She gracefully moves from one end of the room to the other—one arm slices gently through the air, her torso spirals softly, and the sound of her footsteps echoes rhythmically through the room as they strike the floor. Malaysian Odissi dancer January Low brings in the poise and sensuous fluidity that defines the classical form. This week at Delhi’s OddBird Theatre, she is set to take the stage with her solo performance Sembah.
The Malay word, Sembah, means to pay honour or homage. It also refers to the gesture of praying hands—like namasté, or Anjali Mudra in Indian classical dance. For Low, the piece is a way of honouring her three-decade-long practice and personal journey. “It is my own form of reverence—to the form, to myself as a person, a woman, a mother. It’s about honouring Odissi, its traditions and the dance history through the life I’ve lived,” she says.
Though Sembah reflects parts of her Malaysian identity, Low remains true to Odissi’s traditions—beginning with the Manglacharan, followed by an Ashtapadi and a Pallavi. She will perform four pieces in total, including a composition titled ‘Hamsadhwani Namami’ by her guru, Odissi exponent Bijayini Satpathy.
Low began training with Satpathy—whom she fondly calls “Didi”—during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The mentorship, conducted online, marked her return to Odissi after a break following marriage and motherhood. “Training with Didi is intense—even though it’s not face-to-face. The body has to be in top condition to keep up. She brings such grace and rigour—it brought Odissi back into my body.”
Where it began
Born to a Malaysian-Chinese father and Malaysian Indian-Chinese mother, Low grew up in an English-speaking household in Malaysia exposed to a mix of artistic influences—from theatre and music to ballet. “It was all very pop culture and Western-influenced," she recalls.
She began ballet at age four, and four years later, her father came across Sutra Dance Theatre, run by Malaysia’s renowned Odissi dancer Guru Ramli Ibrahim. He asked if she’d like to try Bharatanatyam. After watching a class, she signed up that same year for Bharatnatyam, gradually transitioning into Odissi.
By 15, she was touring internationally as part of Sutra’s main ensemble. She trained with Ibrahim for nearly two decades. “There was nothing recreational about our classes. We were artists from day one.” The experience taught her independence—how to self-produce and direct her work.
Performing in India
Low has long remained connected to her Indian roots, performing across the country from Delhi, Chennai, Bhubaneswar to Hampi and Auroville, with Sutra since age 15. Now, under Satpathy’s mentorship, she travels to India annually for a 10-day in-person intensive. Her last performance in India was in Bengaluru, earlier this year.
Returning to India, she says, always feels like a kind of homecoming. Her father often said she danced with more ease in India. “Maybe there’s something in the soil. There’s magic in being where Odissi comes from,” she adds. She also says that India offers her the rare privilege of fully surrendering to the practice, away from her demanding routine of motherhood.
Between lineage and distance
Being a Malaysian with Indo-Chinese roots, Low explains that she’s always approached the classical form from a “technical standpoint” away from questioning her identity while navigating cultural expectations.
Aware of the exoticism often projected onto mixed-heritage performers, she adds, “Ethnically, I am a mixed Chinese girl doing Indian classical dance. I’ll never be an Odia girl doing Odissi. But this cultural distance gives me the awareness to avoid appropriation.”
As a performer, she says that her journey remains committed to preserving the Odissi tradition within her own body, and sharing it with the generations to come. In Malaysia, where audiences are often unfamiliar with the nuances of Indian classical dance, Low sees each performance as a small act of cultural translation. “I feel like everyone goes home having learned something—even if it’s just knowing that this isn’t Bharatanatyam,” she says.
“It’s not just about putting on a spectacle. For me, it’s always been about spreading appreciation—for the form, the technique, and the history behind it.”
January Low will perform Sembah at OddBird Theatre, Dhan Mill Compound, Chhatarpur, on July 4 at 7pm