Putrajaya - Citrawarna 2008, the gay and colourful event that spearheaded Malaysias annual tourism calendar, was launched on May 24 recently.
The theme for this years performances was ‘Flora and Fauna Kingdom‘.
Dancing has a long history in the Malay culture. The multitude of traditional dances performed at the official launching ceremony depicts the richness and grandeur of Malay culture and tradition.
Performed by maidens of the Royal Court, dance performances were the main source of entertainment for Malay Royalty and the elite ruling class.
Besides being an intrinsic part of the culture and traditions of any civilisation, a traditional dance -- depending on the repertoire of movements involved and their accompanying rhythm -- serves to express the gamut of human emotions ranging from joy and anger to anguish and despair.
The Asyik Dance
The Asyik is a traditional dance synonymous with Kelantan. The fluid and gentle movements of the dancers portray a couple of enchanted lovers in courtship. The Asyik performance was the central attraction in the Citrawarna 2008 cultural show.
"The Asyik is a command performance reserved for the Royal House of Kelantan and Patani. This is the first time it is performed in public," said choreographer, Norzaini Sulaiman.
Norzaini, who is more popularly known as Jai, is the choreographer for Adsuria Sdn Bhd, the dance company commissioned to organise the Citrawarna performances over the past two years.
According to Jai, the dance is normally performed at royal weddings, more specifically on the night of the berinai ceremony -- the staining of the couples fingers with henna dye -- before the wedding is solemnised.
The Timang Burung Dance
Records indicate that the Timang Burung dance was first introduced in Terengganu during the wedding ceremony of Tengku Mariam, a Pahang princess, and Tengku Sulaiman, the scion of Tengku Zainal Abidin from Terengganu.
The Timang Burung is classical Malay dance, which forms part of a repertoire of 33 dance variations in a gamelan (gong-chime) ensemble, which is still widely performed today.
"The story goes that once, there was a sultan who lost his pet bird and never tired of hoping for its return, but his pining was to no avail," said Jai.
According to Jai, the Tarian Timang Burung evolved from a dance portraying the movements of the sultans pet bird, performed specially to alleviate his sorrow.
"This Royal Dance, which has its roots in Terengganu, mimics the movements made by a bird in its natural surroundings," added Nur Salawati, the assistant choreographer.
The dance is accompanied by a musical piece called Kicauan Burung (The Chirping Bird) performed by a gamelan ensemble.
Traditional Dances
Apart from the dances of the Royal Courts, Citrawarna 2008 also highlighted the traditional dances from various states in Malaysia.
According to Jai, these included traditional dances from Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan as well as Kelantan.
"We made some improvisation to the Citrawarna 2008 presentation by incorporating the elements of modern dance in the Tarian Beca ballet (the Dance of the Rickshaw).
It has a group of maidens, each riding in a rickshaw, performing an umbrella dance."
The sequence of movements of the rickshaws, decorated with multi-coloured fluorescent lights and bedecked with beautiful floral arrangements; makes for a captivating sight.
Apart from that, Citrawarna 2008 also presented some 18 traditional dances of the various races in the country, including those of the Chinese and Indians.
The Quest for Dancers
The quest to find the 1,500 dancers needed for the Citrawarna performances required extensive auditions to be conducted all over the country. It was not an easy undertaking.
Further, the choreographies and coordination involved entailed a lot of meticulous planning in order to produce the fluid and flawless performance required of a global viewership.
"I spent two weeks travelling the length and breadth of the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, searching for the best dance troupe available," Jai added.
Eventually, he found the talents he wanted, mostly in the highly trained and experienced dancers from the Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), and cultural groups at the state level.
Praise from The Sultan
For two consecutive weeks prior to the launch, extensive training and rehearsals which lasted from 2.00 pm to 11.00 pm, were conducted in front of the Palace of Justice at Putrajaya.
The results from such an arduous regime proved a resounding success, which earned the praise of His Royal Highness the Sultan of Kedah, who officiated on behalf of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Performed before some 50,000 spectators, Citrawarna Malaysia 2008 was also broadcast live to Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Philippines Singapore and Taiwan. (Siti Nooralina Ahmad)
Source: www.bernama.com (4 Juni 2008)
