Testimonials

We were absolutely thrilled with our experience working with Bagus Kan at Bellbrae Primary School. From the initial booking process, they were incredibly organised and easy to work with. They tailored the day to fit our school’s schedule, ensuring everything ran smoothly. They even sent all the necessary art supplies in convenient, pre-packaged kits, making distribution to our classrooms a breeze. On the day of the event, all four facilitators were kind, helpful, and worked beautifully with our students. The students absolutely loved the movement and music workshops, as well as the hands-on activities. They were especially excited by the costumes, masks, traditional musical instruments, and the opportunity to try out so many different aspects of Indonesian culture. One of the highlights was the shadow puppet performances, which were both entertaining and educational. The students enjoyed learning about the tradition of wayang kulit and had a great time watching the shows. They were also thrilled to make their own topeng masks and shadow puppets to take home, creating lasting memories from the day. We have received so much positive feedback from students, staff and families about the engaging activities, and we’re already looking at dates to book our next incursion. Aaron, Nita, and the rest of the team were amazing, and we can't thank Bagus Kan enough for providing such a wonderful cultural experience. We highly recommend Bagus Kan and look forward to our next event with them!

Kelly Buckley and Chloe Whittaker Indonesian teachers, Bellbrae Primary School, 2024

This is the third year in a row that we have invited Baguskan to our Indonesian Day at Newtown Primary School. Pak Aaron and Bu Nita have run a variety of engaging and immersive workshops such as drumming, pencak silat, traditional dances, shadow puppets and gamelan. The whole school performance showcasing the skills taught at each workshop was a highlight of the day and our students loved performing and wearing the authentic and elaborate costumes brought along by Baguskan. We highly recommend Baguskan and look forward to welcoming them back to our school for our next Indonesian celebration.

Natalie Jones, Indonesian teacher, Newtown Primary School, 2024

Thank you so much for the fantastic incursion on Friday. The students loved it and have been totally inspired to perform their own shadow puppet shows of their traditional Indonesian stories. They have commented that they enjoyed how Aaron used humour and different voices during his performance and they felt this made the performance more enjoyable. They also liked the introduction of characters at the beginning of the story. Thank you for all of your hard work!

Zoe Webster, Indonesian teacher, Croyden Hills Primary School, 2024

Bagus Kan! exceeded all expectations with their hard work and enthusiasm. The Pen-tawasik performance was not only a comprehensive representation of Indonesian performance arts, but also incredibly entertaining. The engaging and enjoyable workshops on gamelan, dance, and pencak silat showcased their commitment to creating a memorable experience. Aaron and Nita have garnered accolades not only from students and teachers but also from families whose children eagerly shared their wonderful experience with them. Highly recommended for an enriching cultural incursion!

Brock Riches, Indonesian and cultures of the world, Montpellier Primary School, 2023

Pak Aaron and Bu Nita are very experienced and provide our students with an extraordinarily rich and the best cultural experience through the full day incursion, by immersing the students in the dance and gamelan workshops (middle to upper primary), and Pentas wayang (lower primary students). Students were highly engaged and enthusiastically participated in the workshops (even for those who were initially reluctant to do it). At the end of the incursion, students were given the opportunity to confidently and proudly performed what they have learnt during the workshop on the stage, in front of their peers, creating unforgettable moments to both the performers and the audience

Inggrid Wallalangi, Indonesian teacher, Narre Warren South College, 2023

Pak Aaron and Ibu Nita were the best! Their outstanding performances of Pentawasik and their candid way of speaking to different grade levels put everyone at ease. Students who were not normally engaged and interested were fully engrossed in the various activities. Their professionalism in terms of their knowledge and understanding and beautifully crafted costumes mesmerised students from Prep to Year 6, including the adults!! It was a memorable event that all students young and old enjoyed. Highly recommended for cultural and language emersion event.

Annie Nainan, Indonesian teacher, Findon Primary School, 2023

Aaron and Nita came to our school for three days, providing an engaging, entertaining and immersive experience into Indonesian culture. Our students got to experience a Wayang Kulit Show, Gamelan and Dance and Drama performance which culminated in an amazing performance. Everyone also got to experience the fun of riding the Becaks! Both students and teachers alike thoroughly enjoyed the activities and it was a really fun and exciting way to start the term and celebrate Indonesian language and culture. The costumes, equipment and Becaks were authentic and gave students an insight into some of the amazing arts Indonesia has to offer. I would highly recommend this experience to other schools. Terima kasih banyak! Itu pengalaman yang luar biasa!

Michelle Da Silva Indonesian teacher, Lara Lake Primary School, 2022

Recently in August 2022 after two years of no incursions due to COVID Swan Hill Primary School Indonesian Program received an injection of real culture and enthusiasm. That injection came from Aaron & Nita from Baguskan . They arrived with a trailer loaded with Indonesian costumes, musical instruments, becaks and traditional games. Both Aaron and Nitra provided our students with traditional dance and gamelan musical instructions and knowledge that allowed our students to perform naturally and instinctively. Selected classes then showcased these skills later in the day. These students were dressed in splendid traditional clothes and performed really well considering their limited instructions. It was a showcase bonaza and comments from all staff were amazingly positive. Baguskan also provided becaks and traditional games for our students to try- Bagus kerja to Baguskan.

Leigh Paynter, Swan Hill Primary School, 2022

Our primary students loved their immersive experiences during their Indonesian day, learning Indonesian dance and gamelan music from Bu Nita and Pak Aaron. They were excited to dress up in colorful costumes while learning their dance routines, and enjoyed exploring the sounds and music of the gamelan. Seeing all the efforts of the day come together in a whole school performance in the afternoon was an absolute highlight. Pak Aaron and Bu Nita led the students’ story telling of the Ramayana, showcasing what they had learnt throughout the day. Many thanks to Pak and Bu for providing such a rich experience for our students!

Amy Worley, Primary Indonesian Billanook College, 2022

After years of disruptions and isolation experienced by our students in the education system, it was so lovely to have Aaron and Nita return to our school to provide us with a quality incursion. Our students were fully engaged in authentic Indonesian cultural experiences that complemented our whole school Indonesian Day. Having these types of incursions really help small rural schools like ours, as they are able to become fully immersed in Indonesian dancing using full costume and learn to play traditional Indonesian music without the cost of travelling to cities. We look forward to having Aaron return to our school as our Indonesian Days have become the highlight of many of our students' year.

Stacey Lloyd, Swan Hill North Primary School, 2022

Our school had a full day incursion with BagusKan and it was amazing! Aaron and Nita were so professional and everything ran smoothly throughout the day.The students absolutely loved learning Gamelan and traditional dance. The whole school performance of the Ramayana story was the highlight of the day. We will definitely love to do this again!

Renee Kinnersley, Little River Primary School, 2022

Christian College Geelong students thoroughly enjoyed Aaron's hands on workshops as part of their Indonesian cultural day. Students had the opportunity to put their creative skills to use, making their very own batik and practice playing the gamelan. These cultural activities supplement our language program perfectly as you can not separate culture from language. We were also very lucky to have a ride of Aaron's becak at lunch time which was a highlight of the day for many students. An authentic Indonesian cultural program delivered on campus, a vital component to keeping languages alive during covid times.

Jessica Bijaksono, Head of Indonesian, Christian College Geelong, Senior school- Waurn Ponds, 2022

Aaron and Nita, from Bagus Kan! recently provided our school with a colourful and musical insight into Indonesian culture. We experienced a full day's timetable wherein students from grades Foundation to Six were timetabled to participate alternately in both dance and gamelan workshops. We have had many positive comments from parents of the short videos and photos on our Facebook page (although few of them remembered to actually turn up!) and some of the writing I have seen from the students reiterated the obvious fun they had in participating. Aaron and Nita's knowledge of their art forms and patience with the students were rewarded with enthusiastic involvement from the students. The finale was a school hall filled with dancers and musicians in colourful costumes providing background to the students' re-enactment of the traditional Ramayana story.

Suzanne Kelly, LOTE and Music teacher, Casterton Primary School, 2019

The Bagus Kan incursion was a valuable experience for our students at Bayside Christian College. Aaron and Nita are both skilled at adapting the sessions to a wide range of ages, and were able to keep students engaged, smiling and active. Our littlies loved the opportunity to play as many gamelan instruments as they could, and really enjoyed dressing up in costume for their dance workshop. The upper primary and secondary students were impressed that they were able to play as an orchestra and learn dances with some martial arts inspired moves. The array of costumes and masks was amazing. The student performance brought joy to our school community. Thank you Aaron and Nita for a wonderful incursion that has generated a lot of enthusiasm in our young Indonesian learners.

Kelly Davies, Indonesian Teacher, Bayside Christian College, 2019

Baguskan are bagus sekali!!! So easy to work with no matter how big or small your school is. Easy contact for preparation and ideas for your Cultural Incursion and come with EVERYTHING! New ideas, equipment, spectacular costumes, games and unlimited enthusiasm and patience with all the children. I have worked with Aaron and Nita for over five years and know we are guaranteed a day of learning, laughter and long term memories of this unique experience. Terima kasih pak dan bu!

Cath Williams, Languages Leader, St Monica's Primary School Kangaroo Flat, 2019

Our school had an amazing day celebrating all things Indonesian. Pak Aaron and Bu Nita were fabulous and their organization with the dance and gamelan groups came together so well to make a spectacular end of day performance. Students of all ages enjoyed dancing, role play, music, batik art and mask making throughout the day. We had great feedback from students, staff and parents about the day and we will be very happy to organise another visit from Pak Aaron and Bu Nita again soon. Terima Kasih!

Carly Middleton, Indonesian Teacher, Gordon Primary School, 2019

Our school invited Pak Aaron and Bu Nita to do a year level performance and small workshops for our Asia Week celebrations. The students were engaged and also participated in the performance which the students thought was fantastic. The smaller group workshops allowed our students to really get involved and learning about Indonesian dance which they really enjoyed. All the feedback from students (and staff) has been really positive and we hope to book another event in the future.

Janell Erman, Indonesian teacher, Wonthaggi Secondary College, 2019

The Wayang Kulit element of the performance was well received by students (year 7) as they were able to see and understand in real life how this art form comes together. The story was a summarised version from the Ramayana that students were able to follow and become engrossed in.

Janell Erman, Indonesian teacher, Wonthaggi Secondary College, 2019

The incursion today was amazing! It was led and presented really well and it was engaging and inclusive for all students. The activities were fantastic and relevant to the curriculum, as well as the final performance. This gave the students something to work towards for the day. We were very appreciative for the day and would definitely recommend the incursion for all primary schools studying Indonesian.

Lachlan Turner, teacher, Anglesea Primary School, 2019

Aaron and Nita organized a wonderful full-day incursion for the whole school. The older students really enjoyed the hands on experience of playing Gamelan instruments while the younger students loved dressing up in costumes and learning different dances. The concert at the end of the day was a great way for everyone to be involved in a performance. The parents who came to watch have very positive feedback too. We hope to do this sort of thing again every 2 years.

Emily Brien, Indonesian teacher Beechworth Primary School, 2019

I highly recommend Baguskan for your school's next Indonesian workshop, performance or incursion. Aaron and Nita are highly organised and bring a large array of resources to give students a taste of the real Indonesia. Aaron is happy to answer a million questions in the lead-up to the day, to reassure you things are going to run smoothly and be suited to your students. He is flexible with arrangements but will tell you if something is not going to work. Nita has a fun, gently encouraging manner so that even students who don't like dressing up and performing are keen to take part. In a short time my students were able to learn enough kendang and tarian moves to be able to put on a performance for families that left them feeling proud. Feedback from staff and students was extremely positive.

Donella Miller, Indonesian teacher Yallourn North Primary School, 2018

Our school thoroughly loved every moment of our whole school Indonesian day where Pak Aaron from Baguskan came to immerse our students in some wonderful cultural experiences. Each grade level had an amazing experience learning the gamelan instruments and the whole school thought the wayang kulit performance was fantastic. The process of organising what we wanted for our incursion, and the running of the day was smooth and very easy. The feedback from all the staff, students and parents was excellent and the students can't wait for us to book another day for next year. Which I will look forward to doing. Thank you very much for a wonderful day and providing experiences for our small school that the students would not usually be able to access. Terima kasih banyak

Carly Middleton, Grade 2 Teacher Gordon Primary School, 2018

Aaron and Nita were very flexible and proactive in working with 200 students from 5 different schools over 5 days. They created a language/cultural immersion program for 5 schools that included everyone and allowed everyone to experience Indonesian culture and language in an exciting, hands on and colourful program. Aaron worked to achieve relevant outcomes for each individual school and then, to bring all of this together in a fantastic celebration day for the 5 schools... including Nasi Goreng for all! A fantastic experience for staff, students and families for our whole cluster.

Joe Sebire, Principal, Redesdale Mia Mia Primary School, 2017

Bagus Kan visited our school for a Pentawasik performance this year. Aaron and Nita introduced several dances from the different ethnic regions of Indonesia and entertained our students with traditional costumes and music. Aaron performed a martial arts show which was given a round of applause by our students. Afterwards, the lights were turned off and our students were dazzled with a Wayang (Shadow Puppetry) performance. All of the participants stood up and joined in enthusiastically to a rhythmic dance guided by Nita. Bagus kan was able to bring the arts, music and culture of Indonesia to Australia for our students to experience live. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all of the students and staff!

Peter Osboldstone, Indonesian teacher, Manor Lakes College, 2017

We loved every minute and as Aaron and Nita were patient and passionate about all things Indonesian. The full day Indonesian incursion is an amazing hands on experience from start to finish. The students were excited to dress in traditional costumes with each grade showing off their unique dance which came together in a whole school folktale performance at the end of the day. Not to forget the first-hand experience of riding a becak squeezed into this action packed fun filled day. One grade 1/2 student who performed with speaking lines in the whole school performance said "This was the best day of my life!"

Amber Baker, Indonesian teacher, Carisbrook Primary School, 2017

Our level booked some Indonesian shadow puppet plays and an adjoining puppet making workshop. The plays were extremely engaging and entertaining for all of the students. And the puppet making workshop was a great follow-up activity for the students to re-create what they had just seen. This incursion was a wonderful way to start our Inquiry unit on puppetry! Aaron was particularly friendly and encouraging of the students. Many thanks!!!

Shae Warren, grade 3/4 teacher, Marlborough Primary School, 2017

Terima kasih banyak! I cannot thank you enough for the fantastic gamelan lessons that you gave to our school last Friday for our Indonesian Day. You arrived on time with the gamelan and three becak and quietly got things set up and ready to go. You ran excellent lessons for the students and had them all playing the instruments quickly and really having an authentic experience. It was wonderful to hear you play the gamelan so beautifully for the students before they began their lesson, so they knew how it sounded and how the instruments should be played. The performance for the school assembly at the end of the day by our Grade 6 students was amazing. To think they had only had one lesson and could play so well! I was thrilled that at last, after teaching Indonesian Transport for so many years, that the students finally got to ride in a real becak. It was great to have the different sizes for the students to try and they just loved the experience. It was luar biasa! Having Baguskan come to our Indonesian Day made all the difference to a truly authentic Indonesian experience, and I would sincerely recommend it.

Heather Hanstein, Indonesian teacher, St John Vianney's PS Parkdale East, 2017

Baguskan came to our combined schools Indonesian immersion camp in June and provided our students with a terrific and authentic cultural experience. All students were engaged during the wayang kulit presentation and the dance and gamelan workshops. At the end of the camp, many students stated that the Baguskan workshops were the highlight of the camp. Students also commented that it was fantastic to play 'real' Indonesian instruments and wear 'real' Indonesian clothing. In addition, students enjoyed sharing their new dance and gamelan skills at the end of the day with their peers. This was my school's second incursion with Baguskan and I would not hesitate booking again in the future.

Jenna French, Indonesian teacher, Camperdown Secondary College, 2017

I cannot thank you both enough for the day you gave to our students at Bittern Primary School. The children absolutely loved it from the start of the performance, through to the dance and gamelan workshops. The staff and students appreciated your talents Aaron, in allowing the students to experience the gamelan- changing instruments often kept the children engaged! How it sounded so like gamelan in Bail I don't know! And in dance - the children were so focused in following your steps Nita! It brought a smile to myself and each class teacher! It was fantastic to see all the children enjoying our Indonesian Day! The becaks were a huge success too! So much fun to ride and be chauffeured around in! Thank you again for the time you spent at Bittern. It was a day to remember!

Linda Owen, Indonesian teacher, Bittern Primary School, 2017

Baguskan came to our combined schools Indonesian immersion camp in June and provided our students with a terrific and authentic cultural experience. All students were engaged during the wayang kulit presentation and the dance and gamelan workshops. At the end of the camp, many students stated that the Baguskan workshops were the highlight of the camp. Students also commented that it was fantastic to play 'real' Indonesian instruments and wear 'real' Indonesian clothing. In addition, students enjoyed sharing their new dance and gamelan skills at the end of the day with their peers. This was my school's second incursion with Baguskan and I would not hesitate booking again in the future.

Jenna French, Indonesian teacher, Camperdown Secondary College, 2017

Our recent 'Indonesian Celebration Day' at Tyabb Railway Station Primary School was a huge success. Bagus kan was an integral part of the day thanks to endless energy and expertise of Aaron and Nita! They provided students and staff with the opportunity to participate in Indonesian music, dance and cultural workshops. The addition of the Becak's for hire were also a highlight of the day and ensured students were able to experience something truly authentic from Indonesia. The celebration which ended with a performance of the Ramayana by the whole school, showcased the learning that had taken place during the day and was enjoyed by all. If you're looking for prompt communication to authentic costumes and experiences, I would definitely recommend Bagus kan!

Narelle Macnab, Indonesian teacher, Tyabb Railway Station Primary School, 2017

We are a small semi-rural primary school and were searching for an Indonesian event to boost students motivation for learning Indonesian. The moment we discovered the 'Bagus Kan' program all staff were very interested. We booked for the Kendang Drumming Workshop with Aaron and the Dance/ Story workshop with Nita. Students were absorbed in the program, this is just something we were not able to offer the students as a school. We do not have these high quality authentic resources. Parents were blown away by the performance students delivered at the end of the day. We have already requested Aaron and Nita come again next year to deliver the Gamelan workshop with a different story. Terima kasih banyak!!!

Jerome Ridgeway, Indonesian teacher, Little River Primary School, 2017

Our school was thrilled by the standard of this incursion and Aaron and Nita are wonderful with the kids. All students were engaged in the different activities throughout the day and they provided a real cultural experience for our whole school community. Days later, students are still talking about the incursion and are making connections with their learning. Thanks so much for a great day!

Joelene Kowalski, Teacher, Glenroy West Primary School, 2017

We had a wonderful day when Aaron visited us with his drums, puppets and dress-ups. Our students from Grade 6 to Year 11 were enthused and inspired to learn how to play the kendang, make some pencak silat (martial arts) moves and learn a dance which was suitable for both boys and girls. The Grade 6s really enjoyed dressing up and wearing the ugly but funny masks for the dance. The Year 8s (who are mainly boys) liked to learn the martial arts moves to compare them to the different forms of martial arts which they learn. In the afternoon, Aaron impressed the older students with his dalang (puppeteer) skills, putting on a puppet show in the tradition of the Central Javanese Wayang Kulit, but using English so all the students understood it. The puppets are truly beautiful and Aaron is so talented at changing his voice to suit each character. Thank you Aaron!

Robyn Sutomo, Indonesian Teacher, Maranatha Christian School, 2016

All students thoroughly enjoyed the Bagus Kan Incursion. We learnt a lot about Batik making with Aaron, including about the traditional designs and the meanings behind these. It was so fantastic that all age groups were allowed to have a go at making their own Batik and taking it home when they were done. All of the students couldn't wait to show off their work to their families. The whole school loved the performance at assembly and the students were very excited to show off the dances, songs and mimes that they learnt with Nita. It was amazing to see them all in traditional costume and made the show look very professional. I was approached by many parents using words such as 'spectacular', 'amazing' and 'phenomenal' to describe what the students had managed to achieve in one day. Thank you so much for such a wonderful day and we look forward to booking this again!

Emily Burrows, Warragul Primary School, 2016

For two years in a row Brunswick North West Primary School have enjoyed fantastic Indonesian days run by Aaron and Nita of Baguskan. Our students have thoroughly enjoyed these days, learnt so much from them and look forward to return visits. Last year students enjoyed gamelan and dance lessons plus becak rides. This year it was Indonesian drumming, batik workshops, becak rides and more dance lessons. Nita had kept a record of which dances were learnt last year to make sure there was no repetition. The dances are all really well chosen, lively, with a story behind each one and wonderful costumes for the kids to wear. Aaron and Nita always give a cultural context for their workshops and to underline the point that Indonesia is culturally diverse, make sure students know where abouts in the Indonesia the particular tradition they are learning comes from. Incredibly flexible, easy to work with and with a great range of workshops to choose from, Aaron and Nita run an extremely professional operation that our students thoroughly enjoy.

Kasenya Grant, Indonesian Teacher Brunswick North West Primary School, 2016

For a number of years, Aaron and Nita, "Baguskan" have been traveling to Damascus College Ballarat, for a day of Indonesian immersion. We could not ask for more from the way they accommodate us with our requests for the day. Their equipment for batik, instruments for music and costumes for role plays and dance are fantastic. The students had a smile on their faces from start to finish. Very professional in their approach. Highly recommended for any Indonesian Cultural day.

Brendan Bawden, Damascus College Ballarat, 2016

We had Aaron and Nita visit three combined primary schools in one session. The sessions ran so smoothly with each child playing an instrument or wearing a costume. The becaks were great fun and were thoroughly enjoyed by all ages. Students loved the cooking and all tried the 'green pancakes'. The students were so engaged with their dances and music and the end performance was truly amazing. Such a great way to tie in our learning and appreciation of the Indonesian culture.

Kryshia Speirs. Indonesian teacher. Rosedale Primary School. 2016

Aaron & Nita were the talk of our school for a few weeks after our Whole School Indonesian Incursion. They made it really easy for the students to relate to our classroom activities. When I read a Kancil story to the year 2's they apparently already knew everything about it from Pak Aaron. We did everything from Indonesian dance, village games, pencak silat, angklung, mask making, batik making and even finished with a wayang performance. To top it off the becak's were a real hit. A huge thank-you to Aaron and Nita for their efforts and enthusiasm to help promote our LOTE program.

Shane Merrett, Park Ridge Primary School, 2016

You can talk about a becak, show pictures of it but to actually ride in one is to bring some of the real Indonesia to Victorian schools. In addition to this, a full gamelan from Central Java and a chance to learn to play it is not to be missed. As if this was not enough, how about a program of Indonesian dances, a different dance for each grade, each with its own elaborate costume? There is not just one costume but a set of twenty or thirty so that every student can become a penari Indonesia for an hour. To invite Aaron Hall, a long-time gamelan player, and his Indonesian wife, Nita, to your school for a day is an experience the students never forget.

Carmyl Winkler, Tallangatta Primary School, 2016

We can't speak highly enough about Bagus-Kan. They inspired sixty Year 9 and 10 students at our three day Immersion Camp last term. From four schools across the South-West Region, the students were nervous as they began their first day not knowing each other, but Nita and Aaron soon had them relaxed and focused with their dance and gamelan activities. The dance costumes, masks and head-pieces were brilliant and having a full gamelan orchestra with an expert teacher is not to be taken for granted. By the end of the day, the teachers and language assistants were treated to an amazing Ramayana performance. How could this happen after only a few hours of practice? It was all due to the inspiration of Bagus-Kan.

Jill Kube, Nhill College and the team from Cobden Tech, Warrnambool College and Bellarine. 2016

Our junior students were lucky enough to experience playing a real gamelan with Aaron. Each grade was also taught a different traditional Indonesian dance by the very talented Nita. It was a real highlight seeing the students perform these dances for the school and interested parents; they all looked amazing in their authentic costumes. This day finished with a wayang kulit performance that the whole school watched and enjoyed. The senior students learnt pencak silat and loved riding the becaks. All staff and students thoroughly enjoyed the days and learnt a lot about Indonesian culture. Aaron and Nita were both an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. They were easy to communicate with, flexible and able to tailor the activities to suit all age groups. I would highly recommend their incursion days to complement any school's Indonesian program.

Zoe Janssen, Guru Bahasa Indonesia Yarram Primary School, 2016

Thank you Aaron and Nita for helping our school run such a successful Indonesian Cultural Day! Our students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with you both as they participated in engaging gamelan and dance workshops. Our broader school community were able to share in the learning, excitement and brilliant colourful display of Indonesian culture, as students performed their new skills at a final assembly. It was a day enjoyed by all. Terima Kasih!!

Kristy Kranz, Indonesian Teacher, Mossgiel Park Primary School, Endeavour Hills, 2016

Axedale Primary School and Heathcote's Junior school experienced a fantastic Day of Indonesian Workshops with Pak Aaron and Bu Nita culminating in students performing for the school community the dances they learnt wearing full costumes and playing Gamelan instruments. Students from Prep to Year 6 were fully engage and loved the activities. Everyone especially enjoyed Pak Aarons Wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performance as the finale. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Staff, Axedale Primary School, 2015

The Southern Hume School Cluster employed the services of Bagus kan to run a series of workshops for 150 students in years F-6 in September 2015 for an Indonesian Language immersion day which we ran. The workshop staff were punctual, polite, patient and provided multiple opportunities for students to engage with the activities. The activities were well resourced and relevant to the focus of our language study as well as being differentiated to appeal to the cross range of age groups they were working with. I would highly recommend Bagus kan to work with school communities to build engagement amongst students and their families in language learning programs. Should you wish to speak with me regarding our experience with Bagus Kan I would be happy for you to call or email me for further information. Tel: (03) 97452264. Email: beveridge.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Steve Fernando - Principal, Beveridge Primary School, 2015

Thanks to Pak Aaron at Bagus Kan! Our students at Torquay P6 College had the opportunity to create a batik work of their own. We were enthralled at his explanation of the process of making batik and the detail that goes these unique art works. Pak Aaron was highly organised and over two days managed to facilitate 300 students making batik which included designing, waxing, dying and drying, no mean feat! The students were so happy with their beautiful finished results. Pak Aaron took the stress out of the process and made this into a fun and rewarding experience. Terima kasih Pak!

Kylie Nam - Indonesian teacher, Torquay P6 College, 2015

The Bagus kan 'Penta-wasik' Incursion promised to be both entertaining and educational and it didn't disappoint. Aaron, Nina and daughter Ning presented an amazing and energetic performance that introduced students and staff to music, dance and drama from several islands in Indonesian. Our school was taken on a cultural journey throughout the Archipelago, discovering Gamelan (Musical Instruments/Orchestra), Pencak Silat (Martial Arts), Traditional Dances and Wayang Kulit (Indonesian Shadow Puppets). It complimented the Languages Indonesian Program beautifully!

Narelle Macnab - Languages Indonesian teacher, Osbourne & Tyabb Railway Station Primary School, 2015

Nita and Aaron were very organised from setup to pack down. The students enjoyed dancing with Nita very much, especially being able to perform and wear Indonesian clothes in front of their friends and teachers at the end of the day. The becaks were the best said many students. I would highly recommend Nita and Aaron for your next school Indonesian day if you want your students to be immersed in the Indonesian arts.

Colleen Graham - Languages Education Leader, Trafalgar High School, 2015

Dear Aaron and Nita, I would like to thank you for the very professional and entertaining Indonesian incursion you conducted at Wonga Park Primary School. The grade 5 and 6 students were engaged and enthusiastically participated in all activities. They delighted in dressing up in traditional, colourful and interesting costumes and loved learning to play Indonesian instruments. A highlight was watching each other perform in costume. I would highly recommend this fabulous incursion!

Jocelyn Hollyman - Indonesian teacher, Wonga Park Primary School, 2015

Aaron's Indonesian shadow puppet performance captured the true style, spirit and hilarity of the traditional shows we had studied in class. Students of all ages were highly engaged with the shadow puppet shows and particularly enjoyed participating in Indonesian dances. The whole incursion was run professionally from start to finish, Aaron being very flexible with performance location and times. He was easily contactable and happy to send through puppets that the students could make themselves before or after the performance. We thank Aaron for his enthusiasm with the kids.

Erin Stevenson - Grade 3/4 teacher, Lynbrook Primary School, 2015

Echuca College had the pleasure of experiencing an immersion day run by Baguskan on Friday the 21st of August. Nine schools from around the region were treated to a Pentawasik performance, which had them hooked. The students, Primary and Secondary loved Pak Aaron's wayang puppet show and couldn't stop laughing. Afterwards students participated in mask making workshops, two dance workshops, pencak silat and gamelan workshops. They particularly loved dressing up in Indonesian costumes and riding around like royalty on the becak. Thank you so much to Baguskan for coming and giving our students this opportunity to experience Indonesian immersion. We were absolutely delighted to have you come to Echuca and look forward to asking you to come and see us again.

Courtney Umbers - Yr 8 Assistant Coordinator, Echuca College, 2015

Aaron and Nita provided a wonderful incursion for our school in July 2015. In the morning Aaron conducted gamelan workshops with year 5 and 6 students while Nita taught year 3 and 4 students some traditional Indonesian dances which included dressing up in colourful traditional clothing. At the same time, other students were having fun riding becaks in the school courtyard. After lunch Aaron presented a lively and entertaining shadow puppet play which many students said they loved. The day concluded with a student performance of gamelan and colourful dances. Students loved everything about the day and were even asking when it would happen again. This is Aaron and Nita's second visit to the school. They were well organised, punctual and easy to work with. Highly recommended.

Leonie McCormack - LOTE teacher, St Paul's Primary School Sunshine West, 2015

The workshops and performance from Baguskan/Asia Raya were the highlights of our LOTE day. The students really enjoyed the hands-on cultural experience of playing gamelan music and riding around on a real becak! Aaron was very organised and engaging - highly recommended.

Emily Brien - Indonesian teacher, Victory Lutheran College Wodonga, 2015

Bagus Kan! provided an excellent Year 7 Indonesian Immersion day for our students. They were punctual and provided all the materials necessary for the activities. I was particularly impressed to see that for the batik activity they had examples of a 'cap' and 'canting' as this made it a more comprehensive learning experience. The costumes they brought for the various 'tarian' were beautiful and the students loved performing in them. The day overall was a unique and rich learning experience for the students. I highly recommend Bagus Kan! and hope to draw on their expertise and resources again in the future.

Liz Moore - Teacher of Indonesian, Mercy College Coburg, 2015

We used Baguskan for our Language and Culture Day this year with a focus on providing Indonesian dance and gamelan activities for our students in years 5-8. The students worked in class groups, rotating through the activities and at the end of the day, parents were invited along to watch performances of the dance and gamelan. Nita and Aaron were very flexible as we chopped and changed the format of our day and they accommodated all of our needs. It was so successful with lots of excellent photo opportunities and positive feedback from students, teachers and parents.

Rebecca Gregory - LOTE teacher, Breamar College, 2015

Baguskan did an excellent job with our students in bringing many Indonesian cultural aspects alive. Students were engaged and inspired by the music and dance workshops and the wayang kulit performance was perfect for our junior students. Aaron and Nita's enthusiasm and commitment to sharing their passion made for a great experience for all involved.

Georgie Worland - Indonesian teacher, Bacchus Marsh Grammar, 2015

Today Aaron began by enthralling the Year 5/6's with his Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) version of the Ramayana- the show was dynamic and funny and dazzling and amazing...that's what the students said! We thought there must have 5 people behind the screen but NO it was just Aaron multi-tasking to the highest degree! Each class then had lots of fun in the Gamelan workshops - what a unique experience to be able to actually play the instruments. It made us all laugh listening to the sounds of the beat and off-beat instruments..... sometimes I'm pretty sure we were all off-beat! Aaron finished the day with the Year 3/4's and his Wayang rendition of the Kancil stories - they all gave a resounding thumbs-up to the puppet show! Thanks Aaron for providing an educational experience that I could not have provided, and for doing it with such flourish and enthusiasm!

Claire Robertson - LOTE Teacher, Lilydale West Primary School, 2015

Our school has been using Bagus Kan for over 8 years and they are our first port of call for any Indonesian incursion or performance. Their wide range of Indonesian cultural activities ensures that our students gain a variety of experiences from dancing, wayang performances and gamelan, which the students talk about for years! We will be booking Bagus Kan again in 2016 and for many more years to come! Terima kasih Aaron and Nita.

Jessica Mills - LOTE teacher, Timbarra Primary School, 2015

The Bagus kan team presented a fantastic program for our grade 1 & 2 students. The students loved learning about and playing the instruments of the gamelan orchestra. The incursion was very easy to organise and on the day, everything ran smoothly under the competent hands of Aaron and Aryo.

Melissa Karakaltsas - Music teacher, St Martin of Tours School, Rosanna, 2014

Our school has had a focus on globalisation recently and developed a sister school relationship with a school in China. As a result, I thought it would be beneficial for the students to experience a China focused cultural show by Asia Raya for them to hear and see traditional Chinese music. The students absolutely loved the show. It was engaging with every student getting involved in some way and the colours of the costumes and props meant the show was visually stimulating. It was great for them to see and hear traditional Chinese instruments and they were thoroughly entertained by the shadow puppet show. I have had nothing but positive feedback from both students and classroom teachers. Would highly recommend Asia Raya to any school looking for a cultural show.

Trista Fry - Music Coordinator Birmingham Primary School, 2014

Asia Raya come to perform a Shadow Puppet Performance for our Year 5 girls last Thursday and they were absolutely captivated! The show tied in beautifully with their Art/Drama topics on Indonesian Show Puppets, and they learnt the skills and techniques that go with putting on one of these shows. This was followed by 2 workshops; Chinese Dance & Indonesian Music Ensemble. Both were musical, colourful and entertaining experiences for the entire year level and we will definitely have Asia Raya back again next year.

Aimee Linossier - PLC Junior School Dance & Drama Teacher, 2014

It is my great pleasure to write a testimonial of Aaron's visit from Gamelan to Bendigo Pre-school. From the moment the children came to sit on the mat, Aaron and his puppets captivated their attention, and imaginations! The children AND the adults enjoyed the humour in Aaron's performances and the visual excitement of the shadow puppets! Our pre-schoolers also loved the opportunity to try all the beautiful Indonesian musical instruments, and ample time was given for everyone to try each one! I would not hesistate to invite Aaron back to our pre-school to share his skills as a puppeteer and to introduce our children to Indonesian culture, it was a delight! Thank you!

Lisa Claxton Director, Bendigo Pre-school, 2014

The 'Baguskan!' incursion (pentawasik performance) was a great way to introduce different aspects of Indonesian culture to our students. It was a great snapshot of dance, the wayang kulit puppet performance and music from different areas in Indonesia and its interactive components had all children from Prep-6 enthusiastically joining in!

Alexandra Douros - Essex Heights Primary school, 2014

The learning opportunities provided by Baguskan (Asia raya) at our College over the last 15 years have inspired and enthused our whole community. Students of all ages participate enthusiastically in their engaging workshops and parent performances. Aaron and Nita are very experienced and well prepared with fantastic resources, including costumes, musical instruments and games. The becak is a particular favourite with all students.

Jennifer Hayes - Assistant Principal/ LOTE Coordinator, Point Cook P-9 College, 2014

We have booked Aaron and Nita from Baguskan for more than 10 years. They run engaging Indonesian cultural workshops suitable for students from Primary to Years 10. The girls at our school especially enjoy the dance workshops run by Nitta. We're very happy with the programs they offer, they're professional and knowledgeable in the areas they teach. We would definitely book them again.

Fiona Chau - Indonesian teacher Killester College, 2014

I am a LOTE teacher in Cranbourne School. I have been using Bagus Kan for our annual Indonesian Day due to the varieties of cultural activities you can select for each year. These hands-on activities are culturally based and students friendly, which allow every student to experience success. The presenters are very experienced and professional and relate to the students very well. The workshops are very authentic and they really transport you right to Indonesia with the sight, sound and smell of Indonesian arts, culture and cuisine. To have Bagus Kan for our Indonesian Day for over a decade, the name says it all. I will not hesitate to recommend Bagus Kan to any school for an Indonesian Cultural experience.

Mary Chen - LOTE teacher, Cranbourne Primary School, 2014

Bagus Kan! Batik and Dance Workshop 14th May 2014 Aaron and Nita courteously and professionally kept our 370 students on their toes throughout a full day of Batik and Dance workshops. They arrived early with their necessary equipment and packed up happily at the end of a great day. Aaron informatively introduced each workshop to our Grade 4-6 students with a brief outline of the history of batik, and followed up with an intensive introduction to the art of batik production. The students drew their own design, waxed, dyed and dried their own unique piece of batik. Nita taught our students from Prep-3 an engaging dance, culminating with each student donning a costume for a "final" performance!! The students absolutely loved it. We were all happily exhausted at the end of an amazing day!! Terima kasih Pak Aaron dan Ibu Nita!

Claire Robertson - Lilydale West Primary School, 2014

As a teacher of Indonesian for more than forty years, I have come to know of resources that are useful, and unfortunately, a few that were not! Aaron and Nita Hall, working as Bagus Kan!/ Asia Raya are most definitely in the really valuable category. They have provided Gamelan, Dance, Wayang and other workshops to my students of Indonesian, both in Melbourne and more recently, in Hamilton, for at least twelve years. Their workshops are inclusive of all ages and abilities; they are 'hands on' and are fun! They provide a wonderful taste of Indonesian culture. Both Aaron and Nita, clearly love what they are doing and project that enthusiasm.

Maria Patience - Monivae College Hamilton, 2014

The overriding response of our students, who have participated in these workshops, has been one of excitement and enjoyment. "Miss (sic), we just learnt that dance in one period! Did you see our performance and the costumes? Can we do it again?" Or "It's not fair, the Indonesian classes get to do better things than we do!" Add to that the value of PD for other teachers; having the Gamelan instruments in the school has allowed the Music teachers to have workshops with Aaron and then use the skills in our 'home made' gamelan alternatives! Or the group of Year 8 students who were inspired and created a Wayang Performance, which they performed at a local Aged Care facility. This has now become part of our Year 8 curriculum. We did purchase a complete set of Wayang puppets from Bagus kan! to support this.

Maria Patience - Monivae College Hamilton, 2014

Over the past three years, we have used the workshops as part of our school promotion, by inviting all the local feeder primary schools to attend. Not only do they enjoy the workshops, they also have the opportunity to look around the school, meet teachers and find out more about our school. The feedback from primary schools has been very favourable. It also allows them to access an Asian cultural experience that they might not have been able to afford on their own but when costs are shared, makes it achievable. Once again, it is the student responses that sum up the value of these workshops. We received a large 'Thank You' card from one school, made up of photos of all students, all dressed up for the traditional dance performance, and with comments about their day! I understand that Bagus Kan! received a similar card. I would certainly recommend their workshops to any school or community group.

Maria Patience - Monivae College Hamilton, 2014

All our Year 8 Indonesian students and Y 9 Elective language students experienced a Master class with Pak Aaron. He shared his expertise with the gamelan and taught us the Kecak Dance. A 'hands on' day - a wonderful taster to learn about some aspects of Indonesian culture.

Norma Ellis - St Ignatius College, Drysdale, 2014

"You are a great dancer. You rock!" Dakota. St. Therese's Primary School

"You made us put a smile on our face" Mikaela.

"Better than TV" (referring to the shadow puppets). Sean. Dawes Rd (Kyabram) Primary School

"It was enjoyable and I learnt a lot" Charlie. Glen Katherine Primary School.

"Thank you for the experience. I have never seen anything like it before" Candice.

"I think it was awesome how they let us use the equipment and go around in the lion dance parade. I also thought it was cool how she flicked open the fan as a weapon during the kungfu demonstration" Cloe. Yr 4 Surrey Hills Primary School

"The puppet show was really funny and the dances were very colourful and quite amazing. Their costumes were very well made" Zac, Yr 3 Surrey Hills Primary school

"I loved it because I got to bang the gong" Lara, Foundation, Surrey Hills Primary School

"It was interesting how they did many different things which no one expected. For instance, the martial arts and the fan dance. I also liked how the parade included over 100 students" Harry, Yr 5 Surrey Hills Primary School