Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Malay Dance
Malay Dance
Malay Dance
Tari Tempurung (Coconut Shell Dance) by Sriwana,the most prominent Malay Cultural group in Singapore.The dance shows
young lovers dancing happily with coconut shells.
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AIthough Malays form only organizing of activities by Malay Redjang, Batak, Orang Asli, Javanese,
14.6 per cent of the total population cultural groups, providing opportunity Baweanese or other groups gradually
of 2.6 million in Singapore, Malay to listen to discussions on dance, faded away and the court traditions
dance has, since the 1950s, become culture and ideas and to observe the of Java, Sumatra or Malaya also
one of the three components of the informal interaction among the acti- gradually became irrelevant. But at
national dance used as a major vities behind the scene. least these early Malay immigrants
cultural symbol. shared the same Malay language and
Cultural Background of the the same religion, Islam. Being a
The other minority group, the minority and predominantly a social
Indians, in actual fact, make up an Malay Community in Singapore
group without economic power,
even smaller percentage, 6.4 in the the Malays did not have many
1980 Singapore census. However, Malay is a term used to refer to
a large group of people, in the extravagant theatrical forms as
Indian dance, together with Chinese compared to the ballet, concerts of
and Malay dance forming an entity, Southeast Asian region, who settled
in Singapore. Whether they are the Europeans, Indian Dance or
was launched during the anti-yellow Chinese Opera. The Bangsawan
culture campaign at the height of the Minangkabau, Redjang, Batak,
Orang Asli, Javanese, Baweanese performances were far in between
anti-colonialism campaign in the and theatrical dance presentation
mid-1950s. The trinity of dance or other groups of sea-nomads,
they are also labelled as Malay practically did not exist.
thus has been used ever since at the
numerous functions organized by the The first batch of early day Malay
government, educational institutions, immigrants were from Johore, Malacca, Evolution of Malay Dance Since
schools, social cultural bodies, and all Penang and Riau. They came to seek the 1950s in Singapore
kinds of grassroot organizations. the economic opportunities provided In the early 1950s, Malay
by the newfound island administered dance could be seen mainly by the
To understand the character- by the British at the beginning of the non-Malays at the amusement
istics of Malay dance fully, one must 19th century. Many were employed by parks , as a form of entertainment.
examine closely the nature of the the uniformed services. The Dancing Halls provided live
creative process of the art form, music and dance hostesses while the
sources of ideas and aesthetic values, The Javanese who came after public, who were interested in dancing
social purposes of performance, the mid-19th century were craftsmen, with the girls, had to pay a small fee
interaction between different cultural merchants, pilgrim brokers and to enter the halls. They were mainly
groups and the observable microlevel labourers. During the second world Tari Mak Inang, Pulau Kapai and
practices within the various dance war, about 10,000 of the Javanese Selendang Mayang. These social
groups of the Malay community. conscript labourers were sent to dances, although largely improvised
I have elsewhere dealt with the Singapore. Later, an even larger by the participants, enabled the public
nature of forms of interaction number of Javanese entered Singapore to get acquainted with Malay music
between Indian, Malay and Chinese from Malaysia. Many of the labourers, and dance. However, it was not
dance groups . In this article, I shall who were illiterate and unskilled, uncommon to see Malay dance on
concentrate on the evolution of managed to get only the low-waged ceremonial occasions within the
Malay dance since the 1950s, factors urban jobs. A great number of these Malay community, such as in
on the development of Malay Dance immigrants were accommodated in wedding parties, the clearing of
and features of Malay dance in con- the squatter settlements or Pondok, woodlands, the beginning of fishing
temporary Singapore. the communal houses. season, etc.
This study is based extensively It is important to note that they Similar to other ethnic groups in
on the long years of attending Malay migrated as individuals. Most of Singapore, it was the anti-colonialism
and multicultural dance presenta- them were unrelated by kinship, campaign of the mid-50s that
tions, informal interactions with unlike the Chinese immigrants who stimulated the popularization of
numerous dancers, choreographers, had the clan associations to help Malay dance and the performing arts
organizers, cultural administrators of them settle down. In the course of in general. The wave of independence
the government and Malay organiza- migration to Singapore the distinctive sweeping across Africa and Asia
tions. I have also participated in the cultural features of the Minangkabau, awakened the people of many
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Photo shows Madame Liauw Tjen Yan (right, front row) conducting a dance class for young dancers.
colonized nations. Singapore and its scope and became the most (or Liu Chun Wai), had far reaching
Malaya, longing for the days when influential Malay cultural group of effects. The intricate steps and
they could be freed from the British, the time. Together with other Malay musical styles introduced broadened
launched their vigorous anti-colonia- associations, Sriwana organized stage the repertoire of Malay cultural
lism campaigns, in the mid-50s. The shows where Malay songs and dances associations considerably. Dances
people thus expressed themselves in were presented. These charity perfor- they introduced to the Singapore
political campaigns, social move- mances were mainly held to raise audience included Gunung Sayang,
ments, literary writing, music, drama funds for the poor who could not Tanjong Katong, Serampang Duabelas,
and dance. Numerous cultural organi- afford the school fees. Thus these Baju Kurung, Bunga Tanjung and
zations, student bodies, arts associa- activities encouraged young people to Tempurung. These were mainly
tions, even the workers' unions, were learn Malay dance. dances of the Minangkabau with
all actively involved in the campaign The choreography of the dances the tambourine as one of the key
of creating the "New Malaya Culture", performed during this period consisted instruments. Later, Madam Supenah
a "new culture" that includes all the of basic formations of circles, ovals, Somod from Indonesia and Mr.
cultural elements of the Chinese, ellipses and triangles. Sriwana Zainal Abbas from Malaysia were
Malays, and Indians. realized that if Malay dance was engaged too, to train the aspiring
going to achieve a higher artistic young members of Sriwana.
As for Malay dance, it was standard, it was necessary to seek
Sriwana, a newly formed cultural help from the professional dance Significant Element of National
organization that gave it a new life. instructors from the neighbouring Culture : Malay Dance in the 60s
Founded on July 24, 1955, Sriwana's countries. The two choreographers
initial objective was to popularize Sriwana invited from Indonesia, Malaya attained independence
Keroncong music but soon expanded Tengku Yuhanis and Liauw Tjen Yan in 1957. Its success inspired Singapore
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The Malay Dance at Grassroot many community centres' dance Pani and Wong Tew Chin, mainly
Level in the 70s groups, Malay dance, like other dance because of the unconvincing thin
forms in Singapore, cultivated a new storyline and disjoint choreography .
Besides Sriwana, there were also generation of audience throughout In the process of popularizing
several other Malay organizations the decade. The trinity of dance the cultural dance of all the ethnic
actively involved in the promotion (Chinese, Indian and Malay) was then groups, the People's Association
of performing arts. These included firmly established. probably played a more significant
Perkumpulan Seni Melayu (Malay The National Dance Company role because of its active out-reaching
Art Association), Taman Bacaan- since its inception, always presented programmes, bringing free open air
Pemuda Pemudi Melayu (Malay the standard package of Chinese, performances to housing estates all
Youth Library Association), Persatuan Indian and Malay dance in its cultural over the island. Equally important is
Persuratan Pemuda-Pemudi Melayu shows. Attempts were made to present the wide network of community
(Malay Youth Literary Association), all the three forms in one single centres and the dance classes or dance
Pasukan Kawalan (Watch Group) and dance drama or non-narrative dance. groups which operated under them.
Semangat Baru (New Spirit). Examples include the most frequently To ensure that anyone who wants to
performed Unity in Rhythm and learn dance has the opportunity, the
Two major government-sup- "Fisherfolk Suite . The former dance classes conducted at the
ported dance companies were set up was collectively choreographed by community centres charged only a
to promote dance at grassroot level Madam Lee Shu Fen, Miss Som Said nominal fee. This proved to be a
and to showcase Singapore talent to and Madam Madhavi Khrishnan. worthwhile policy as the People's
foreign dignitaries at state functions. Using drums of the Chinese, Malay Association's affiliated groups
These were the part-time National and Indian, the choreographers attracted over a thousand participants.
Dance Company of the Ministry of successfully blended the dance
Culture in 1970 and the full-time into a unifying style that was Some of these groups, backed
People's Association Dance Group in much appreciated by the local by the community centres administra-
1971 (which started as a part-time and international audiences. Less tively and financially, led by young
company in 1968). Together with the successful was the dance drama and talented choreographers were
annual Youth Festival organized by "Fisherfolk Suite" choreographed by able to make a name for themselves.
the Ministry of Education, and the Madhavi Krishnan, Mohd Na'aim Aljunied Community Centre Dance
Troupe, headed by Lee Siew Kim,
majored in experimental dance while
Marine Parade Community Centre
Dance Group, nurtured by Low
Mei Yoke, received consistent praise
from the serious critics. Cairnhill
Community Centre has several dance
groups : the Indian group is guided
by Neila Sathyalingam, Tay Hong
Lim coaches the Chinese group,
Chew Seok Choon leads the ballet
group and the Malay group's leader
is Mohd Ali Sungip. With a notable
teacher Ng Siew Beng, Telo it Ayer
Hong Lim Green Community Centre
Dance Troupe, specialized in Chinese
dance. The two community centres
that won a high reputation for their
promotion of Malay dance are River
Valley and UIu Pandan, with Mohd.
Renowned Indonesian choreographer, Tom Ibnur (left), is seen assisting a dancer Khairi Supani and Mohd Salleh B
for a Singapore Festival of Arts performance. Buang as choreographers respectively.
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practitioners then realized the followed, one could easily detect fresh "Whatever experiment we are
importance of absorbing the choreographic ideas. Som Said, involved in, we make an effort to
"militant" aspect of Minangkabau upon her return from Bagong develop an individual style that is
dances in their choreography. Some Kusudiardjo's training course had this identifiably Singaporean. Our Malay
began to examine the possibility of to say: "I have no intention to stage culture has developed out of the
blending silat, the Malay traditional authentic Javanese dance here but I varied cultural traditions of the
martial art into their dance. Others will adapt some traditional migrants, but it is the contemporary
decided that their future choreographical Indonesian dance steps for my urban life that makes us different
approach would be more liberal by choreography. Even Indonesia itself from our ancestors."
fusing the movement patterns of has gone through the process of However, if Singapore Malay
other cultures whenever necessary3. absorption and fusion of Islamic and choreographers are serious about
After all, Minangkabau dances Hindu cultures with the local one. Is developing a dance style with
assimilated movement patterns other Singapore not the same, a melting distinctive characteristics, they must
than Sumatran. pot?" not heavily rely on ready-made music
in the shops. The choreographers
The interest in vitalizing Malay Nongchik Ghani, the doyen of
must work closely with composers or
dance was intensified when Tom Malay dance in Singapore agreed
musicians. They must be able to
Arison Ibnur was invited by the and cited a historical document to
improvise or arrange music specially
Singapore Festival of Arts to support his view. "At the first Malay
to the dances the create. They should
choreograph for an evening of Malay cultural congress held in Malacca in
also explore the possibility of
dance. It was participated by all the mid-50s, a resolution was passed
adapting poetry, short stories or
Malay dance groups in Singapore. suggesting that Malay culture could
drama written by local writers into
Malay society places considerable accept the elements of non-Malay
dance or dance drama.
emphasis on the relationship between culture that are suitable and do not
the individual and the social circle of Nobody knows yet the result of
oppose it. Therefore although Malay
kins, neighbours and friends. the artistic experiments of the young
dance can absorb suitable elements of
Therefore competition between dance generation of Malay choreographers
other cultures, this must be done
groups or drama groups is less intense in Singapore. It will probably take
with great care to retain the flavour
than other ethnic groups. Tom years to develop anyway. Traditional
of Malayness!"
Ibnur's youthful zeal and dancing Malay dance, whether derived from
skill were inspiring. The many Mohd Salleh B. Buang added Malaysia or Indonesia, will certainly
Minangkabau dances not seen by the
Singaporean audience before were
technically demanding as they
required remarkable agility and
alertness. The male dancers were
especially pleased as they were
introduced in many impressive new
dances. For example, in the "Tari
Piring" (Saucer Dance), the boys
had to click against the saucer
rhythmically with a special ring to
produce the Spanish castanet type of
sound effect. They also skillfully
juggle their plates with complicated
dance steps.
The immense experience gained
from the many dance workshops and
Tom Ibnur's production by the
participants yielded fruitful results. In Ahmad Umar Hj. Ibrahim from Malaysia (left) conducting a workshop on Malay
the Malay dance productions that dance for the Singapore Ballet Academy.
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