Why not?

It's so nice living in Jogjakarta. I could be an art lover without extra budget. Even it is no cents at all to see an art performing. For example is the dancing performing which held by Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardjo (Art House of Bagong Kussudiardjo). Every performing is a free entry. This art house already had their own sponsor that released the audience from the entrance fee. The environment of the house is very friendly. It is in the small street and united with the people resident's surrounding it. I feel like at home.....

On August 31, I went there to see a classical Indian dance performing"Odissi". It is an traditional classical dancing from India which rechoreographed by a native Malaysian choreographer, Ramli Ibrahim. This traditional dancing comes from Orissa ( East India), a big kingdom in Kalingga and have the strong culture influences in South East Asia hemisphere. The dancing theme "Spellbound" presents the complete part of Odissi dancing which had created by Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, and been studied by Ramli Ibrahim based on the late Guru Deba Prasad's style.

Spellbound typifies a manifestation of the beauty of old temple dancing from Odissi.

What interest me is when Ramli Ibrahim made his dialogue with the audiences, after he finished five parts of his dancing with his dancers from "Sutra Dancer" .

One of the questions is : why does he like to do Indian dancing, when he is a Malaysian?

His answer is also a question : why not?

The power of Islamic religion in Malaysia has not stopped him to learn Indian dance, although this dancing made for Hindunese Goddes. For him, to mastering something should not always based on your nationality, ethnic and religious background.

Reflecting on his word, maybe that is true, that you don't have to be busy by asking "why" for something or to someone for what he'd done. But give yourself time, thinking deeply, and ask youself : "why not?"

Photo by : Fanny O.

Salam, Lila.