Culture & Society - Malaysian Dance Steps

Malaysian Dance Steps

I want to do this! What's This?

Malaysian dances run the gambit. Some are danced individually, while some are done in groups, and some are slow and graceful, while others have lightning-fast moves. The rich dance culture of Malaysia includes skipping folk dances, martial arts-based movements, and even a costumed lion dance.

Types of Malaysian Dance

1. Malaysian dances come in many different forms---some are fast and incorporate jumps and skips, others are slow and feature graceful, arcing movements. Some are group dances, while couples perform others, and still others are dances individuals can do on their own. Silat and joget are two of the most popular Malaysian dances, yet their movements are almost entirely different from one another---silat is a sinuous, aggressive dance, while joget is a happy, skipping dance.
   
   The joget, which is Malaysia's favorite folk dance, is quick and energetic. Couples perform joget, but often the genders dance as groups rather than in male-female pairs.
   
   Silat can be done in groups or alone---it's based on a weaponless martial art, and features smooth, extremely fast combative movements.

Joget Dance Steps

2. Typically, a group of men and women dance the joget. The men begin the dance first, moving to the center of the stage with short kick-steps. If you're a man dancing joget, you'll hold your arms out to the sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent. First, your wrists are turned so your fingers point down. As you move, rotate your arms at the elbows so your fingers point up. Alternate between these two hand positions. The women move onstage as a group. If you're a woman dancing joget, shuffle your feet so that one foot slides forward and the other slides up to meet it before you take your next step. Hold your arms straight down and slightly in front of you, with your hands flexed so that your palms face the floor and your fingers point forward.

Silat Dance Steps

3. Silat is a dance form of an ancient Malay martial art. It's often performed at weddings, specifically for the groom, who sits on a chair. If you are dancing silat at a wedding, first bow to the crowd and the drummers. Then approach the groom, bow to him and shake his hands. In silat, arm movements are fluid, consisting of graceful blocking and striking motions. When you perform striking moves, arch your wrists slightly downward and bring your fingers together into points, making them into weapons. Stand with your feet about three feet apart, and bend your knees deeply. As you move your arms, sit back onto one knee, stretching your other leg out without taking your foot off the floor. Come back up into bent-knee position. You can also drop down onto one knee, stretching your other leg out to the side.