MALAYSIAN TRADITIONAL DANCES
In the old days, only males were allowed to perform; nowadays, female dancers are included. It used to be performed exclusively for religious ceremonies but through the years it has become a form of traditional entertainment, hence the participation of female dancers is allowed.
The dancers usually perform in pairs and are accompanied by a traditional music ensemble which normally consists of the
gambus,
accordion,
rebab,
marwas (bongos), rebana (drum) and
dok.
There are numerous types of zapin, and each type varies by the movement and style of dance:
Joget (
Jawi:
جوڬيت) is a traditional
Malay dance that originated in
Malacca. It was influenced by the
Portuguese dance of
Branyo which is believed to have been spread to Malacca during the
spice trade. In Malacca, it is better known as
Chakunchak.
[1] The dance is one of the most popular folk dances in
Indonesia &
Malaysia and normally performed by couples in cultural festivals, weddings and other social functions.
The dance is of the Portuguese roots and is accompanied by an ensemble consisting of; a
violin of
Western world, a knobbed
gong of
Asia, a
flute (optional) and at least two
rebana or
gendang of
Maritime Southeast Asia. The tempo of Joget music is fairly quick with the feeling of teasing and playing between the partners. The music emphasizes duple- and triple-beat division, both in alternation and simultaneously, and sung in the northeast Malaysia style.
[2][3]
One of the most popular type of Joget is called "Joget Lambak" and usually performed by a large crowd together in social functions.
In Indonesia, the term 'joget' is usually applied to any form of popular street dance, such as that to
dangdut music.
Mak yong or
mak yung (
Jawi:
مق يوڠ;
Thai:
มะโย่ง:
rtgs:
ma yong) is a traditional form of dance-drama from northern
Malaysia, particularly the state of
Kelantan. It was banned by the
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party in 1991 because of its animist and
Hindu-
Buddhist roots which pre-date Islam in the
Asian region by far. In 2005
UNESCO declared mak yong a "Masterpiece Of The Oral And Intangible Heritage Of Humanity". The late Cik Ning was a leading mak yong performer in the 1980s.
Mak yong is considered the most authentic and representative of
Malay performing arts because it is mostly untouched by external sources. Although most traditional
Malay dances were influenced by
India,
Java and other parts of
Southeast Asia, mak yong's singing and musical repertoire are unique. Of the major stories performed in mak yong, most are derived from
Kelantan-
Pattani mythology. Some of those obtained from outside the Malayan-Thai region have now died out elsewhere such as
Anak Raja Gondang, a story originally from the
Jataka tales but now almost unknown in
India.
A performance begins by paying respect to the spirits (
semah kumpung) with an offering. This is followed by dancing, acting and improvised dialogues. Stories were presented in a series of three hour performances over several nights. The lead dancer is called the
pak yong and dresses as a king. The cast usually includes a queen in second lead, palace girls and jesters. Traditionally, all performers were female except for the clowns who are always male. A group called
Jong Dongdang sings and dances in between chapters and at the story's closing. The mak yong orchestra is small with the main instruments played being the three-stringed spiked lute, drum (
gendang) and a pair of
gong. It may also include the flute (
serunai),
keduk drums and small cymbals (
kesi).
Today there are less than ten veteran mak yong performers. Although there have been a few attempts to revive the art form, seasoned performers have noted a clear difference between the commercialised mak yong of urban dancers when compared with the movements of rural performers. Not many young people are willing to undergo the rigorous apprenticeship so the art is now on the decline.
Ulek Mayang (Jawi: اولق مايڠ) is a Malay traditional dance from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia. It is a ritualistic dance performed to appease or invoke the spirits of the sea and is always accompanied by a unique song also called Ulek Mayang. A traditional orchestra comprising drums, gong, violin and accordion accompanies the dance.[1]
In the old days, only males were allowed to perform; nowadays, female dancers are included. It used to be performed exclusively for religious ceremonies but through the years it has become a form of traditional entertainment, hence the participation of female dancers is allowed.
The dancers usually perform in pairs and are accompanied by a traditional music ensemble which normally consists of the
gambus,
accordion,
rebab,
marwas (bongos), rebana (drum) and
dok.
There are numerous types of zapin, and each type varies by the movement and style of dance:
credits to NABIL HIRZAN
