Reminiscent
of any other country, Dance is a popular cultural form in Malaysia too.
The influence of various cultures is inherent in the culture of Malaysia
and it is also visible in its dance. Dance, of any nation state, doesn't
only characterize the culture, but also make an inseparable part of
entertainment. At times, you can find a particular dance known after
some particular region. In fact, such dances act as an added attraction
in celebrations, be it wedding parties, reception, religious ceremonies
or any other event.
As regards the dances of Malaysia, there are many traditional dance
forms which are still very much liked and performed in the country.
Joget is a conventional dance form which is performed usually by
couples, combining fast, graceful movements with good humor. Malaysia's
most superb dance form is known to be the Candle Dance in which the
candles are fixed on small plates and the dancer performs, holding
plates in each hand. It becomes all the more fascinating to the onlooker
with elegant body movements and curves.
Many of the dance forms have been originated from martial arts or
theatrical forms, like Silat. Silat was actually a deadly martial art
accompanied by drums and gongs, but now it has become a full-fledged
performing art and is often performed at occasions. In this, the dancers
carry out sparring and other graceful movements as per the beats of
drums and other musical instruments. For entertaining the royal guests,
Malaysians have their own folk dance - Inang.
Datun Julud is another popular dance form which is often recognized
with Sarawak. This is a longstanding practice of storytelling, while
performing dance movements. A dynamic dance form, Lion Dance is a
renowned dance from Malaysia which is carried out during Chinese
festivals like Chinese New Year. This dance is considered to bring good
fortune and improve resistance to evil spirits. It requires perfect
co-ordination and elegance on the part of dancers.