A group of young dancers from Klang are stepping into the spotlight in Kuala Lumpur this June, and for many of them, it will be their biggest stage yet.
Odissi Anjali takes place on June 13 and 14, 2026, at Sutra House, bringing together the next generation of cultural talent trained under Sutra Foundation’s Dance Outreach Programme. The two-night performance is part of the foundation’s wider effort to build access to arts education and develop young performers through structured training and mentorship.
The focus is on the students of Raas Leela Performing Arts in Klang, who have spent months preparing for this moment. For them, it is not just another performance. It marks the outcome of sustained training, discipline and creative work, and for some, their first major public appearance on this scale.
Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, Chairman of Sutra Foundation, says performance plays a key role in shaping a dancer’s development. According to him, stepping on stage is as much about building confidence and resilience as it is about technique. He describes it as a moment where young performers learn to trust their preparation and themselves.
The event also highlights a wider issue in Malaysia’s cultural landscape. While Klang has a growing pool of young talent, it still lacks dedicated spaces for training and performance. As a result, many of these students travel to Kuala Lumpur to access facilities and opportunities that are not available in their own community.
That gap has not slowed interest in the arts. If anything, it has made the work of groups like Raas Leela Performing Arts and Play & Paint Arts Studio more visible. Their students are showing how arts education can build discipline, focus and leadership skills, while also strengthening cultural identity.
Alongside the performances, audiences will also see Radha Krishna, The Epiphany, a companion exhibition opening on June 12 at Sutra Gallery. The exhibition is presented by students and tutors from Play & Paint Arts Studio and draws inspiration from Sutra Foundation’s earlier production, Radhe! Radhe! The Sweet Surrender.
The works explore interpretations of Radha and Krishna through painting and mixed visual forms, created by artists of different ages and experience levels. It is designed as an extension of the stage work, linking movement and visual storytelling in a shared creative space.
The exhibition will be officiated by Professor Emerita Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Mazlan Othman, Senior Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, underscoring the role of arts education in broader community development.
