Sutra Foundation’s odissi performance ‘Triple Frontiers’ is finally happening after being postponed twice due to Covid-19

PETALING JAYA, March 29 — The Sutra Foundation’s female-centric performance Triple Frontiers is finally happening after two postponements due to the movement control order (MCO).

Now that audiences are allowed in performing arts venues with a 50 per cent capacity, the show is set to premiere in Selangor on April 9 with a Gala Fundraising Night at the PJ Civic Centre Auditorium.

There will also be a show on April 10 and April 11.

The production which is under the artistic direction of the prominent Malaysian classical Indian dance guru Datuk Ramli Ibrahim had its Malaysian premiere in Seremban last Friday followed by Melaka the next day.

Triple Frontiers was initially scheduled to premiere in March last year as part of Sutra’s 2020 production but was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The odissi performance was then moved to October 16 but was unable to be staged after a spike in Covid-19 cases throughout the country that prompted a second MCO.

“I am relieved that finally Triple Frontiers can be staged,” Ramli told Malay Mail.

“A pent-up creative energy is about to be released and I can feel the audience, starved of live theatre for more than a year, are with us, body and spirit.

“I can quote octogenarian Mrs Menon from Seremban: ‘I have never missed a Sutra performance; I told my children who tried to dissuade me from going that I’d be sick if I miss a Sutra performance’.”

Triple Frontiers is an important performance in the zeitgeist of the classical Indian dance of odissi as it features the works of three women dancemakers.

It is also the first time Sutra is staging works by female gurus.

Sutra Foundation’s artistic director Datuk Ramli Ibrahim said audiences have been starved of live theatre for more than a year due to the MCO. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Sujata Mishra, Parwati Dutta and Meera Das began their dance journey as proteges under odissi pioneers — Pankaj Charan, Kelucharan Mahapatra and Debaprasad Das — and dipped their toes into choreography after their respective gurus died.

Their tinkering with tradition was often disparaged but the trio of women went on to not only establish successful dance schools but are now outstanding dancemakers of odissi.

Set to enchant classical Indian dance followers, Triple Frontiers is presented in a triple-bill format where each segment highlights one dancemaker.

There are seven pieces in total which Ramli describes as “very difficult” in terms of technical difficulty.

The performance will feature young dancers from the foundation’s outreach programme that has gone into outer cities such as Kajang, Rawang, Sungai Choh and Kuala Selangor to nurture young talents.

Triple Frontiers showtimes:

- Friday, April 9 (Gala Fundraising Night); 8pm

Invitation by donation of RM150, RM80 or RM50

- Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12; 8.30pm

Invitation by donation of RM60 or RM40

Venue: PJ Civic Centre Auditorium, Jalan Yong Shook Lin, PJ New Town, 46200 Selangor.

Call 03-4021 1092, email [email protected] or visit sutrafoundation.org.my to book.

Limited seats are available and the show is Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) compliant.