 6 Denpasar (Teater Kirana), SMA Negeri 8 Denpasar (Teater Wongkutus), SMA Negeri 12 Denpasar (Teater Rona), SMA Negeri 1 Kuta Utara (Teater Ombak), SMA Negeri 2 Kuta Utara (Teater Antara), SMA Katolik Santo Yoseph Denpasar (Teater Lajose), SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Denpasar (Teater Enter), and SMK Kesehatan Bali Medika Denpasar (Teater Media Tepi).

In the competition, participants will be assessed based on five main aspects: acting, editing, storytelling presentation, choreography, and artistic elements.

The organizers stressed that the competition will not only evaluate acting abilities but also creativity in developing scripts, arranging music, designing stage settings, preparing costumes, and presenting performances that are entertaining and accessible to the wider community.

Ruang Kreasi Community also encourages young people to use digital platforms to introduce performing arts through creative content, behind-the-scenes materials, teasers, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and interactive concepts that are closer to the younger generation.

In addition to the global theme, PAKSI 2026 will incorporate Balinese cultural elements through visual designs and decorations inspired by local traditions, including the use of traditional motifs.

The organizers hope PAKSI will become an annual event and a major program for developing Bali’s performing arts ecosystem. The competition is expected not only to produce winners but also to build students’ creativity, character, teamwork, communication skills, and networks.

“For us as organizers, trophies and certificates are only symbols. Our greatest hope is to see participants return home as better versions of themselves. We want this competition to become a place where they discover new perspectives, evaluate their abilities, and build networks with other talented young people,” said Gus Santa.

Ruang Kreasi Community hopes that PAKSI will eventually grow beyond an annual competition into a larger, inclusive, adaptive, and impactful performing arts festival movement in Bali.