Dancing Without

Boundaries

BY HANIS MAKETAB

Like a tapestry woven from multi-coloured threads, Malaysia is a beautifully diverse country made up of different cultures and ethnicities.

With this comes a variety of unique ethnic dances, which are often seen as a way to pass our heritage and customs down to future generations.

Driven by their love of dance, there are those who bravely break the mould by learning and mastering traditional dances not of their own culture.

These are the stories of Fatin Nadhirah Rahmat, Wong Shan Tie and Mohd Zulkarnain Zuber – all graduates of Aswara (Akademi Seni Budaya Dan Warisan Kebangsaan) and currently full-time dance practitioners with ASK Dance Company – who wholeheartedly embrace the true spirit of Malaysia in all its shapes, colours and forms.

Like a tapestry woven from multi-coloured threads, Malaysia is a beautifully diverse country made up of different cultures and ethnicities.

With this comes a variety of unique ethnic dances, which are often seen as a way to pass our heritage and customs down to future generations.

Appreciation for other cultures

For Fatin Nadhirah Rahmat, who goes by Nad, dance is akin to speaking – it is how she communicates with the world.

“Through it, I am able to express the deepest emotions of my heart, whether I’m sad, happy or excited,” says the 27-year-old, who has been dancing since she was seven.

Though born in Johor Baru, Nad grew up in Kuantan, Pahang, as her father was the deputy director of the Pahang Cultural Park at the time.

Her background made her realise from an early age the importance of ensuring that our traditional arts are not forgotten.

“As Malaysians, it is our responsibility to continue to preserve our identity, history and traditions that have been built over a long time,” says Nad.

She adds that learning the dances of other ethnic groups also instilled in her a deep respect and appreciation for other cultures.

“I believe that the art of dance can increase harmony and unity among people of different backgrounds.

“My favourite traditional dance among the many I’ve trained in is bharatanatyam, which uses challenging movements – it is grounded and sharp, yet also flowy at the same time.

It is a difficult dance to master, but when I am able to perform this dance, I feel very satisfied,” shares Nad.

Shared magic of dance

Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Wong Shan Tie, 26, had a more modern introduction to dance – her high school cheerleading team.

“Even then, I had always felt some kind of satisfaction through movement, executing choreographies and performing,” she says.

Now with eight years of professional dance training and experience under her belt, Wong says that her training in traditional dances has allowed her to be the dancer she is today.

“Being a graduate from Aswara, I’m now a dancer that is equipped with ballet and contemporary technique, the groundedness of bharatanatyam, the use of breath in Chinese dance, the subtlety of Malay classical dance, the fluidity of east Malaysian dances and the buoyancy of Malay folk dance,” she explains.

“In learning these genres of dance, I feel way more connected to what it means to be a Malaysian, as I’m also taught the history of each dance and the culture it came from, granting me a better understanding of our people and how to connect with one another.”

Wong appreciates all the traditional dances of Malaysia, but admits that she is a little more fluent in Malay dance.

“I enjoy the intricacy of the genre. Though it may look easy and fun, I’m sweating buckets by the end of rehearsals.

"Through the enjoyment of the dance, there are also layers and layers of posture, tempo, musicality, the excitement of floor patterns and memorising sequences, maintaining the aesthetic of the dance, and the list goes on.

“The magic is when it all aligns. I find myself moving with the music, sharing energy with partners and just being proud to be able to share the joy of the genre to the audience,” she shares.

Wong adds that when learning dances from other cultures, it is important to have cultural context.

“I really appreciate the dance masters, teachers and professionals of all genres for their perseverance in maintaining the authenticity of the dance.

"Without them, these dances will fade and morph, losing their identity and value.”

A view of other cultures

Mohd Zulkarnain Zuber, known as Zul, believes that all Malaysians should make the effort to learn the different customs and cultures found in Malaysia.

“Doing so will change the way we interact with each other and strengthen the bond between those of different backgrounds,” says the 30-year-old.

Zul was 14 when he joined his school’s culture club, where he learned how to perform traditional Malay dances. Besides performing, he also enjoys creating contemporary choreography.

“For me, dance is a way of expressing things that are difficult to convey verbally. Every movement has a meaning, even if it is literal or abstract. It encourages the audience to think about the meaning behind the performance and not just see it as entertainment.”

When asked if he had a favourite traditional dance among all that he’s learned, Zul confesses that he finds it difficult to pick just one.

“All the dances I have ever learned are my favorites in their own way, because each dance has its own special features and characteristics,” he says.

“The dance that I find most interesting, however, is the dance of the Iban tribe from Sarawak, which is Ngajat Iban.

"This is because even though the movement is slow and looks easy, it is actually very challenging and testing in terms of movement control and appreciation which requires incredible inner strength, stamina and sense.”

The dance was traditionally performed to welcome the return of warriors from war. Now, it is often performed at large cultural events.

Having grown up in Perlis, surrounded by nature, Zul says that when he performs dances from Sabah or Sarawak, he’s able to relate to the deeper meanings behind them.

“The beliefs, traditions and way of life of the communities living in Sabah and Sarawak are very different from those in the peninsula – their unity with nature, their respect for their ancestors and their pride in their unique identity.

"Most of the dances from there tell about their daily activities, such as hunting, harvesting rice and also ritual activities to cure diseases.”

Besides focusing on his growth as a dancer, Zul is happy to pass on his knowledge and skills in dance to other aspiring dancers, as he teaches free dance workshops organised by ASK Dance Company and sponsored by Sime Darby Foundation to communities across Malaysia.

“I’m proud to be able to share the knowledge I learned with younger generations. Every time I teach a workshop, the participation and enthusiasm of the participants in learning how to dance is very inspiring.”