UNBOUND ODISSI
— A combined Dance & Exhibition Event at Sutra House inspired by Odissi
By students dancers of Raas Leela Performing Arts &
Artists of Play & Paint Art Studio, KLANG
Principal
Priya Yogi
Exhibition curated by
Nirmala Karuppiah
26 & 27 April, 2025
Sutra House
Dear Friends,
Unbound Odissi, the
2-day dance and visual art event held at Sutra House, celebrated fresh talents from Klang, where Sutra Foundation conducted its Dance Outreach Program for the last 4 years.
It was a tremendous success that created history for Odissi in Klang, with maximum audience turnout.
The guest of honour Shri Shanmugam Mookan (special officer of Indian Affairs for PM), himself from Klang, gave a rousing speech encouraging artists to continue their efforts to enrich Klang with arts and culture.
The opening night was blessed with an exceptionally cool weather just after an evening shower. The spellbound audience was suffused with the positive energy of the magical night, which made the experience of the enchanting Odissi performance, dreamlike.
The compelling paintings, well curated by Nirmala Karuppiah, impressed many guests who came all the way from Klang. They came to Sutra for the first time.
Datuk Ramli Ibrahim
conducted a lively banter with Priya Yogi and artist Antonio Lopez who had guided the visual artists.
Cyril Pereira, former editor of South China Morning Post, who also lives in Klang, writes:
Pencil sketches, watercolours, and acrylics painted by student artists inspired by Odissi dancers, showed grace, and dynamic movement, deftly capturing facial expressions and eye play.
It was a night of visual magic that raised questions about what next?
That dual artistic expression was a first at Sutra, astonishing guests and parents. The kids from five to teens, were obviously blessed with talent beyond the discipline of dance routines.
Parents, relatives and friends were excited, crowding noisily around the paintings. Parents were awoken to the sheer artistic potential of their children. This creative expression bonds families, and can be shared with pride across the community.
Klang does not have a venue to host the community’s artistic excellence, which is a pity.
They had to caravan to Sutra in Titiwangsa, KL. Klang is a Royal town 😭
What next for these talents from Klang?
Cyril Pereira, 26 April 2025