Sutrarasa, the 6th Sutra Arts Festival under the artistic direction of Ramli Ibrahim will run 20 May to 22 June 22 2003 at MTC (Jalan Ampang) and Amphi-Sutra (Titiwangsa).
This festival coincides with and celebrates not only Ramli’s 50th birthday but also the twentieth year of Sutra Dance Theatre’s existence and service to Malaysian Arts.
Sutrarasa focuses mainly on new ideas and creations in the field of contemporary dance and music, new choreographic and compositional ideas emerging in dance and gamelan.
Sutrarasa will feature no less than ten world premieres in dance, spanning both local and international works. These dance works will showcase creations by seven choreographers such as Anita Ratnam (India), Wong Kit Yaw, Syed Mustapha, Aida Redza, Guna, Judy Monfils, Weijun and Ramli himself.
Sutrarasa will also present new creations in gamelan music by the Gamelan Club. The gamelan, one of the most original sounds to emerge from South East Asia, is given a fresh contemporary presentation by the Gamelan Club, under the artistic direction of Jillian Ooi. New works by Saidah Rastam and others will be featured.
Sutrarasa Festival Programme
Visitations – Malaysian Contemporary dance choreography by Ramli Ibrahim
20 May @ 8.30pm: Gala Premiere (By invitation only)
21-24 May @ 8.30pm @ Auditorium Tunku Abdul Rahman, MTC
Tickets: RM50, RM30, RM20 (students with valid identification card – limited to 50 only)
Temper: Spirit of Gamelan – by the Gamelan Club; compositions by Jillian Ooi, Susan Sarah John, Adilah Junid, Maya Tan Abdullah and Saidah Rastam. Arranged by Sharmini Ratnasingam, & Sunetra Fernando
25-26 May @ 8.30pm @ Auditorium Tunku Abdul Rahman, MTC
Tickets: RM50, RM30, RM20 (students with valid identification card – limited to 50 only)
Utpala: The Awakening – Contemporary dance by Anita Ratnam, one of India’s dance icons, and dancers; choreography by Anita Ratnam
30-31 May & 1 June @ 8.30pm @ Amphi-Sutra
Entrance by donation (minimum RM30)
Passing – Contemporary dance choreographed by Wong Kit Yaw
6-8 June @ 8.30pm @ Amphi-Sutra
Entrance by donation (minimum RM30)
Temu – Contemporary dance by Tandak dancers; choreography by Syed Mustapha, Aida Redza, Abdul Hamid Chan and Ramli Ibrahim
13-15 June @ 8.30pm @ Amphi-Sutra
Entrance by donation (minimum RM30)
If: The Faces – Contemporary dance by Judimar Monfils, Guna, Weijun & Biljana Kiryazova; choreography by Judimar Monfils, Guna & Weijun
20-22 June @ 8.30pm @ Amphi-Sutra
Entrance by donation (minimum RM30)
Venues
Auditorium Tunku Abdul Rahman
Malaysia Tourism Centre
Jalan Ampang
Amphi-Sutra
12 Persiaran Titiwangsa 3
Kuala Lumpur
Ticket outlets
Sutra Dance Theatre, Persiaran Titiwangsa 3 (03-4022 9669)
Topaz, Bukit Tunku (03-6201 0397)
Silverfish, Bangsar (03-2284 4837)
Skoob, Brickfields (03-2272 2731)
Selangor Institute of Music, Section 19 (03-7956 6202)
J.S Ragaa Music, Jalan Gasing (03-7960 2486)
Sponsored by
Ministry of Culture, Arts & Tourism Malaysia
Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (Penyayang)
ASTRO
Concorde Kuala Lumpur
Enquiries
Tel: 03-40229669 (11am –5pm, weekdays)
Website: www.sutradancetheatre.com
Email: sutradancetheatre@yahoo.com
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The first Sutra Festival, Ready When You Are! (1990), was originally conceived as a performing arts festival in Kuala Lumpur geared to showcasing serious arts. Subsequent festivals, Up to You! (1991), Harum (1993), Restu (1995) and Gerak Angin (2001) followed and became a prototype for other ‘alternative’ arts festivals to emulate.
Sutra Dance Theatre has consistently given the Malaysian audience a diverse and original offering of Malaysian performing and visual arts. Through its previous festivals Sutra Dance Theatre has invited national and international performers, commissioned new dance from choreographers and music from composers, besides paving the way for new ideas in many related fields associated with the performing arts.
These related fields include the development of set and lighting design, dance photography and painting, innovative art graphics right through to foyer display concept. Over the years, the festivals have collaborated with an impressive list of distinguished Malaysian artists and theatre-makers such as Eric Peris, William-Harald Wong, Valerie Ross, Najib Nor, Mustafa Nor, Chandrabhanu, Sabera Shaik and many others.
Sutrarasa will focus mainly on new ideas and creations in the field of contemporary dance and music; on the new choreographic and compositional ideas emerging in dance and gamelan. Ramli says, “The rich and diverse multi-racial background of Malaysia stimulates the creators in the performing arts field to redefine what is contemporary. No longer do we need to pay homage to just the Euro-American traditions to state our contemporary ideas. Instead, we can draw inspiration from our indigenous background. Our own diverse cultures, our landscapes and environs can stimulate us to create original works that we can relate to.”