Yalinie Mathan
ASK Dance Company stages the show. Imran Syafiq and Nadhirah Rahmat dance the lead roles, in time for Deepavali.
Here is what the evening offers, who the dancers are, and how the show began.
What the evening offers
The company said the 2026 show brings together a mix of dance pieces. It includes nritta, which means pure dance.
It also has abhinaya, which means expressive acting through the face and hands. Some works tell a story. Imran and Nadhirah perform them as duets.
The company said guests can expect quick rhythms and sculpted poses. They will also see the gestures and story traditions of the form.
One highlight is Mahsuri, a fresh take on the well-known Malaysian folk tale. The dancers tell it through the moves of Bharatanatyam.
The company said the piece shows how old art forms can shed new light on familiar tales. The dance keeps its own style and technique, it added.
The two dancers
Both dancers trained at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), the company said. There they learnt the basics of Malaysian traditional and modern dance.
They later completed their arangetram at the Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur. An arangetram is a dancer’s first full solo show. It marks a step forward after years of training.
Their teachers were Shri Shankar Kandasamy, Shrimathi Vasuki Thirucittapalam and the late Shrimathi Shyamala Narayanan.
The 2026 show features the two of them. Both are Malaysian dance artists, the company said.
The company said both dancers have worked for years on the skill and feeling the form needs. It said top work comes from discipline, respect and steady practice.
How the show began
The company first staged the show in 2014. It made the show as a stage for non-Indian Malaysian dancers who have given themselves to this art.
In 2017, it reached Istana Budaya. The company said seven non-Indian dancers took part, and each had finished an arangetram.
The company said the show marks the dancers’ discipline and their artistic journeys. It also explores how people can appreciate a culture beyond racial and ethnic lines.
The 2026 show comes nine years after that run. The company said it carries on the same legacy.
The company also believes people from any background can study and practise a tradition. They can do so with respect for where it comes from, it said.
The company said the show also honours the work of Datuk Ramli Ibrahim and Master Chandrabhanu.
What the company hopes for
The company’s release asks a simple question. What does it mean to commit to an art form from outside your own heritage?
ASK Dance Company said dance has long helped Malaysians share cultures. In a land of many peoples, it said, the show is more than a recital.
The company said the show tests how we think about identity in the arts. Love for a tradition need not rest on race, it said.
It hopes to build more respect for the range of Malaysian dance. It also wants higher standards in training, stage work and understanding of culture.
It also wants to inspire young people, such as students and new dancers. It hopes they will explore Malaysia’s mix of cultures and keep learning over time.
Presented by ASK Dance Company
Performers: Imran Syafiq and Nadhirah Rahmat
Dates and Times:
- Saturday, 7 November 2026 – 8.30 PM
- Sunday, 8 November 2026 – 3.00 PM
Venue: The Recital Hall, Sunway University, Sunway Square Mall
Tickets:
- Standard: RM55
- Students / Senior Citizens: RM25
Tickets available at:
https://www.cloudjoi.com/
Maran Perianen
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