MALAYSIAN CULTURAL DANCES
Dance is a
popular cultural form in Malaysia too. Each ethnic group has its own dance
forms which characterizes its culture. Malaysian dances can be identified with
certain regions or religious practices which are often performed in
festive celebrations, wedding parties, cultural shows, religious
ceremonies or other public events. Below are the dances of the 3 major
racial groups in our country :
MALAY
Tarian Melayu
or Malay dance portrays the customs or adat resam and culture or budaya of the
Malays. It depicts the true nature of the Malay people and their way of life.
Generally,
Malay dances are divided into two main categories which are the “original”
Malay dances and “adopted” Malay dances. The “original” Malay dances are
indigenous to the Malay region, encompassing Sumatra, the Malay Peninsular,
Singapore, the Riau Archipelago and Borneo, and its origins can be traced back
to the early Malay civilizations. The “adopted” Malay dances are influenced by
foreign cultures due to political and historical events. The various forms or
styles of Malay dance are further categorized by its beats (rentak) and rhythm
(irama)
The four basic
genres of Malay dance are Asli, Inang, Joget and Zapin. Asli and Inang dances
are categorised as the “original” Malay dances whereas Joget and Zapin are
categorized as “adopted” Malay dances. The diagram below further illustrates:
ASLI
The term Asli,
meaning “original”, is the forerunner of the four basic genres of Malay dance.
The dance movements and its songs can be traced back to the early Malay
Kingdoms in the 14th century. Its beat and rhythm is slow-paced yet intricate
and well defined. Its dance style is graceful and elegant as it depicts the
charming nature of Malay ladies. There are numerous hand movements and poses,
each with a different significance. Every movement of the Asli dance starts and
ends with the gong beat in the count of eights.
INANG
Another form of the
“original” Malay dance is the Inang. Historical accounts state that the word
Inang is derived from the word “Mak Inang”, a nanny or chief lady-in-waiting
who is responsible in looking after the royal children. The Inang song and
dance is said to have been composed during the era of the Malaccan Sultanate,
particularly during the rule of Sultan Mahmud Shah (1488-1511). At the time,
the Inang dance was performed in various palace celebrations such as weddings.
JOGET
The Joget dance (also
called the Ronggeng) was introduced to the Malays in Malacca during the early
16th century. Its origins may be traced back to two popular Portuguese folk
dances, the Branjo and Farapeirra. Throughout Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and the
Riau Archipelago, the Joget has been known as a fast-paced popular dance and is
performed at cultural festivals, wedding celebrations and many other social
functions. Its catchy beat and cheerful combination of fast hand and leg
movements appeal to both young and old alike.
ZAPIN
The influence
of the Zapin dance on Malay culture and arts started alongside the spread of
the Islamic religion, beginning in the early 15th Century. The Zapin dance and
music were brought and introduced by the Arab traders and missionaries from
Southern Yemen particularly from the Hadramaut region. From its original form
of Arabic Zapin (Zapin Arab), the dance assimilated itself into the Malay
culture and thus gave birth to a localised version known as Zapin Melayu.
Originally, Zapin performances were popular among the royalty. It is believed
that every palace had its own Zapin troupe which performed at various palace
functions and every rehearsal was done under the watchful eye of the Sultan.
CHINESE
The term “Chinese dance”,
which tends to be broadly used to refer to dance forms that have traditional
Chinese origins, actually encompasses two main forms, Chinese classical dance
and Chinese ethnic dance.
CHINESE CLASSICAL DANCE
The origins of
Chinese classical dance date back to the Zhou dynasty. During this period, only
members of the royal family and nobility had the privilege of being trained in
dance. Depending on the student’s age, he/she would be taught different dances
for various occasions and purposes. Every dance had its own set of performance
standards and training was often rigorous. These dances would often be
performed at major ceremonies, diplomatic events and even during religious
ceremonies.
CHINESE ETHNIC DANCE
Chinese ethnic
dance is a product of the historical progress of each ethnic community as well
as their individual artistic creativity. The dances reflect the various
regional specialties, cultural characteristics and religious beliefs of each
ethnic group at different stages in history, infusing every dance with unique
local flavour, thus making it widely popular with the masses. Many of the terms
used in these dances are drawn from everyday life and even the props used are
also day-to-day items and instruments. Ethnic dance performances are a staple
at celebrations, religious ceremonies and major events, making them an integral
part of every community’s identity.
INDIAN
The
dancing girl from Mohenjodaro, the broken torso suggesting a dance pose from
the Harappan civilization, the metaphors and similies based on dance that exist
in the Vedas, the reference to dance in the ancient Indian epics. There is an
enormous amount of evidence to suggest that Indian classical dance existed and
in fact influenced sculptural and literary traditions from about 2nd century BC
to 19th century AD. The Natyasastra, the famous treatise of dance and drama,
could only have been written in an environment in which these art forms were in
existence and thriving. The history of Indian dance begins with this detailed
text.
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