Malaysian dance legend Ramli Ibrahim discusses how local artistic community needs to keep tradition alive
Ahead of his 70th birthday on May 20, he talks about the path he has taken in the field of dance.
A graceful extension of the arms, a light step forward, a fluid twirl and a sudden stillness that builds anticipation. If anyone knows how to hold an audience captive, it is Datuk Ramli Ibrahim. No matter the venue — a grand hall, an outdoor festival or on ancient and holy ground — his performances are poetry in motion, a fusion of the traditional and contemporary disciplines that have shaped him as a dancer and choreographer.
As he approaches his 70th birthday, such performances by the maestro himself are rarer but he continues to impart his knowledge and stringent standards to his students. This steady, dedicated effort isn’t for personal glory, but a cause much bigger than him.
Moulded by everything from ballet to Bharatanatyam, it was in Odissi that Ramli found his home and laid the foundation for his legacy. While it is one of the oldest classical dances, an expressive form of storytelling that originated from the temples of Odisha, it was little known and rarely performed outside of India. But when opportunity knocked, he seized it with both hands.
“There was no epiphany for me when it came to dancing,” says Ramli. “I always knew what my inner calling was, I heard it loud and clear. I had a strong artistic temperament and was waiting to give this part of myself the chance to bloom.
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