A TALE OF TALENT

Celebrating how genius takes many forms, Prestige talks to three accomplished Malaysians making waves locally and abroad with their respective crafts.

- KIRAN PILLAY

FATIN NADHIRAH RAHMAT 

Bharatanatyam Dancer, ASK Dance Company

"[This art form] is both firm and strong, and at the same time, it is graceful."

A striking young woman with the soul of a muse, Fatin Nadhirah Rahmat embodies grace, hard work, and pure genius through mastery of every gesture and expression, conveying an otherworldly experience through her hypnotic dance performances. Nadhirah graduated from the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage Malaysia (Aswara) in 2020 with a Bachelor of Dance (Honours), majoring in performance.

Over the last nine years, the dedicated 27-year-old has honed her skills as a Bharatanatyam dancer, consistently refining her techniques under the guidance of her respected mentors. Bharatanatyam is an Indian classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu.

Tracing its origins back to the Natyashastra, an ancient theatrical treatise penned by the mythic priest Bharata, it is one of the most difficult classical dance forms to master. “I feel excited dancing Bharatanatyam because it challenges my capabilities of moving with agility and precision. The lines and shapes that this art form has is something that I love. It is both firm and strong, and at the same time, it is graceful,” the young dancer describes.

With a focus on hand gestures known as Mudras, leg movements and facial expressions of the dancer, Bharatanatyam was originally a temple dance for women, expressing religious stories and devotion. Learning the dance style at Aswara and later at the ASK Dance Company, Nadhirah was able to study the art form in an environment that separated the movements from religious elements, allowing Nadhirah and many others to hone their skills to the highest level with total reverence of the culture without committing apostasy.