Sembah is a solo performance by Malaysian dance artist January Low, rooted in the over 2,000-year-old Odissi tradition. Premiering at Oddbird, the title comes from the Malay gesture of reverence—palms lightly joined at the chin—a symbol that reflects the essence of the work: honour, presence, and offering.

Structured as a series of reimagined classical pieces, the performance draws from Low’s rigorous training in the guru-shishya parampara and her lived experience as a Southeast Asian woman practising Indian classical dance. What unfolds on stage is a conversation between discipline and feeling, lineage and selfhood.

Currently under the mentorship of Odissi maestro Bijayini Satpathy, January Low brings nearly three decades of training to the stage. With every gesture, Sembah honours what has been received and opens space for what is still becoming.