Traditional Dance: Chinese

Lion Dance

Lion dance (simplified Chinese: 舞狮; traditional Chinese: 舞獅; pinyin: wǔshī) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are covered, since they are inside the lion. In a dragon dance, the performers can be seen since the dragon is held upon poles. Basic lion dance fundamental movements can be found in most Chinese martial arts.

Lion Dance is performed accompanied by the music of beating of drums, cymbals, and gongs instruments synchronise to the lion dance movements and actions.

Local expertise are available in making the "lion" costumes and musical instruments without having to import them from China, only in Malaysia. Elsewhere, the lion dance costumes used in these performances can only be custom made in speciality craft shops in rural parts of China and have to be imported at considerable expense for most foreign countries outside Asia.

The dragon dance is usually performed during Chinese New Year, Chinese weddings or other festivals and celebrations.

To watch a performance of a stunning performance of the lion dance, click HERE.

Fun fact:
There are now iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad applications that allow you to play sounds of the drum which accompanies the lion dance performance.

Chinese Opera

Chinese opera is not really a dance, but it involves dance, mime and acrobatics, as well as music and vocal performance. It is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE.

The history of Chinese opera can be found HERE

Most of the Chinese opera performances in Malaysia follow the style of the Peking opera.

The action on stage is usually visible from at least three sides. The stage is divided into two parts by an embroidered curtain called a shoujiu.

Plays will alternate between civil and martial scenes, or scenes involve protagonists and antagonists.

Due to the scarcity of props in Peking opera, costumes take on added importance. Costumes function first to distinguish the rank of the character being played.

Fun fact:
Due to the scarcity of props in Peking opera, costumes take on added importance. Costumes function first to distinguish the rank of the character being played. Emperors and their families wear yellow robes, and high ranking officials wear purple. The robe worn by these two classes is called a mang, or python robe. It is a costume suitable for the high rank of the character, featuring brilliant colors and rich embroidery, often in the design of a dragon. Persons of high rank or virtue wear red , lower ranking officials wear blue, young characters wear white, the old wear white, brown, or olive, and all other men wear black.

To listen to a sample of the Chinese (In Cantonese) opera performance, please click HERE.

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Content source (edited by author):
Lion Dance - Wikipedia
Chinese Opera - Wikipedia
Peking Opera - Wikipedia

Traditional Dance: Malay

Mak yong

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 Jatakatales 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).


Joget

Joget is a type of traditional Malay dance that originated from 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. The dance is one of the most popular folk dances in Malaysia and normally performed by couples in cultural festivals, weddings and other social functions.
Joget is a great example how elements from various culture can merge together into one single form. The dance of the Portuguese roots 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 Malay world. 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.

One of the most popular type of Joget is called "Joget Lambak" and usually performed by a large crowd together in social functions.


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Content source (edited by author):
Mak Yong - Wikipedia
Joget - Wikipedia