M ALAYSIAN-born Azanin Ezane Ahmad swept on stage with her home-grown dance troupe

to perform excerpts from the Malay version of the Ramayana at the recent Cambodian

Red Cross Charity Ball.

Azanin and two of her colleagues from the Suasana Cultural Center in Kuala Lumpur

depicted scenes from Sita Dewi and Putri Sa'dong, ancient dances newly choreographed

by Azanin who has devoted her life to preserving Malaysia's cultural heritage.

"Our children don't even know our own legends," said Azanin who added that

she felt that her own culture was so far behind that of Cambodia.

Azanin, an economics graduate, took on the cause of preserving her culture in the

mid-seventies and has since gained world-wide recognition with her renditions of

traditional Malay dances.

When asked to describe her spirit, Azanin said: "Nirvana, I suppose. I feel

such inner peace when I dance, its no longer me. I feel an affinity with the gods."

Azanin's dance troupe's trip to Cambodia was made possible by support from Tourism

Malaysia, the YTL Corporation and the Malaysian Embassy.

The Charity event, presided over by Her Majesty the Queen, raised more than $120,000

for the Cambodian Red Cross which will be used for emergency flood and drought relief,

and support for internally displaced refugees.

More than 750 people attended the event.