Yalinie Mathan
Sutra Foundation ‘s major Odissi production for this year, Jaya Ram, will have its world premiere on September 21 and continue till September 25, 2022, at KLPaC.
Jaya Ram, a collaboration with Guru Gajendra Kumar Panda, explores and features the myth of Rama in a complete Odissi program.
The production is a product of research undertaken together with Datuk Ramli in South Odisha.
Guru Gajendra Panda has been one of Odisha’s brilliant dance-makers and a collaborator of Sutra for the last four decades.
The production is a continuation of Sutra’s love story with the culture-rich Ganjam district, where Sutra had based one of its most successful productions, Ganjam, in 2015.
This completely new and original Odissi production absorbs the influences of folk genres in both the music and movement of Rama Natakam and Ram Leela to enrich Odissi’s present repertoire with the myth of Lord Rama, Hero of the Ramayana.
All aspects of dance and music compositions, libretto and costume are commissioned by distinguished experts in their respective fields in Odisha.
Jaya Ram is not a dance drama but conceived within the format of the Odissi repertoire.
It is rekindling of collages of poignant episodes related to Rama, Hero of the Ramayana, within the matrix of the Odissi repertoire.
The founder of the Sutra Foundation, Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, said that the preparation is going well, and soon, the musicians from Orissa will join them ahead of the world premiere.
“We are almost there, preparing and reconstructing the work done by Guru Gajendra Panda with the dancers.
“So when he comes, he will be surprised to see what is happening, though the vocabulary is intact. But the rearrangement was made to suit quite differently now, involving as many as 24 dancers of Sutra,” he said in a video recorded during the rehearsal,” said Ramli.
Meanwhile, senior dancer Tan Mei Mei said they are excited to perform with live music, and for some of the dancers, this is their first live music experience.
Another senior dancer, Geethika Shree, said they are working hard, hoping to give the audience a beautiful experience of Jaya Ram.
Jaya Ram makes its world premiere in Malaysia, followed by a Malaysia-India-Singapore tour.
The Jaya Ram programme is detailed below.
Jaya Ram (Odissi)
a Homage to Rama, Hero of The Ramayana, with live music from Odisha
21 – 25 September 2022
(Wed-Sun)
Pentas 1, KLPAC
Gala Night
September 21, Wed
8.15 pm
Public Night
22, 24 & 25 Sept, Thurs, Sat & Sun
8.30 pm
Reservations can be made at this link : Cloudtix
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