Ramli in Konark
There is an intrinsic beauty between the collaboration of Ramli and the architecture. Ramli is fully immersed in the temple, adding to the beauty with his movements. As a diasporic artist, he is responsible for multiple narratives of peoples and places. In these photographs, he is simply a dancer in his element.
Amorous Delights
As illustrated in the performance brochure, Ramli has found a way to successfully merge Odissi and contemporary dance. The production takes inspiration from ninth-century Sanskrit anthology, Amarushataka, and the adjoining palm leaf, chitrakar, which describe erotic sentiment of love. Beyond the forms themselves, Ramli is promoting cultural diversity, having dancers of many nationalities, collaborating with a range of Malaysian and international artists, such as Bernard Chandran (costume design) and Sivarajah Natarajan (lighting design), all while being set to Odissi music. This speaks to his belief that “the contemporary and traditional can flourish under the same roof.”
Performances by Ramli Ibrahim and Sutra Dance Theatre. Ramli folder.