Friends,
Dua Space Dance Theatre, DiDance & Sutra Foundation performed Genggaman, a collaborative dance medley celebrating DMIA (Dhaya Maju Infrastructure Asia)’s 30th Anniversary on 31 July at the Shangri-La Grand Ballroom, Kuala Lumpur.
Our sincere thanks to Datuk Seri (Dr) Subramaniam Pillai, Group Executive Founder of DMIA, for including us in this prestigious celebration. DMIA is an international Malaysian infrastructure engineering firm with projects across the world, including the construction of the new Malaysia High Commission in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
The 25 dancers from DiDance, Dua Space and Sutra made a grand processional entrance that immediately established the multicultural spirit of the evening.
Genggaman unfolded through a richly textured performance—from the scintillating fan and ribbon choreography of Dua Space, to the delicately nuanced Malay payung dance and nostalgic homage to the BB Park era by DiDance, culminating in Sutra’s evocative Odissi temple dance.
The 30-minute presentation celebrated the joyous diversity of Malaysia’s living dance traditions, bringing together the Malay, Chinese and Indian cultural legacies in one shared artistic vision.
What began as a specially commissioned work for DMIA has now revealed a much greater artistic possibility. Inspired by the enthusiastic response from the audience, Zaridah Mallik, Anthony Meh, Aman Yap and Ramli Ibrahim – artistic directors of the 3 prominent Malaysian dance companies – have agreed to develop Genggaman into a full-evening public production.
Conceived as a celebration of Malaysia’s multicultural dance heritage, the work will weave together traditional and contemporary expressions from the Malay, Chinese and Indian performing arts, creating a dynamic theatrical journey that speaks to our shared identity while embracing creative modernity. More than a dance production, Genggaman aspires to become a cultural statement—affirming that Malaysia’s greatest strength lies not in the uniformity of its cultures, but in the harmony of their coexistence.
Through dance, music and artistic collaboration, it seeks to celebrate the universal values of respect, unity and the joy of living together.
Our heartfelt appreciation to DMIA for catalysing this creative collaboration and reminding us that a nation’s progress cannot be measured solely by infrastructure or economic success.
The true happiness index of a society is also reflected in how deeply it values its arts, nurtures its culture and creates opportunities for its people to imagine, celebrate and grow together.
Watch this space. The journey of Genggaman has only just begun.
Sutra