Come Lex Dance

Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
10 January 2010



A young dancer-choreographer tells MAX KOH about his journey from Kelantan to the stage.

LAKSHMAN Balakrishnan, or Lex as he is known to his friends, made his presence felt in the dance theatre arena with a role in Fauziah Nawi’s Muzikal Orang Kota Baru in 2003.

The 26-year-old dancer has since been involved in productions such as Tunku The Musical, Ismail The Last Day and Chitra.

He was recently the choreographer for Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts’ (KLpac) Kaki Blue, where he incorporated traditional dance movements in a contemporary setting under the direction of Joe Hasham. The show was an audience pleaser.

“I was really honoured when Joe asked me to be part of Kaki Blue, which was quintessentially a Malaysian musical,” he says over a cup of teh tarik at the cafeteria in Aswara (National Arts Culture and Heritage Academy) where he is pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in dance.

“I had to work with my entire brain to come up with a suitable choreography,” says Lex, who was comfortably garbed in a white kurta and loose black pants, with his curly hair tied into a ponytail.


The tall and well-built guy from Kelantan says: “I started dancing even I was already in kindergarten. I remember the first dance I performed was the tarian tempurung kelapa.

“Michael Jackson and Bollywood films were a staple in my childhood and I even performed in temples.”

His family moved to Kuala Lumpur when he was eight, and at 14 Lex was enrolled in Ramli Ibrahim’s Sutra Dance Theatre where he immersed himself with the classical Indian forms of odissi and bharatanatyam.

He studied diligently until completing his STPM in 2002. Then, Lex decided to pursue dance as a career but it was not met with enthusiasm by his parents.

“At that time, my father, who was in the army, did not approve of me dancing as it does not put food on the table. In fact, it was a struggle to break him out of the mindset that boys don’t dance. But I told them that this is what I wanted to do and they respected me for it.”

His hard work had paid off as his parents now come for every one of his performances.

“They are my number one fans.”

In 2003, Lex went to Chennai where he honed his talent in odissi and bharathanatyam.

When he returned, in 2004, he enrolled himself in Aswara (then Akademi Seni Kebangsaan) for a Diploma in Dance and learnt more about classical Malay dance forms.

“Lecturers like Suhaimi Magi and Aris Kadir were important in helping me hone my proficiency in this discipline,” says Lex.

His talent in various disciplines which includes traditional Indian and Malay dance, jazz, ballet, and contemporary makes him a sought-after dancer and choreographer.

He also acted in projects such as Race by the Rather Peculiar Theatre and Istana Budaya’s Sirih Junjungan.

“Ever since young, I just wanted to become an artiste. I had nothing specific in mind, but I just wanted to immerse myself in the arts — be it dance, choreography or as a thespian.

“I am really happy with what I am doing now. Seeing how dance gets people excited make me happy,” says Lex.

“I owe a great deal to people like Ramli, Aris and Joseph Gonzales (head of dance in Aswara).

“I think the best advice I got was to never stop dreaming.”

Fluid Portraits

Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
6 December 2009


Fluid portraits
MAX KOH



Yeoh and his painting Rasa Leela, which depicts eight Gopis (cowherd maidens) dancing for the cowherd-god, Krishna, in the cosmic dance of life

ART in Asia has been heavily influenced by themes of spirituality for ages, and this is explored at an exhibition, writes MAX KOH

THE Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields is now chockful with sculptures and paintings celebrating Lord Krishna. It’s an exhibition called Rasa Leela which features works by celebrated artist Yeoh Jin Leng and dancer-artist Sarasa Krishnan.

One is a sage-like veteran whose works are renowned and is a cultural ambassador for Unesco. The other, a relatively new artist whose works are heavily influenced by her experience as a dancer, for which she is better known.

At the interview on the fourth floor of this year-old building, Yeoh, garbed in a biege dhoti, commands my rapt attention as he espouses the differences between Asian and Western art sensibilities. “You’ll find that Western art has a materialistic outlook on reality, while Asian art relates to a deeper consciousness in relation to aesthetics.”


Yeoh and his black-and-white painting, Dance of the Gopis

Yeoh trained as a teacher at Kirkby and went on to the Chelsea School of Art and Courtauld Institute in London in the 50s. He began exhibiting his works in 1963 and his paintings are in collections around the world, including the national Art Gallery. His artistic career is clearly paralleled by the vocation of teaching, both students and other teachers, and in promoting art, which has been recognised by numerous awards.

For some 15 years, he began to explore the spiritual themes that influence Asian art as a whole.


Yeoh and his sculpture Apsara on display at the Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields

His study of cosmological and aesthetic foundations of Asian art brought him to visit cities, as well as obscure tribes in Egypt, Nepal, Iran, China, Indo-China and India. “Over the last five years, I was able to consolidate some ideas I had,” he says. “I explored the spirituality that influences Asian art by visiting Southern India.

“I visited the major temples in Chennai. I observed sculptures and murals, explored the history and read quite a bit of the Sanskrit epics, Mahabharata and Vedas.

“I spent a month in Orissa, where I could compare the sculptural, artistic and architectural traditions.” It was only three years later that Yeoh began to paint, inspired by his observations. One of the works displayed at TFA is Rasa Leela, which depicts eight Gopis (cowherd maidens) dancing for the cowherd-god Krishna, in the cosmic dance of life.

Another is the black-and-white Dance Of The Gopis, which captures the expressive movements of the dancers. All his works are a personal exposition of the different rasa (feelings) that is evoked. Also on show are Teoh’s copper sculptures that explore this theme.

While Yeoh’s approach is a personal exposition on the theme, Sarasa’s works are borne out of her love for Lord Krishna. “My paintings are an outpouring of my love for Krishna. I paint according to what I feel inside,” explains the soft-spoken, petite Sarasa.

Sarasa has been a dancer for more than 30 years and her paintings reflect the two disciplines. “What I paint comes from a very emotional level. I interact emotionally with colours and I explore the various poses and movements in my paintings,” says Sarasa, the artistic director of TFA in Perth.


Vishnu Paadam by Sarasa depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna

One of her pieces, Vishnu Paadam, depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna while the intense Blue Flute shows the calm and joyous visage of Krishna playing his flute. Sarasa uses a lot of bright colours in her paintings and the liberal use of lines depicts a lot of movement. Her paintings are inspired by the teachings of TFA founder Swamiji Shantanand Saraswathi and kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj who taught her to dance in that discipline.

Birju is currently conducting kathak workshops at TFA Brickfields.

Sarasa says she started painting as a child but was “discovered” in Paris only in 2002. A friend asked her to place her paintings as the stage backdrop for Sarasa’s dance performance. A Parisian gallery owner noticed them and invited her to show her works. Soon her paintings were shown in Florence, New York, India and Perth. Sarasa danced and painted Shakti — The Eternal Energy, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in last year.


Blue Flute shows the calm and joyous visage of Krishna playing his flute

That riveting performance with Umesh Shetty was reported in Sunday People. It stood out from the rest of the events on the festival calendar.

Sarasa says she spent three weeks of 18-hour days painting the works for Rasa Leela. There are 16 paintings on display on Krishna and Ganesha. Each painting is accompanied by poems that are translated or inspired by sacred Hindu texts. “All I did was dance, sleep and paint. The sense of peace and joy that I felt during those moments are reflected here in the paintings.



Sarasa's Blue Eyes shows the passionate gaze of Krishna

“Krishna is different to each of us. That’s why Krishna’s features vary from painting to painting. The only thing that is constant is the eyes.”

Rasa Leela art exhibition runs at the Temple Fine Arts, Brickfields until Dec 13, 2009.

Eye for the future

Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
1 November 2009

Moving to the groove

Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
8 November 2009

Moving to the groove
MAX KOH


From left: Kalaivani, a teacher in Singapore; Sandhya, a yoga instructor; Nisha, an advertising executive.

Dance for the goddess. Mantras with no meters. MAX KOH talks to the movers behind Chalaachala

IT doesn’t really matter what dance form you’ve seen, but did the music move you too? After all, how can there be dance without music?

I am ensconced with danseuse-choreographer Geetha Shankaran-Lam and composer Jyotsna Prakash on the rooftop of the 10-month-old Temple of Fine Arts Building in Brickfields.

The river Gombak meanders beside the building. With a balmy breeze, the mood was set to talk about the intricacies behind TFA’s latest dance offering, Chalaachala: Stillness In Motion.

“There is no dance without music,” says Geetha.

Jyotsna agrees. “As a composer, I have written a lot of music. One way to gauge whether it works is to see if it makes me want to dance. If it inspires movement, then I know it is a good piece,” says Jyotsna who was trained as an odissi dancer.

Jyotsna’s piece is featured in Chalaachala. It took seven years for Jyotsna to complete her composition.

The odissi presentation is choreographed by Geetha and will feature three new odissi dancers — Kalaivani Kumareswaran, Nisha Sivanandan and Sandhya Manoj.

Chalaachala explores the ever-flowing tradition of classical dance which embraces the past, present and future, to finally return to the Supreme Source.

One piece, Shreem, features the original composition by Jyotsna who has set the Shri Chakra mantra to music.

It was a challenge, she explains.

“The thing about the mantra is that it does not have a consistent meter, which proved to be a challenge for me to set to music. But I think it worked really well.”

The duo say it is no easy feat to write a song set to the ancient and sacred Shri Chakra mantra and to present it as an offering to the Divine Mother, the Matrix and beginning of all Creation as believed by the Hindus.


Jyotsna’s piece Shreem fills the second half of the show

Shreem debuted in the Navarathri festival at the TFA this September and has been reworked to suit the concept and choreography of Chalaachala.

“I’ve never done much research when I do a composition but I let the music take me back to the place in the beginning.

‘‘We were all born innocent, and I let the music help me explore my inner self.”

Geetha choreographed Shreem after listening to Jyotsna’s inspired piece.

“When I listen to her composition,” says Geetha, “I find that I can really relate to her soul.”

“I think we share a similar way of thinking. Because of her background as an odissi dancer, she understands how to write music for dance.

“Music is movement of the soul, and Jyotsna understands the subtlety, the nuances and the beauty of it.



Music is movement of the soul, says Geetha

“She is not afraid to explore her innermost feelings to express the ideas and to let her subconscious take over to produce a beautiful work of art as a tribute to the goddess and Swamiji (Shantanand Saraswathi, the founder of TFA),” she says.

The two artistes are forging on despite criticisms from traditionalists.

“The traditionalists often criticise how we live and the way we have interpreted the sacred texts.

‘‘You have to understand that dancing is a way of life for traditionalists. Their lives are devoted to dancing. They cannot marry, have children, and work,” explains Geetha.

“But our Swamiji has always taught us to think outside of the box. He taught us that all works are inspired by Divine Mother, as we find new ways to express love for her.”

“I am a mother of three children, and I have gone through different joys and turmoils in my life,” says Geetha who is married to another dancer, TFA’s production and publicity co-ordinator Lam Ghooi Ket.

“All my choreography has been an expression of what I feel at the different stages of my life.”

Which leads us back to Chalaachala.

“The person I am inside remains the same although we are shaped by the many different circumstances our of our lives. That is the stillness in the midst of motion around us.”

Chalaachala will also see the debut of another original work, Spanda, based on the movements and stances of the Kalaripayattu martial arts form, a 2,000-year-old discipline from Kerala.

“Music and dance are universal. It reaches out to peoples’ heart,” says Jyotsna whose works for TFA is a blend of classical Indian, fusion and contemporary elements.

“Over the last 20 years, the works of TFA have helped me and others to find answers.

‘‘Dance and music are powerful mediums. They can calm, heal, cure and even stop a war. Music and dance can move people’s hearts and change their minds,” says Geetha.

Chalaachala: Stillness in Motion will be performed at Auditorium Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Ampang on Nov 22-23. Shows begin at 8pm. Call 03-22743709 or visit www.tfa.com.my.

More than mere moves

Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
16 August 2009


More than mere moves



Photo by Non Tagaki.

Passion is paramount on the floor, a leading Japanese contemporary dancer and choreographer tells MAX KOH

INSIDE one of the dance studios in Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara), a diminutive Japanese woman tells the youngsters to let go of any restraint and just dance.

“Feel the energy inside you and dance,” she says.

As she tosses herself around, hands extended and body melded to the soulful strains of a guitar played live, she nudges the group of students on.

Her movement is fluid, her form a culmination of countless years of practice. But she reveals that it is the passion that counts.

“Dancing is like everything in life. It is always with you. What is important is to do it from the heart. This applies to everything you do in life as well,” she says.

She is Ikuyo Kuroda, a leading Japanese contemporary dancer and choreographer who is celebrated for her challenging and brave work the world over.


Kuroda showing her moves at the dance studio in ASWARA.

Kuroda is training with the Aswara students for a new piece to be performed at We’re Gonna Go Dancing!!, a showcase which will feature choreographed pieces by Japanese dancers, to be held at the Experimental Theatre of the academy.

The event is organised by the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur, Aswara, Japan Contemporary Dance Network and Embassy of Japan in a bid to bridge ties between the two countries through the art of dance.

Kuroda’s new piece is based on her own show, Last Pie, which she performed with her dance company in Japan in 2005.

“Of course, this is challenging. One week is a very short time to work with. Given the limited time, it is impossible to reach perfection in technique and quality. It usually takes a month of practice to reach perfection,” says Kuroda.

“I am not aiming for perfection in technique or quality. What I tell them to do is to dance with all their heart and soul. I want them to express themselves wholly without holding anything back. A harmony of body and heart.

“I want the troupe to attain that passion, that state of being where the mind begins to forget what the body is doing — when the dancers don’ t think about what they are doing but become a pure form of energy.”


Kuroda will be teaching the ASWARA students on the piece adapted from Last Pie.

This is the theme of the piece adapted from Last Pie. It is, she adds, a reminder about the importance of living life to the fullest in everything she does.

“If you want to dance, dance with all you got. If you want to love someone, love the person with all you got. Every moment is so fleeting in this life that we need to give our best, no matter what we do,” says Kuroda.

“In Last Pie, we see how the dancers are forced to dance until their knees give way and they are tired. Yet, they continue. At that point, they forget about shape, body form or expression. What comes through is the purest form of energy, the purest and most natural of body moment and expression — just pure dance.”

And for that, Kuroda has nothing for praise for the students.

“They are a great bunch. They learn well and give all they have to learn the routine even though it may be something different for some of them,” adds Kuroda.

This is not the first time Kuroda is in Malaysia. She performed with her dance company Batik (no relation to the textile dyeing technique, she just likes how the consonants roll off the tongue) in 2005 for the opening of the Kuala Lumpur Performing Centre in Sentul.

Her showcase then was Shoku, an award-winning piece that explores inner feeling and physical touch through subversive dance. She has performed the piece in Japan and Korea as well.

Kuroda started dancing ballet under the famous Tani Momoko Company in Japan when she was six, and continued dancing until her college years.

A graduate of Laban Centre in London, she started delving into contemporary dance and joined the Kim Itoh + the Glorious Future Company in 2000.

Kuroda has performed and choreographed in many countries since. Her work as a choreographer has won her many national and international awards.

You can catch Last Pie as well as Maki Morishita’s Debutante, Masanori Hoshika’s Returnee, and Headache by P’Lush for We’re Gonna Go Dancing, at Aswara on Aug 20-21. We’re Gonna Go Dancing!! is at Aswara’s Experimental Theatre at 8.30pm. Tickets: RM15/ RM30. Call AXCESS Hotline (03-77115000) or visit www.axcess.com.my.

Marion dazzles (Sunday People)

First published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
24 May 2009

Marion dazzles



PEOPLE thronged the stalls of the Arts For Grabs and KL Alternative Bookfest at the Central Market Annexe, but the din paled beside the composed silence of a lone dancer in the next room. 

All eyes were fixed on Marion D-Cruz who was taking her audience on a journey of her seminal works as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and student in her 35-year career.

Encountering D’Cruz for the first time, I was mesmerised by her Gostan Forward performance-lecture. 

Whether relating her life’s experiences in New York or dancing with a Balinese topeng tua, I was suddenly transported with her to these different episodes of her life. It was like listening to an old friend telling you something new, yet familiar. 

Marion began by reminiscing of the “sweet, gentle” Malaysia of her youth. In 2007, she asked 40 Malaysians from different walks of life and professions to tell their own stories of what it means to be a Malaysian. 

Twenty-two Malaysians responded and what resulted was Bunga Manggar Bunga Raya, a work signifying the all-inclusive Malaysia sentiment that’s lost today.

She shared of how it was a year of personal loss (the passing of her husband, celebrated thespian Datuk Krishen Jit) as well as national grievances about current affairs and corruption.


D’Cruz relating her experiences using a Balinese topeng tua 

Bunga Manggar was memorable for D’Cruz as she saw how these performers and non-performers were free and uninhibited in inventing new dance moves and expressions. 

“Unlike most dancers who are trapped by the sedia ada vocabulary, these people could be mad and do what they want to do,” said D’Cruz.

We then went back to 1989 where she collaborated with visual artistes for the inaugural Video Art Festival in Kuala Lumpur.

The performance was based on a painting which detailed the Sook Ching ritual held during the Japanese Occupation.

Sook Ching means “purification by elimination” where the Japanese would execute informants and communists pointed out by hooded figures. 

These chosen ones would have to dig their own grave before being shot by the Japanese army. D’Cruz recounted how the show was first banned by the government but eventually given the green light when the Japanese embassy said, “Show it, it is part of our history”. 

D’Cruz then took us to the 1980s and New York where she went to find herself as a dancer and choreographer. She recalled how she taught silat to four white men who eventually performed it in the buff, much to her horror! 

It was in New York where D’Cruz began to choreograph her own solo performances such as terinai. 

Another significant performance for D’Cruz was Urn Piece in 1988 where she explored the relation between text and movements. 

I was particularly entranced by the video and pictures of the dance which made me wish I had witnessed that dance.

Part of the success of Gostan Forward is the chemistry between D’Cruz and her audience. There was genuine affection as some of the audience members were her friends of more than 30 years. 

Fellow thespian Anne James also joined D’Cruz onstage as they gave a heart-rending snippet performance of Swan Song, a piece based on a poem detailing the last seven hours of a prostitute called Maria Zaitun. 

This performance was moving not only because of the subject matter, but the enduring friendship and camaraderie displayed by the duo. 

Gostan Forward offered a mix of performances and lecture (I’d rather call it story-telling), and confirmed D’Cruz as a pivotal figure in the local dance scene. But watching snippets of her performances just whetted my appetite for a full performance.

Pictures by Philip Craig

Mak Yong Showcase (Sunday People)

First published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
22 November 2008

Mak Yong Showcase
by Max Koh

The traditional mak yong is modernised for the new audiences. MAX KOH speaks to the director and lead dancer of Endeng Tejeli

THE words of the mak yong seem to echo through the ages as lead dancer and student Rosnan Abdul Rahman sings with his melodious voice: “Hai, ghoyak hile gak, Bele berio nok timbol gak laa, Ee, timbol sangat dengar nak ghoyak gak, Kalau soghe mu ghajo la cik we, Bele sebuah negeri gak tue we” (Of a Raja and a Minister, The Raja, he has an appellation, The Country, it has a designation).

I am at the Istana Budaya cafeteria as Rosnan, with his teacher, Fatimah Abdullah, explains the riches of the traditional Kelantanese dance-theatre form. Fatimah also directs the Endeng Tejeli production.

“Mak yong is an ancient dance-theatre form that incorporates dance, acting, singing, and storytelling. Endeng Tejeli tells the story of the titular character who must save Puteri Gak Petra, to be presented to Raja Sulong.

“However, the road is not easy as Endeng Tejeli must face the Nenek Sepat Petala Naga (dragon) and Raja Gergasi (giant) in his adventures,” explains Rosnan.

Endeng Tejeli is one of 12 core storiestold in the mak yong repertoire. These stories are told with the help of traditional Malay instruments such as the rebab, gendang, gong, canang and kesi.


Rosnan, the lead dancer in Endeng Tejeli

Mak yong has five main characters in its stories: Pak Yung (king), Pak Yung Muda (hero), Mak Yung (queen), Puteri Mak Yung (princess), Peran (clown), and Dayang-Dayang (court dancers). Rosnan plays the titular character while Fatimah plays the king in Endeng Tejeli.

“This is the third time we are staging the story. The first time we performed this was in Kedah and the show was sold out when we staged it at the Istana Budaya,” explains Rosnan who is part of the Kumpulan Mak Yong Seri Nilam Istana Budaya.

“All our dancers are resident dancers at Istana Budaya. The group (Mak Yong Seri Nilam) was started three years ago to help senior dancers learn and focus on the traditional dance style.

“We train them in hope that one day someone will carry on the tradition of this art form,” says Rosnan.

A new generation of mak yong teachers is a main concern for Fatimah who was raised in the dance form since birth. Her father, Abdullah Awang, owned of a mak yong group in Kelantan.

“I was born in Terengganu when my father’s group was on tour there. Traditionally, the group would stay at a town for three months before travelling to another venue. They would perform in and around the town during that time,” explains Fatimah.

Fatimah first performed at the age of 10 with the Kelantan Mak Yong Children’s Group in 1969. Her passion for the arts soon grew as she understood the grit and hard work involved in keeping the art form alive.


Mak yong doyenne Fatimah plays the king

“Back then, the dancers faced a lot of trials. The toke (group owner) often had to use his own money to keep the show, even at the verge of bankruptcy. I have seen this with my own eyes and it motivated me to study hard and bring the art tradition to the next level,” explains Fatimah.

Fatimah, who officially became a teacher at the age of 40, saw her dreams come true as her performance was documented in a Unesco World Heritage recording in 1994. Fatimah has also since performed before the Thai king and has seen her students perform overseas.

Rosnan, who has studied under her for eight years, has performed the mak yong in Paris and New York.

“For this show, the traditional elements are retained. Perhaps compared to the old days, the arrangement on the stage today is much neater with better lighting, make-up and costumes. But the set is still very minimal as we want the performers to carry the story,” explains Rosnan.

Endeng Tejeli will feature seven to eight songs including the mengadap rebab which lyrics were featured at the beginning of this article.

“This is really a shorter format as the traditional performance can last up to four hours and include 20 to 30 songs,” he says with a laugh.

“Originally, there was no script during the performance. The performers will follow the arc of the story and they can improvise the dialogue or sing as they want.”

While mak yong has evolved with the times, Fatimah is still concerned with the future. “We still need a generation of pelapis (mediators) to carry on the legacy.

“People have come and learnt the art form but there is still a need for those who will carry the mantle of the discipline and teach the next generation.”

What she said next was a revelation to me: “In every generation, two of three will be chosen to sembah guru and carry on the art form.

“After that, the guru cannot reveal his teachings to anyone anymore. It is the new heirs who can finally become teachers and carry the art form.”

After this show, the group will perform Raja Besar Senyaya in January which is the sequel to Endeng Tejeli.

“Mak yong is just like Harry Potter, except that it is the Malay version. There is a continuity in the stories and there are giants, dragons, heroes, and magic,” adds Rosnan, with another laugh.


Catch Kumpulan Mak Yong Seri Nilam performing Indeng Tejeli on Nov 28, 8.30pm-10.45pm, as part of the Mak Yong Extravaganza organised by the Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara. The extravaganza runs Nov 27-30 at the Malaysian Tourism Centre, Jalan Ampang,

Kuala Lumpur. For more information, visit www.heritage.gov.my or call 03-20523600
ext 3616.

His Right Step Forward (Sunday People)

First published in New Sunday Times
12 October 2008

His right step forward

MAX KOH signs up for a night of dance lessons with famous Austrian dance teacher Reinhard Polt, and leaves enamoured.

ALONG Jalan Tun Razak, while the traffic was moving at a snail’s pace, another dance was happening inside a BMW showroom.

Renowned Austrian dance teacher Reinhard Polt, garbed in a grey suit and pants, grabs hold of his young partner and begins to teach the floor how to do the waltz. “Lift your hands up, and hold her close to you,” he instructs gently. “Forward, side, close; back, side, close.”

As the music begins to play, the gentlemen take their partners’ hands and begin to dance their night away. “You need to hold her close to you,” he quipped at a nearby couple who was standing too far apart.

Among the dignitaries, parents, sponsors and guests, there I am holding my partner’s hand as we attempt to do the waltz together. Am I nervous? Yes. Fearful? A little.

Never in my life did I think I would learn ballroom dancing, let alone in a BMW showroom in downtown KL. And I have two completely useless left feet when it comes to dancing.

But thanks to Polt’s exceptional tutelage, and after countless stomps on my partner’s foot, I can now do the basic waltz steps!

As the night progresses, we also learnt the basic foxtrot, cha cha, rock and roll, and the Midnight Quadrille.

That’s my favourite. It’s a form of line dancing where couples stand in two lines facing each other. Then everyone begins a ritual that involves a lot of curtsying, bowing, circling around and exchanging partners. It’s like something you see in Victorian-era inspired films like Pride & Prejudice.

The free dance lessons were hosted by the Austrian Embassy Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the Viennese Ball to be held on Oct 25 for the second time here. The Viennese Ball will see hundred debutantes performing the polonaise, quadrille and Viennese waltz during the opening of the traditional Austrian event. These couples aged 15 to 23 years old were selected out of many hopefuls and the best couple of the night will be given the honour to dance at the Vienna Opera Ball in Austria next February.

“We decided to have these classes for the non-debutantes because we want the guests to dance together with us during the ball. It would make the evening more fun!” says Polt who has trained debutantes from Athens, Berlin, Beijing, Tunis and Singapore.

Among the guests that evening were dignitaries as well as guests from the media. Some debutantes also attended the night in order to learn more from Polt, dubbed as the Dancing Ambassador of Vienna.

The ball, which originated as a traditional public ball in the 18th century, can be enjoyed by anyone across the world. It has been held in Abu Dhabi, Athens, Brussels, Shanghai and New York.

“Today, almost everyone in Austria takes part in a ball. The engineers will have their own party while the accountants will have their own,” says the debonair Polt in his melodious voice.

Well, we certainly had a ball too, with smiles and giggles while everyone tried to coordinate their feet to the music.

The ball is a strictly “black tie” event, commemorating Austria’s National Day. For more information, visit www.vienneseball.my.

The Tao of Loi's Dance (Sunday People)

First published in New Sunday Times

26 April 2008

The Tao of Loi’s dance

After four years, dancer Loi Chin Yu returns to the stage in a solo performance to explore the meaning of Taoism and its rituals. MAX KOH writes

SEATED by the quiet lake at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul, Loi Chin Yu doesn’t come across as a sage or a spiritual guru despite the religious nature of his upcoming dance. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, Loi tells me that he is just a seeker.

He is back on stage in My Calling My Stage, My Act after a four-year-hiatus. In this performance, he says, he explores the meaning of Taoism and his internal struggle for spiritual balance and peace.

By exploring the movements derived from Taoist ceremonial acts — speaking in tongues, chanting, ceremonial scriptures and such — Loi hopes to internalise the sacred scripture of the Tao Te Ching and find spiritual balance in his inner man.



"During my break from the stage, I was able to find the time to read the Tao Te Ching, the scriptures written by Lao Tze more than 2,000 years ago.

“Having grown up with so many Taoist practices around me, the book opened up a new understanding of Taoism which is of a different level than the rituals,” says Loi whose family house in Klang stood next to a Taoist temple.

“This spurred me to want to say something about Taoism. The message behind Tao Te Ching is that we need to return to Nature to find our spiritual balance. More than 2,000 years later, the message is still relevant today.”

Loi believes that truth and love can only emerge when the heart is settled.

“In every person’s life, there is a need to maintain a spiritual balance. Very often, we get ‘stuck’ in a certain emotion and state which arises from situations and circumstances in the past. We will never find the peace until we channel out (what’s) stuck in our hearts.

“Some of us find it in yoga, tai chi, or a hobby. For me, I find my balance on stage.”

It is precisely this reason that has brought Loi back to the stage. This is his way of internalising Taoist philosophy in his life.

“These four years has made me realise that I miss the passion of dancing and performing onstage. Dancing has always been my healing therapy. Without it, I find an imbalance in my spiritual side.”

Loi believes that everyone has to find their own way of self-therapy. “The spiritual man is like a tree. Without water, it will become dry and eventually wither away.

“Dancing rejuvenates my spiritual man.”

While the performance dwells on spiritual matters, Loi is adamant that he is not there to preach or impose his beliefs on other people.

“It is very much a personal journey.”

What Loi hopes to articulate to the audience is this: “If your heart is calm, then you are a god. When your calmness is strong like a mountain, you will find your own way to spiritual balance. It is your own journey. No one can tell you how to attain it.”

Loi’s love affair with dance began when he watched the Kwangsi Association perform at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre in 1989.

“I was then in Form Five. I was taken aback by the contemporary and Chinese style of the Kwangsi Association. I found that the movement suited my body. Before this, I only dabbled in lion dance as the ball-bearer being chased by the lion. I was in high school then.” He laughs.

Loi joined the association and trained under Vincent Tan. Loi became a pioneering member of Nyoba Dance where he worked regularly with acclaimed dancer Lee Swee Keong.

Loi is also a fine arts graduate and designer of stage sets and domestic furniture.

His dance credits include The Tree, Lady White Snake — The Revenge, When Durian Meet Banana, Red Banquet, Four Men One Face, and SeeSaw. He has also appeared in several independent films including Man From Thailand and Survival.

Loi has also been involved in many musical productions including Puteri Guning Ledang, P. Ramlee – The Musical, September Tales (Dama Orchestra) and Little Mission Impossible.

When not dancing, Loi is an award-winning set designer. He won the BOH Cameronian Award for Best Set Design for Leave Me Along (Dua Space) in 2004. He owns the company Five E Production and designed the set for My Calling My Stage, My Act.

“I will be building a square platform similar to the one monks use to meditate in the mountains. The only difference is that it will be indoors. It’s going to be big and serious.”

My Calling My Stage, My Act will be showing at KLPac, Sentul Park. Shows begin at 8.30pm on May 2-3 and 3pm on May 4. Ticket prices are RM25/RM15 (students, senior citizens & the disabled). Call 03-4047 9000 for bookings or log on to www.klpac.com.

Dance of Tribute (Sunday People)

Published in the New Sunday Times
7 September 2008


Madangopal Narayanan as Rama

Dance of tribute

By Max Koh


IN the rite of passage for a bharathanatyam dancer, there comes the time for the arangetram, the graduation performance that signifies his or her readiness to perform to the public.

The disciple is ready, the guru pronounces.

For 13 years, Madangopal Narayanan trained under many gurus in order to reach this stage.

The blood, sweat and tears are well worth the diorama that he is about to offer tonight at the Panggung Eksperimen Aswara.

This is his arangetram, his offering to the world as a dancer coming of age.

The arangetram is no easy feat. The duration of an arangetram is about two hours and he needs to have the stamina, concentration and determination that only come with hours or practice.

Madangopal will be performing seven pieces tonight, some of them choreographed by TFA’s head of bharathanatyam Shankar Kandasamy.

For this event, Madangopal trained even harder for close to two months. “In order to perform that long, you have to train your body and mind in order to get used to it,” said the 19-year-old who trains about five to six hours daily at the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) in Brickfields.

He recently completed his A-Levels at Methodist College and hopes to study medicine. “Only in the final two weeks was I able to settle down and find myself in that state of readiness. In dancing, the mind and body is the hardest to discipline.

“It may be initially taxing, but when you find it — you can truly immerse yourself in the joy of dancing,” said Madangopal who is under the tutelage of Vasuki Sivanesan.

While Madangopal is excited about his first solo full-repertoire performance, he could not have done it without the important people in his life — his parents and gurus.

“My mother is a dance teacher (Shyamala Narayanan) while my father works at the TFA. So naturally, as a kid I was forced to learn to dance. I didn’t like it at first but then one day it hit me,” recalls Madangopal. “In Hinduism, the word guru entails a lot of love and dedication.

“In the beginning, I used to hate dancing because it was so difficult. But when I realised the love and dedication that my gurus has laboured for me, I made it an effort to improve myself.

“Eventually, I found the joy of dancing.” Narayanan dedicates his performance to all his gurus including Geetha Shankaran Lam and Shankar.

“They are some of the most important people in my life. I realised how privileged I am to have these gurus to guide me,” said Narayanan. “I wouldn’t be here without them.”


Catch Madangopal Narayanan’s arangethram at 7.30pm today at Panggung Eksperimen Aswara, Kuala Lumpur. Free admission.

A Stirring Performance (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times
8 June 2008


Masaka Ono


January Low


A stirring performance
Max Koh

THE first night of female dance performances offered four talented danseuses from four countries — January Low from Malaysia, Masaka Ono from Japan, Mitali Devi from Britain, Madhavi Mudgal from India.

They not only captivated the audience at Malaysia Tourism Centre in Kuala Lumpur, but transported us to another world.

What a stirring night it was. Stirring Odissi — International Odissi Festival 2008, organised by Sutra Dance Theatre, is a three-week festival that celebrates the passion of the classical Indian dance form. It brings some of the world’s foremost exponents, visuals artists and scholars to this extensive exposition.

With a hall that is almost filled with audiences, local dancer January Low began the night by performing Surya Staka, a piece that pays homage to Surya, the Sun God as Remover of Darkness and Source of Light.

Wearing a resplendent orange saree, she blew us away with her energy and graceful poise as she interplayed her movements to the music of the band onstage.

Also adept in bharatanatyam, Low is also one of Sutra’s principal dancers and has won the Best Solo Performance (Dance) Award at the Kakiseni BOH Cameronian Wards in 2003 for her bharatanatyam performance in Profound Grace.

With her graceful demeanour and dainty movements, Masako Ono’s performance was a sight to behold. How rare to see a reifujin from Japan performing odissi.

With her poise and precise gestures, Ono came across like a geisha who has mastered the arts of the Indian dance form.

In truth, she has. She started learning odissi at India in 1996, after initially learning hip-hop and modern dance in Tokyo. She trained in Orissa under many gurus including Kelucharan Mohapatra and Ramani Ranjan Jena, and is now based in Bhubaneswar as an odissi dancer and yoga teacher.

Ono is now choreographing her own works which are a blend of tantra, yoga and Indian classical dance. Her first performance of the night was strictly Pallavi, a pure dance that is set to the raag of Kirvani.

With a repetitive motif and movements that flowed throughout the piece, Ono was able to set it apart from the other performances that night.

It was nothing short of spell-binding proving Ono to be one of odissi’s best-kept secrets in the dance world.

A stark contrast from Pallavi, Ono then performed Ashtapadi (Kuru Yadu Nandana) which is a raag raamakari taken from the 12th Century love poem Gita Govinda of Jayadeva.

Making the piece uniquely hers, she began by telling the story through expressive languid movements aided by a voice-over in English.

This is helpful for those not familiar with the language and ancient texts. The piece tells the love of Lord Krishna and Radha who experienced physical separation but are finally united in spirit.

All the way from Manchester came Mitali Devi who performed Mangalacharan (Shanta Karanam) and Ahe Neela Shaila.

The Mangalacharan is an invocation with verse dedicated to Vishnu who is seen as the endless Universe resting on the mighty snake, Sheshanaga.

Mitali’s performance was powerful.

Ahe Neela Shaila is an old Oriya song written by the Sufi mystic poet Salabaga which describes Vishnu as the saviour of the Elephant King, Draupadi and the child Prahlad.

Mitali’s stoic performance deftly conveyed the imagination stirred by the ancient words.

Last but not least came an experienced dancer from New Delhi, India.

Madhavi Mudgal clearly showed her deftness and poise in odissi, having learnt under some of the most respected gurus including Guru Hare Krishna Behera.

Madhavi is recognised internationally for her contribution to the medium and has received prestigious awards such as the Sanskriti Award and the President of India’s Award, among others. She teaches at Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya, one of the oldest music and dance institutions in the world which was founded by her father, Pandit Vinay Chanda Maudgalya.

She blessed the audience that night with a performance to an Oriya song that portrays the anxiety of a heroine who is separated from her elusive lover.

Garbed in a beautiful black and maroon saree, her performance accompanied by musicians on stage was moving.

Madhavi ended the night with Nataraja, an invocation to Shiva-Nataraja, the Lord of Dance which was excellent.

Stretching two-and-a-half hours, the night did not feel long at all with the exquisite performances by all four danseuses.

Sutra’s founder Ramli Ibrahim, after all, promised to give the audience the opportunity to watch the “cream of the crop” in odissi when he came up with the concept of Stirring Odissi. And on that night, he delivered.

* You can catch Janhabi Behera (Bhubaneswar), Ranjana Gauhar (New Delhi), Sharmila Biswas (Kolkata) and Bijayini Satpathy and Surupa Sen (Bangalore) tonight at Malaysia Tourism Centre, 109, Jalan Ampang, KL. Tickets start from RM38. Call 03-92354848 or visit www.mtc.gov.my or www.stirringodissi.com. The festival ends June 14.

Transcendental Performance (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times, Sunday People
29 March 2008

Transcendental performance 

MAX KOH 

TFA dancers in the Pallavi

Geetha in Sakti He Keshi Madhana Mudharan

DANSEUSE Geetha Shankaran-Lam was the undoubtedly star in Transcendance, the latest performance by The Temple of Fine Arts, which explores the themes of the sensuous self and the sublime spirit. 

The performance that ran for three nights at Panggung Bandaraya in Kuala Lumpur, also marked the premiere of new and original works by odissi guru Durga Charan Ranbir, disciple of the late great guru Deba Prasad Das and featured music by guru Ramahari Das. 

The new repertoire was a direct outcome from the Odissi Yatra (sacred journey) undertaken by Geetha and her students last December to various parts of India. 

The result of that journey was the dance — Geetha’s offering to the gods, gurus and the audience. 

It offered a repertoire that explored how dance, music, lyrics, rhythm, emotion and drama brought about the psycho-physical condition conducive for such an experience of transcendence. 

Under the artistic direction of Geetha, these works are presented as solo and group pieces in Transcendance. 

The night began with Mangalacaran, the opening dance performed by dancers to invoke the blessings of divinity. In this interpretation, the dancers personified the swan (hamsa) which is regarded as the bird of wisdom and freedom.

The dancers arched their backs and gestured like the bird. Against the resplendent backdrop of giant lotus flowers onstage; they looked absolutely graceful.

Geetha offered Sakhi He Keshi Madhana Mudharan. The work is based on Jeyadeva’s Gita Govinda which is sung daily during worship at the Puri Jagannath temple in Orissa. 

The dance was about the romance between Krishna and Radha, and the twists and turns of the relationship — desire and despair, separation and union, fantasy and reality. It was set with the composer’s obvious purpose of seeking transcendence through his praise. 

Her interpretation of the song showcased her mastery of the abhinay (the expressive form through hand gestures, facial expressions and body movements).

I was mesmerised by her poetic brilliance and lush erotic imaginary. 

Overall, the dancers — comprising mainly students of TFA — were competent in the Pallavi where the melody is elaborated through eye movements, beautiful body postures and intricate footwork. It was based on the Keervani raag, a typical South Indian scale that evokes feeling of elegance and joy. Its basic melody uplifted the mood as the dancers explored the creative possibilities in pure dance (nritta).

But the apex of the night’s show was Geetha’s take on the Pallavi. This time it was original choreography by guru Kelucharan Mohapatra based on the Arabhi raag, and reinterpreted by odissi dancer Parveen Nair and Geetha herself.

She exhibited poise and a grace that could only have come from her years of dance experience. 

For those who missed Transcendance, you can catch it on their Youtube profile in the following link: http://uk.youtube.com/user/TFAvideo

For the Love of Randai (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times, Sunday People
11 May 2008

For the Love of Randai

IT is for the love for art that husband-wife team Ahmad Tamimi Siregar and Zulhaila returns to the stage for Randai Kasih Menanti, a musical theatre based on the Minangkabau traditional art form, MAX KOH writes.







Zulhaila and Ahmad Tamimi Siregar


FOURTEEN years ago, Ahmad Tamimi Siregar and his wife, Zulhaila Siregar, staged a musical called Randai Kasih Menanti for a royal audience.

The King then (Sultan Azlan Shah) was so pleased with the performance that Ahmad Tamimi was offered a fellowship to the Rockerfeller Foundation in the US.

When Istana Budaya approached the couple to re-stage the musical, Zulhaila thought that it would be a challenge for them.

“We are not doing it for the money but the passion,” says Zulhaila who runs production company SkrinGold with her husband.

Randai Kasih Menanti is a post-modern approach to a Minangkabau classic. It reveals the dark secret of an island, and a mother’s hope for her son’s return.

Zulhaila, the production’s dance director and executive producer, is very tight-lipped about the storyline: “For that, you would have to come and watch the show for yourself.”



For Randai Kasih Menanti this time around, Zulhaila says: “We are happy to find dancers from Istana Budaya and Aswara to help us put the production together. They are really a talented bunch.”

The classic was written by renowned Malay writers Bustami Kamal, Sabri Mohd Zin, and Khalid Salleh. The script for the play was written by Sabri a.k.a. Samoza.

At the interview at Istana Budaya, Zulhaila shows the book on which the musical is based on.

It looked like it had survived wind, fire, earthquake and countless coffee spills. “Sorry, I’ve had this book for more than 14 years,” she says with a laugh.

But what is a randai? “A randai is a popular Minangkabau art form where a group of dancers form a circle called the gelombang. The gelombang features martial arts movements such as the silat and also a very unique thigh-slapping percussion movement called tapuak.

“As the circle moves, individuals come to the centre and perform. The gelombang and bakaba (storytelling) depicts time lapses in a story.”

This popular folk theatre combines elements of song, dance, music, martial arts and acting and integrates three of the oldest and popular Minangkabau art tradition — silat, bakaba and saluang jo dendang (song and flute).

For Randai Kasih Menanti, the actors will perform out of the circle, unlike in the conventional randai.

“I hope that people will come and be enlightened about this traditional Minangkabau art form.

We will also be using some new technology to enhance the performance,” she adds.

“While the art form may be new to some people, it is a fact that randai is known even in the US,” says Zulhaila.

Randai Kasih Menanti features veteran actor Datuk Yusni Hamid and newcomers Safura, Zulkafli Zain, Sabrina Hassan, Shariful Azmi, Megat Sharizal and Ray Redzuan.

It is directed by Ahmad Tamimi.

* Randai Kasih Menanti is on at Panggung Sari Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak, KL until May 18 at 8.30pm, with 3pm matinees on May 11 & 18. Tickets range from RM30 to RM150. Call 03-40265558.

Woman in Love (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times, Sunday People
20 January 2008

Woman in Love 

MAX KOH

IT’S a dark night as I walk down a quiet street in Brickfields, my path illuminated only by the headlights of passing vehicles.

But as soon as I enter The Temple Of Fine Arts, I am greeted by a flurry of activity: Indian ragas emanating from portable cassette decks, children stamping their feet to the tala (rhythm) being played, and students swirling in dance as their parents look on proudly.

I was there to speak to an emerging artiste — Hemavathi Sivanesan or Hema — who has just performed her arangetram (graduation performance) last September.

Among those in the audience that day was acclaimed international dancer Mavin Khoo.

“With Hema, I saw the potential of a dancer who has a destiny with dance,” said Khoo who then proposed a project to further hone her skills.

“All I do is to provide a platform for her to further develop herself as a dancer and an artiste.”

Khoo feels that after a dancer’s solo debut, the performer usually takes a step backwards — a psychological reversal — instead of developing herself as a solo dancer.

“I wanted to tap into the physical and emotional energy that was still present. The next step was necessary in the tradition of Indian classical dance — a two-hour solo repertoire.”

Which brings us to Hema’s maiden solo performance called Mardhuya: The Sacred Feminine On A Journey of Love. The dance is choreographed by Khoo, who once trained under Hema’s mother, TFA’s senior dance teacher Vasuki Sivanesan — a “perfect cycle”, he adds.

Says the 20-year-old Hema: “Mardhuya is essentially about love. It is about the different types of experiences that a woman goes through in her life.”

To explore the nuances of the female spirit, Hema had to tap into her own emotions and explore the many different expressions of feminine love.

Says Khoo: “Classical Indian dance has always been imbued with so much spirituality. However with Mardhuya, I choose instead to focus on the theme of love that is so universal and accessible to everyone.

“In the classical Indian form, there are specifics ideas about who you are. What I try to do with Hema is to develop a relationship between the dancer and form, and eventually enable the dancer to find herself as a modern person living within the art form.”

Hema began studying ballet at the age of four. She took to bharatanatyam when she was six years old, under the guidance of her mother, Vasuki.

But it was only in Form Four that Hema says she realised her true calling.

“It’s funny but I always wanted to be a doctor. But it was at that time when I realised I kept thinking about dancing and how I love to be in that world.”

But the dancing world is no bed of roses as Khoo describes it: “A career which you must constantly improve yourself because the next day, a new face will always emerge.”

“That is why I’m actually envious of Hema. She is still in that mental stage when it is all about the art,” says Khoo.

“And she will be fascinating to watch. She’s now at the foetal point as an artiste. In 10 years, when you see her perform again, you’ll appreciate it even more as you’ll see how she has developed as an artiste.”

“Khoo is not only a teacher but also a good friend to me,” says Hema. “I think my understanding of the art form has deepened from my time with him. And it really helps a lot as I will be going to Perth to do my degree in performing arts.”


Hema performs Mardhuya: The Sacred Feminine On A Journey of Love, with nattuvagam (chanting to the exact beat) by Mavin Khoo, on Jan 25 at 8pm. Venue: Actors’ Studio, Bangsar Shopping Centre. Admission by a minimum donation of RM30. Invitations available at the Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields, KL. Call 03-2743709.