He studied mechanical engineering in the University of Western Australia. Over there, he joined the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne. At around the same time he met Chandrabhanu (Zamin Haroon), another Malaysian Muslim classical dancer who had adopted a Hindu name, Chandrabhanu. He who was studying Bharadhanatyam under Adyar Lakshman, another renowned artist, who taught Ibrahim the art form. Later, he would move to Chennai to learn under Lakshman. He would be taught along with other famous dancers like Radha Anjali and Swapnasundari.