What Passion Does

Ramli Ibrahim

Ramli Ibrahim is a muslim male from Malaysia. The profile does not quite make it conducive to take up a dance form like Bharatnatyam as a career option. Ramli had to fight against many odds - ridiculed froms friends, discouragement form the government and no support from Indian schools that taught Bharatnatyam. But Ramli went ahead with his calling and lernt not just Bharatnatyam, but also Odissi, Ballet and western dance forms.

But today Ramli Ibrahim is recognised world over as an accomplished dancer in ballet, modern, and Indian classical dance, and is cultural icon. He has performed internationally for more than three decades now and in 2009, was honoured at the Nartaka Dance Festival organised by the Natyanjali Trust. Last year The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), in Mumbai presented a spectacular evening with Ramli Ibrahim called "Vision of Forever"

In Vision of Forever, Ramli had chosen an Odissi repertoire from three major gurus of this tradition: Durga Charan Ranbir, Gajendra Kumar Panda and Deba Prasad Das. The performances brilliantly exemplified works of the late Odissi pioneer Guru Deba Prasad Das. It unleashed powerful images from the Shaivite and Tantric traditions, bringing out the macabre and terrifying beauty associated with the repertoire of his late dance guru. 

Ramli today has established his open school - SutraDance Theatre, where he nurtures new talents. Ramli has choreographed stunning works and has single-handedly established Odissi as a widely appreciated dance form in Malaysia.