By Chris Teh
Bringing a fresh perspective with traditional dance and a blend of soulful and upbeat songs is an eye-opening experience indeed.
Fusion Rhythms organised by the Ipoh Fine Arts Society took place at the Ceylon Association in Jalan Tun Perak on Sunday, June 23, which featured performances by dancers from Nritya Kalanjali School of Dance, Ipoh and five-member Malay Ensemble Musicians from Mahakarya Studios, Kuala Lumpur.
The first half of the show consisted of five songs and ten dance sequences, while the second half highlighted the prowess of Mahakarya Studios musicians covering contemporary songs using traditional Malay instruments, such as the theme from the renowned television show ‘Game of Thrones’, which garnered the group of musicians thousands of views on YouTube.
The society wanted to introduce fresh ideas to the Ipoh community and to appreciate different cultures they can offer.
“We took fusion music and adapted classical Bharatanatyam dance to it, so the performance is a blend of modern and traditional styles,” said Ipoh Fine Arts Society president, Shanti Lingam.
“The beauty of our society is that we come from different backgrounds and cultures, but at the same time, we are all Malaysians and we hope that the community will continue supporting our efforts in making Ipoh an inclusive society,” she remarked.
