As a parent, there is a special kind of pride when you watch your child follow in your footsteps, something which Zulfahmi Marzuki is familiar with.
That feeling comes alive every time the 50-year-old watches his son, Iskandar Zulkarnain or daughter, Nur Fatihah Iznie, dance on stage.
The veteran traditional Malay dancer never set out for his kids to be performers.
But somewhere between long nights of watching Zulfahmi’s rehearsals, both children developed a passion that mirrored his own.
“When my kids were born, I never pushed them to follow in my footsteps,” he says.
“But secretly, they started building their own love for dancing. My friends kept telling me, ‘Your children dance exactly like you. It’s like copy and paste!’”
Looking back, the signs were definitely there from the beginning when they were young.
Zulfahmi recalls bringing both children to one of his dance rehearsals in Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur. The parents’ children would sit at the back of the room while the adults trained.
Among them was Iskandar, an observant child who sat quietly and absorbed every movement he saw.
“I would see him dancing at home in his room, copying exactly what we did. I was amazed because he danced so accurately, even though we did not have proper recording equipment back then ... he remembered the choreography on his own,” he says, a wide smile lighting up his face.
“He was only in kindergarten but he danced like an adult. That was the moment I knew he had a real passion and we started supporting him.”
Reaching new heights
That support would eventually help shape Iskandar’s journey.
He started training at the age of nine when Zulfahmi enrolled him in Swatari, a dance company offering foundation lessons in traditional Malay dance.
Upon completion, he successfully auditioned for Permata Seni Tari, a programme under the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) aimed to guide and support youths in the field.
By 18, he had already entered the professional world of dance. Joining the Malaysian dance crew Zeppo Youngsterz, Iskandar and his team went on to win major international competitions in the United States, Vietnam and Singapore.
Now 24, he is one of the in-house performing artists for Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
His 20-year-old sister also followed a similar pathway at the start, but she is now completing her university studies in dance.
Looking past his triumphs, Iskandar notes the greatest lesson inherited from his father.
“My father taught me the meaning of life as a dancer. He showed me that dancers can have a bright future if they have the right direction and purpose,” he says.
“He taught me about discipline and how to be creative both in dance and in life. Not every child excels academically, but they have talents that deserve to be cultivated. A good father, like him, recognises and nurtures that.”
Ironically, despite being the person inspiring his son’s career, Zulfahmi believes his son has well surpassed him.
“Whatever qualities I have as a person are also present in my son. But when it comes to dancing, I have to admit that he’s much better than me. Sometimes I would watch him perform and tell myself, ‘Wow, I could never do that.’”
Preserving heritage
Zulfahmi’s own dance career began in 1993 when his late mother encouraged him to attend classes instead of spending his free time idly.
By 1998, he had joined DBKL’s performing artists group and later became part of the Istana Budaya team, exploring acting, singing and music composition as well.
In 2008, he transitioned into stage management for Istana Budaya, a role he continues to hold today.
“There were definitely times when I had to sacrifice my own time and energy. As parents, we have to put aside our tiredness and focus on our kids.”
He remembers the late nights waiting for Iskandar to finish training sessions, even when work and school awaited the next morning.
“We did whatever we could for him. We never stopped him from pursuing what he loved. As long as he could balance everything well, he had our full support.”
Beyond performing and the achievements, Zulfahmi believes the art carries a significant responsibility.
For him, learning traditional dance is also about learning the etiquettes and customs embedded within the art form.
“If it’s not learned properly, the intricacies will disappear along with the art. Culture changes over time, and if the younger generation doesn’t embrace it, then it risks losing its originality and becoming something completely different,” he remarks.
Perhaps that is why seeing his children uphold cultural heritage means so much to him. When asked how it feels to watch his grown-up children perform, Zulfahmi pauses before settling on his words.
“I don’t think the word ‘proud’ is adequate to describe it,” he says with tenderness in his eyes. “When I see them dance, I sometimes can’t believe I helped raise them to be who they are.
“When they come offstage, I tell them how great they were. But inside, I’m holding back tears because I can’t put that feeling into words. I’m really grateful to see them carve their own paths in life and follow it with passion.”
