Dancer follows own beat to revitalize performing arts<\/p>\n
Kunang Helmi, Contributor, Ubud, Bali<\/p>\n
Ramli! The Heart of Sutra<\/p>\n
James Murdoch, foreword<\/p>\n
Sutra Dance Theatre<\/p>\n
in association with Silverfish Books, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2004<\/p>\n
160 pp<\/p>\n
This delightful pictorial biography of contemporary Malaysian
\ndance icon Ramli Ibrahim, who founded the Sutra Dance Theatre
\ncompany in 1983, is an indispensable reference book. It is a
\nmust, not only for those interested in Southeast Asian dance, but
\nalso for dance connoisseurs and erudite readers.<\/p>\n
Ramli! The Heart of Sutra, inspired by Ibrahim's 50th
\nanniversary in May 2003, was made possible by sponsorship from
\nthe HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad Foundation. It was also the
\nfoundation's first project.<\/p>\n
Illustrated by a beautiful collection of remarkable black and
\nwhite photography by four renowned Malaysian photographers, the
\nbiography is framed by an analysis of Ibrahim's career provided
\nby long-time Bali resident, James Murdoch, a distinguished writer
\nof contemporary dance and music.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim is widely quoted regarding his experiences in the
\nworld of performing arts. Also a proficient writer on arts and
\nculture in Malaysia, he has written two plays, and is currently
\npreparing a book on the traditional Malay dance, Makyong.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim is not only a talented dancer and choreographer -- he
\nhas received renowned international awards like the Fulbright
\nDistinguished Artist 1999 as well as the Lifetime Achievement
\nAward at the Malaysian BOH Cameronian Arts Awards 2003 -- but is
\nalso a skillful teacher, having trained many of the finest
\nMalaysian dancers over the past 21 years.<\/p>\n
Book designer William Harald-Wong, who collaborates closely
\nwith Sutra Dance Theatre, has produced a remarkable, balanced,
\nyet lively layout within the scope of the book's square format.<\/p>\n
The first impression of the unfolding storyline is one of
\ndynamic rhythm as conveyed by the superb images. This rhythm is
\nsustained not only by the sequence of succeeding images, but also
\nby each individual image: even when blurred, they transcend
\nmoments frozen in time to convey the very essence of movement and
\nexpression.<\/p>\n
Aside from portraits of Ibrahim performing his extensive
\nrepertoire, the biography also includes photographs of members of
\nhis dance company performing with or without him.<\/p>\n
Ramli! also features those who inspired or taught him, such as
\nlegendary Indian dancer Ram Gopal, who passed away recently.<\/p>\n
Readers are thus able to grasp the interactive process of
\nteaching dance, while drawing a vivid image of the actual dance
\nperformances.<\/p>\n
As Murdoch points out: \"There are very few dancers indeed who
\nhave mastered the three major world dance techniques: classical
\nWestern Ballet, Martha Graham modern technique and Indian
\nclassical dance as in Bharata Natyam and Odissi.\"<\/p>\n
The extent of Ibrahim's dance palette is readily evident in
\nthe introductory seven pages, two of which depict his first 20
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim's parents were not prepared for the extent of their
\nson's potential for a career in dance, although it was obvious
\nthat he was already comfortable performing in public at a young
\nage. He also had a perfect dancer's physique and stage presence.
\nBefore going to university abroad, Ibrahim watched classical
\nIndian dance in Kuala Lumpur, where he also learned Malay folk
\ndances.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim has a mechanical engineering degree from the
\nUniversity of Western Australia. However, throughout his stay in
\nPerth, he also studied classical ballet with West Australian
\nBallet director Kira Bolusloff, who was brought up in the great
\nRussian classical ballet tradition. It was here that Dame
\nMargaret Scott, director of the Australian Ballet School in
\nMelbourne, spotted his talent and immediately offered him a two-
\nyear scholarship.<\/p>\n
Instead of finding work as an engineer, Ibrahim went back to
\nschool, albeit one with a curriculum similar to London's Royal
\nBallet Covent Garden. Later in life, this radical change in
\nprofessional direction justified his affirmation: \"It is just as
\ndifficult to be a good dancer as it is to be a good engineer or
\ndoctor.\"<\/p>\n
In Melbourne, persistent and disciplined as he would always
\nprove to be, he found classical Indian dancers who agreed to
\nteach him, despite the disapproval of his ballet teachers.<\/p>\n
One measure of his superior ability as a dancer is the fact
\nthat he was the only 1977 graduate of the school who was
\nrecruited by Graeme Murphy, artistic director of the Sydney Dance
\nCompany.<\/p>\n
In 1978, inspired by the young Malaysian's talent, Murphy
\ncreated the role of Nijinsky for him in Poppy, based on the life
\nof French artist Jean Cocteau. Ibrahim's career as a principal
\nballet dancer was launched -- but which also included mastering
\nthe modern dance techniques of Martha Graham. At the same time,
\nRamli performed Bharata Natyam, a classical southern Indian
\ndance.<\/p>\n
In 1980, the Australian Council for the Arts made an exception
\nand awarded the Malaysian national a one-year grant to study in
\nIndia.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim's Indian dance skills progressed rapidly, facilitated
\nby excellent teachers: studying the Bharata Natyam under Adyar
\nLakshman in Madras and the Odissi under Deba Prasad Das in Orissa
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
However, his complete dedication to dance contributed greatly
\nto his advancement, as shown by an extract from a letter: \"...
\nhere in Puri, I dance seven days a week. And secretly, I am going
\ntwice a week to another guru -- Guru Deba Prasad Das, who lives
\nin Bhubaneswar. This means, twice a week, I would have to wake up
\nvery early in the morning and endure the two and a half-hour trip
\nto Bhubaneswar in a rickety old bus -- for my eight o'clock
\nmorning dance class.\"<\/p>\n
After his year in India, Ibrahim returned to the Sydney Dance
\nCompany for a year, touring New York and Europe, then decided to
\ngo home to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim was also drawn to choreography, and his first major
\nbreakthrough was his 1985 creation, Adorations, in which,
\naccording to Murdoch, \"He created a way of presenting an
\ninformative and entertaining production of Odissi without the
\ntiresome lecture format so many Indian dancers still use.\"<\/p>\n
Despite invitations to perform internationally, Ibrahim was
\naware that in Kuala Lumpur, a structure to support and provide
\nemployment for professional dancers had hardly been established.
\nDriven by an overwhelming desire to provide a platform for
\ncontemporary dance in Malaysia, as well as preserving older dance
\ntraditions like Makyong, he founded Sutra Dance Theatre in 1983,
\nat a time when funding for the performing arts was almost
\nnonexistent.<\/p>\n
Contacted in Kuala Lumpur recently, Ibrahim pointed out: \"For
\nme, the name 'sutra' evokes not only the ancient Indian form of
\nverse, but also the Malay word for silk, besides referring to a
\nthread of a flower garland.\"<\/p>\n
Sutra House is now a showcase center for the arts, a forum
\nthat not only hosts dance rehearsals, performances and art
\nfestivals, but also painting and photograph exhibitions. Its
\nfacilities include a salon for international and
\ninterdisciplinary discussions, a visiting artist's studio, a
\nlibrary open to members and a small restaurant.<\/p>\n
The open, sunken amphitheater in the garden can seat an
\naudience of 200, and has seen the likes of distinguished
\nIndonesian choreographer Sardono Kusumo, who performed with
\nIbrahim in 2003.<\/p>\n
Rounding off the biography is the impressive and extensive
\nrepertoire of Sutra Dance Theatre, listed in chronological order,
\ntogether with a comprehensive list of performances and works
\ncommissioned or premiered by Sutra Dance Theatre. This is
\nfollowed by a long list acknowledging artists, friends and
\ncollaborators of Sutra.<\/p>\n
It is here -- if not earlier -- that the reader fully
\nappreciates all the Malaysian dancer has undertaken to raise the
\nprestige of performing arts in Southeast Asia, and in the course
\nhas, indeed, become the heart of Sutra.<\/p>\n
This title is available at Ganesha Book Store, Ubud, Bali.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dancer-follows-own-beat-to-revitalize-performing-arts-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }