Saturday, July 28, 2018

DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM'S "SONGS OF THE COWHERD---GITA GOVINDA (ODISSI)" DANCE SHOW AT SUTRA HOUSE IN LAKE TITIWANGSA WAS A MESMERISING EXPERIENCE AND A JOY TO WATCH. MORE SO WHEN THE OCTAGONAL STAGE WAS IN HIS GARDEN FLANKED BY LUSH GREENERY AND A SLAP-UP DINNER COOKED BY CHEF ISADORA CHAI IN DATO RAMLI'S KITCHEN!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM


WWW.SUTRAFOUNDATION.ORG.MY

SUTRAFOUNDATION25@MAIL.COM


03-4021 1092


SUTRA FOUNDATION  
Presents
Songs of the Cowherd – Gita Govinda (Odissi)
performed by
 Geethika Sree, Tan Mei Mei & Thrisherna Moorthy
Guest Dancer Vickneshwaran
Artistic Direction Ramli Ibrahim
Lighting & Technical Direction Sivarajah Natarajan
Audio-Visual WeiJun
27, 28, 29 July (Fri, Sat & Sun) 2018 | 8.30pm
28 July 2018 (Sat) @ 7.00pm dinner & show package
With specially designed cuisine – MELAYANG – prepared by Chef Isadora Chai         (Bistro a Table)
To be savoured with ‘Pallavi’ An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by                                       AV Ilango and Sivarajah Natarajan.
Following the euphoria of Odissi on High, Sutra presents three senior dancers – Geethika Sree, Tan Mei Mei and Thrisherna - in a lyrical but intensely erotico-mystical medieval poem, the Gita Govinda - Songs of the Cowherd. This literary masterpiece composed by Odisha’s medieval saint poet, Jayadeva, has fascinated rasikas for centuries and has become a major inspiration for Odissi dancers. The three girls interpret the various complex moods of Radha-Krishna carnal-divine pastoral love, exploring the various layered sweet-painful ‘rasa’ of love, in separation.

Program
Sritakamala
O Hari! You rest on the circle of Sri’s breasts, wearing gorgeous earrings, wreathed in forest-flower garlands.  May You triumph, O Krishna!

Lalita Lavanga
Soft sandal mountain winds caress quivering vines of clove.
Forest huts hum with droning bees and crying cuckoos.

Radha’s confidant tells her: When spring’s mood is rich. Hari roams here
To dance with young women.
Friend – a cruel time for deserted lovers.
Chandana Charchita
 From a secret place, Radha’s confidant draws her attention to Krishna’s dalliance and flirtation with other gopis. She describes Krishna’s yellow silk garments and wildflower garlands against his dark sandal-oiled skin. She adds to Radha’s dejection by saying “Hari revels here as the crowd of charming girls revel in seducing him to play.”
Intermission

Rati Suka Sare
Radha’s confidant tells her:
He ventures in secret to savour your passion, dressed for love’s delight.
Radha, don’t let full hips idle! Follow the lord of your heart!
In woods on the wind-swept Jumna bank, Krishna waits wearing wildflower garlands. 

Priye Charushile
Krishna placates sulking Radha:
If you speak, moonlight gleaming on your teeth, dispels the dread darkness of fear.
Let your moon face lure my nightbird eyes, to taste nectar from your quivering lips!
You are my ornament, my life, my jewel in the sea of existence!
Place your foot on my head – a sublime flower destroying poison of love!
Radha, cherished love, abandon your baseless pride!
Love’s fire burns my heart – bring wine in your lotus mouth.

Dasavatar
Dasavatar initiates the devotee to the immortal Gita Govinda invoking the ten incarnations of Krishna. Hindu believes that when there is imbalance of Dharma (Righteousness), when evil is rife, Krishna will incarnate himself in one of his avatars to restore balance and order, thus saving humanity from the clutch of evil. In previous occasions, Krishna has appeared in his incarnations - as Matsya (The Fish), Kurma (The Tortoise), Varaha (The Boar), Narasimha (Half Man-Half Lion), Vamana (The Dwarf), Parasurama (the Warrior Brahmin), Rama (Hero of the Ramayana), Balarama (Weilder of the Plough and brother of Krishna), Buddha (The Compassionate One) and the last - Kalki, who is yet to come, will ride a white horse, sword in hand, bringing the world to its ultimate end.

Dancers
Geethika Sree started bharatanatyam under her mother, Sudha Sasikumar, founder of Nritya Kalanjali Dance School (Ipoh, Perak) and then commenced odissi with Sutra Dance Theatre. With inherent angasuddha (perfection of body pose), Geethika excels in both classical styles. At eleven, Geethika was first featured in Sutra’s Alarippu to Moksha and now, she is already a seasoned dancer performing internationally in Sutra’s major productions. Geethika was assistant to artistic director for Sutra’s latest productions, GANJAM (India Tour 2016, the prestigious Konark Dance Festival 2017), and Amorous Delight (2017). She took solo stage in Penetrating the Goddess (2017) and recently performed in Odissi on High. She was chosen as one of the ‘Top 10 New Generation Malaysian Cultural Dancers–2017’ by Top 10 Malaysia. She has partnered Ramli Ibrahim in several performances of odissi for heads of states at international gatherings.


Tan Mei Mei was introduced to odissi by Sooraj Subramaniam, a senior Sutra dancer, and continued to pursue this dance style with Sutra. A seasoned and dynamic performer in control of her technique, Mei Mei made impact in her first performance The First Awakenings (Alarippu to Moksha 2005). She was subsequently featured in all of Sutra’s major odissi productions such as Spellbound, Vision of Forever and contemporary modern productions, Titiwangsa!, Transfigurations, Into the Centre, Tarikan, River Sutra, She Ra, Quintessence and most recently, Odissi on High. Mei Mei has participated in Sutra’s international tours taking in U.S., Europe, Oman, Singapore and many cities of India, which include New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ujjain, Bhubaneswar etc and at the prestigious Konark Dance Festival in 2011 and 2017. Mei Mei runs her family business and also teaches odissi at Sutra.

Thrisherna Thasunamoorthy, trained in odissi and bharatanatyam, is one of the brightest stars of the new generation of Sutra dancers with a remarkable aptitude for movement. In top form, Thrisherna has an impressive understanding of movement and invests whatever she does with energy. She has performed in Sutra’s national and international tours and was featured in Spellbound, Vision of Forever, Odissi Stirred, Krishna-Love Reinvented, GANJAM, Amorous Delight, Sensation and contemporary modern productions such as Into the Centre, Quintessence and most recent Sutra’s production, Odissi on High. A born dancer she continues to develop her talent and artistry and is currently pursuing her degree in Food Science & Nutrition at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada.

Vickneshwaran, one the fresh talents to have emerged from the ranks of Sutra dancers, is a highly musical and intelligent dancer. An engineer by profession, Vickeshwaran took up odissi only five years ago. Due to his natural aptitude for dance, hard work, dedication and prodigious talent he is able to catch up in both expressive and technical proficiency and dance along with Sutra’s senior dancers. He was eventually chosen to dance in GANJAM during Sutra’s recent tour of Konark Festival and Uttar Pradesh. Vickneswaran proved his mettle in Serentak and most recently, in Odissi on High. He has now joined the ranks of Sutra’s regular male dancers.


Acknowledgement:
Sumithra Sekaran
Santosh Ram & Samir Panigrahi (Rudrakshya Foundation, Bhubaneswar)
Wei Jun

Sutra Foundation
Sutra Foundation, a bastion of traditional and contemporary arts, based in Kuala Lumpur, is bequeathed to Malaysia by one of its most celebrated sons, Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, who is also awardees of ‘Padmashri’ from the Government of India. The Foundation carries into the future the thread of his vision and contribution to the Malaysian arts scene. Sutra Foundation strives to develop the breadth and depth of Malaysian performing and visual arts through stimulating the creative spirit of cross-cultural Malaysia. Tonight’s program for Independence Day of India is dedicated to odissi which Sutra Foundation has helped establish in Malaysia.


Contact:
Sutra House, No 12, Persiaran Titiwangsa 3, 53200 Kuala Lumpur
Sutra Dance Theatre T 603 4021 1092 | W sutrafoundation.org.my                                                  E sutrafoundation25@gmail.com


MALAYSIA'S GREATEST AND FINEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL PLUS GOOD LOOKING CLASSICAL ODISSI DANCER, FEMALE CHEF AND SUPERBLOGGER
DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM, ISADORA CHAI AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
SEXY CHEF ISADORA CHAI PRESENTING HUNKY HANDSOME ODISSI CLASSICAL DANCER DATO RAMLIOBRAHIM
ARTISTIC SOULMATES
 CHEF ISADORA CHAI AND SUPEREST BLOGGER DATO KEE HUA CHEE
 VICKNESHWARAN AS KRISHNA 

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE WITH THE 4 DANCERS
 GEETHIKA SREE AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
 VICKY AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE



 TAN MEI MEI AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
THRISHERNA AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
**************************************
DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM WITH DATO ROSE GANENDRA AND HER KIDS
VIP GUESTS 


















DATO KEE HUA CHEE WAS FINALLY ASKED TO BE IN PHOTOS










 ZUCCHINI FLOWER FRITTER WITH RICOTTA AND SALMAREJO
SMOKED GOLDEN SNAPPER AND SQUID CONSOMME 
SHOW'S STARTING








SUTRA FOUNDATION HOUSE IN TITIWANGSA 












WAKAF LIKE IN KELANTAN
OCTAGONAL STAGE IN THE GARDEN


DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM WELCOMING GUESTS
















I DUNNO WHAT HAPPENED BUT THE EFFECT IS QUITE DAZZLING LIKE ME
PERFORMANCE BY SUTRA DANCERS GEETHIKA SREE, TAN MEI MEI AND THRISEHERNA 










LOVE THE BLURRY, SURREAL EFFECT CAUSED BY GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS 
























SEE HER 2 FACES! 
LIKE A HINDU GODDESS




































































 
















LOVE THE EFFECT




































































































































INTERMISSION






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CHEF ISADORA CHAI




SUPER CHEF ISADORA CHAI AND SUPER BLOGGER DATO KEE HUA CHEE
INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCER DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM, CHEF OSADORA CHAI AND BLOGGER DATO KEE HUA CHEE


DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM AND CHEF ISADORA CHAI


I REPLACED HER SINCE WE LOOK ALIKE ANYWAY LIKE TWINS 
DATO IBRAHIM HUSSEIN 




ISADORA CHAI MAKES AN APPEARANCE














DATO IBRAHIM RAMLI AND HIS 2 YOUNG ACOLYTES 
SIFU AND TUTI
SHOWING OFF WHAT THEY LEARNED













































































































































































































































































































DATO RAMLI IBRAHIM EXPLAINING THE 10 INCARNATIONS OF KRISHNA BEFORE THIS KALPA COMES TO AN END



















































   




 THE LAST AVATAR OF VISHNU/KRISHNA CALLED KALKI WHO WILL RIDE A WHITE HORSE WITH SWORD TO USHER IN THE END OF THE WORLD! 

 THE FEMALE VERSIONS 









  


















 SPECTACULAR PHOTO OF THE GOPIS THROWING PETALS INTO THE AIR AS HOMAGE TO THEIR DANCE GURU AND AUDIENCE! TAKEN WITH MY TRUSTY LITTLE CANON POWERSHOTSX710 HS!
















































































  


 











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 BRAVO! 

  



 WELL DONE!
 WELL DONE
 WORLD CLASS
 SUPERB SHOW




 KRISHNA IS VICKNESHWARAN

 VICKNESHWARAN IS KRISHNA 
 LOVE THE COSTUME! MY TASTE EXACTLY
 I LOVE DOGS 
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 POSING WITH FANS 
 ADMIRER DATO  KEE HUA CHEE POSES WITH THE DANCERS
 EXCELLENT CAST
 GEETHIKA SREE WITH DATO KEE HUA CHEE
 KRISHNA AKA VICKNESHWARAN WITH DATO KEE HUA CHEE




 VERY DE GOD-LIKE 
 TAN MEI MEI LOOKING VERY KERWEI WITH KUANCHUNG DATO  KEE HUA CHEE
 TAN MEI MEI STARTING DANCING AGED 19 AND THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO! AND SHE STILL LOOKS 19! 
 THRISHERNA AND DATO  KEE HUA CHEE




 SUTAR FOUNDATION HOUSE 

KRISHNA WITH HIS YOUNG DEVOTEES

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