Malaysian students win top prizes at Etoiles De France dance competition in Paris

Students from Sekolah Seri Puteri shine on the global stage, securing three top awards at the 29th International Competition and Festival of Folklore, Dance, and Music Etoiles De Paris in Paris. Photos: Linda Ismail

Ten students from Sekolah Seri Puteri (SSP) in Cyberjaya, Selangor clinched top prizes at the 29th International Competition and Festival of Folklore, Dance and Music Etoiles De Paris on May 10 in Paris.

The students, aged between 14 and 17, participated in the folklore category.

The three awards were First Place (Gold and Laureate 1) in the Mixed Age Dance Group Category for the Chinese fan dance; First Place (Gold and Laureate 1) in the Juniors 1 Duo Dance Group Category for the Javanese dance, and First Place (Gold and Laureate 1) in the Juniors 2 Trio Dance Category for the Malay contemporary dance.

Thirty-eight dance teams from seven countries, including France, Ukraine and Kosovo, participated in the competition, organised by the European Association of Folklore Festivals. The competition attracted dancers from all over the world who participated in various categories, including classical ballet, jazz and tap dance.

Students from Sekolah Seri Puteri displayed Malaysia's rich cultural heritage during the dance competition in Paris.

Choreographers Muhammad Samsudin from ChoreoArts Studio in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) dancer Noraini Saad were instrumental in crafting the award-winning dances.

Student Huriya Amira Zulkarnain, 17, said the wins came as a pleasant surprise for the school's dance troupe.

"We are still in a daze as this was totally unexpected. It's an honour for us to represent Malaysia and showcase our traditional dances to the world. We've worked hard to perfect our performances, and we're excited to see how we have fared against dancers from all over the world.

"I am delighted to represent Malaysia and proud to bring up Malaysia's name globally and that other countries get to know our traditional dance," said Huriya, who has been dancing for eight years.

The students exude elegance and pride as they showcase Malaysia's cultural heritage on the global stage.

SSP Cultural Club teacher advisor Raja Nurunnadiah Raja Baharuddin said the students highlighted various traditional dances from Malaysian culture and showcased our beautiful, colourful traditional attire adorned with accessories.

"Our success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students. The technicality and level of difficulty, especially in performing synchronised fan dance, made our performance stand out. Over three months of intensive practice, we navigated the complexities of various cultural dance techniques. We believed we had a chance to excel due to the challenging nature of all three dances."