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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Silat sizzles up Malay dance drama
IT was an interesting tale of a woman who sacrificed love for the sake of her kingdom. Then weave good performance synchronicity and evocative music into the mix, and you get a great night at the theatre to remember. That's what 'Setanggi Tari Melayu' offered at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre in Selangor over a weekend recently. All this was courtesy of the ASK Dance Company and Faculty of Dance Aswara and the Music and Performing Arts Faculty of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). From the 'mengadap rebab' to silat, 'joget', 'inang', the 'piring' (saucer) segment, and the 'zapin', among other dances, the ASK ensemble offered an energetic performance. I was held in rapt attention by the silat segments. The timing is everything when you do fight scenes. There was one move where the lead silat dancer leapt backwards into the arms of his warriors, and eventually landed gracefully and safely. This is not something you watch on YouTube or on your small screen, but live. It takes lots of training, precision and, of course, luck. It certainly calls for trust in your fellow performers too. Lion dance troupes are known for such moves, and I really enjoyed the contemporising of silat moves in 'Setanggi Tari Melayu' by young dancers that fine night. Malaysians of a certain era would have learnt some Malay dances in school, like the 'piring' dance and the candle dance. The way the ASK male dancers delivered the 'piring' dance that evening was jaunty, with plates being juggled and bounced to each other in time to the beat. Sure, we may have waited, anxiously, for one to fall, but none did! The dancers also left the stage to 'joget' up the aisles, offering the audience a more intimate connection to the show. Kudos to ASK Dance Company founder and artistic director Prof Dr Joseph Gonzales, Azmie Zanal Abdden, Mohd Fauzi Amiruddin, creative producer Imran Syafiq, and Mohd Zulkarnain Zuber, who put together the impressive choreography. The music held a special place and the programme e-book listed Indonesian groups like Samudra ensemble and Sanggar for additional compositions. Overall, the music effectively swept the audience up in its aural proceedings and perfectly complemented the various mesmerising scenes onstage. The main leads in the show — Nadhirah Rahmat as Princess Melati, Wong Shan Tie as the devoted sister Princess Melur and Mohamad Adlan Sairin as Prince Adam — staged well-choreographed moves to deliver the tale. The dance drama is about Melati and Melur, who are trained in silat, under the tutelage of their loving parents, played by Seth Hamzah and Ezydiyanie Omar (both Aswara faculty members). A rather modern kingdom that lets women become heirs to the throne, it is rich with a sought-after magical keris that Melati (I guess) would inherit. Along comes Prince Adam, and they got betrothed, but it is eventually revealed that he has bad intentions. At the end, in a kick-ass scene, Melati kills him, with Melur's assistance. The betrothal night scene, when Melati kills the prince, is surreal, even mystical. Held behind a white gauzy screen, the duo is subtly seen as shadowy characters enacting love and then some wickedness. Although behind a screen, the expressions on their faces, as well as their body movements are clear. Quite a cinematic scene indeed! Overall, 'Setanggi Tari Melayu' was an exciting dance drama that featured several outstanding silat sequences. It was thoroughly an enjoyable watch.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Setanggi Tari Melayu' dance show pays tribute to legendary Malay heroines
ASK Dance Company's upcoming show Setanggi Tari Melayu 2025 – Quintessential Malay Dance is more than a performance — it is a sensory journey into the heart of Malay cultural memory. Drawing its name from 'setanggi,' a fragrant incense used in ritual, the stage production embodies the lingering grace and layered heritage of traditional Malay dance. The main stage performance will take place at Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPac), 1 Utama shopping centre from May 30 to June 1. ''Setanggi' means incense, symbolising the enduring spirit of Malay culture – rooted yet ethereal, much like the dance itself,' says Joseph Gonzales, founder and artistic director of ASK Dance Company. 'Unfortunately, over time, much of our Malay dance heritage has been lost and forgotten through reduced practice and urbanisation,' he adds. The performance, imbued with powerful storytelling and intricate choreography, aims to revive interest in the art form and shine a light on the resilience and grace of Malay women throughout history and legend, such as Tun Teja, Mahsuri, Cik Siti Wan Kembang and Puteri Saadong. Fatin (centre) plays Melati, the lead role in the upcoming dance production 'Setanggi Tari Melayu' at PJPac. Photo: ASK Dance Company "Setanggi Tari Melayu draws from these iconic heroines through a fictional character who challenges adversity with courage and wisdom in a journey that mirrors these legends,' says Gonzales. Strength and softness The production, which weaves together the traditional Malay martial art form of silat with folk dance genres, tells the story of Melati, a young silat warrior and heir to the throne. She falls in love with a handsome and brave prince, who unbeknownst to her is a power-hungry and evil man who threatens the kingdom's harmony and even her life. Torn between love and duty, she must make a heart-wrenching decision. Fatin Nadhirah Rahmat, who plays Melati, says that the role holds a special place in her heart because it mirrors parts of her own journey. 'Melati is a powerful woman – respected, strong and full of potential. But despite all her strength, she falls for someone who doesn't deserve her, someone who only wants to take what she has, which reminds me of moments in my own life when I gave my trust, love and energy to the wrong people," says Fatin. Producer Imran Syafiq sees the opportunity to incorporate some new dances within the genres of joget gamelan, piring and zapin. Photo: ASK Dance Company 'This production gives me the space to pour that experience into my performance – through her story, I get to embody both strength and softness, power and pain. I also want the audience to see how even strong people make mistakes, and how those mistakes don't erase their strength,' she adds. Challenging perceptions Featuring choreography by Azmie Zanal Abdden, Mohd Fauzi Amiruddin, Imran Syafiq, Mohd Zulkarnain Zuber and Joseph Gonzales, Setanggi Tari Melayu celebrates traditional Malay dances such as Terinai Mengadap, Mengadap Rebab and two types of zapin, as well as inang and joget. 'As a Malaysian artist, it's been my dream to present Malay dance as a refined art form equal to Western classics. With this production, we aim to highlight its full richness and beauty,' says Gonzales. On stage, producer Imran Syafiq is also seeing the opportunity to incorporate some new dances within the genres of joget gamelan, piring and zapin. 'There's a lot more to Malay dance than what typically comes to mind for most people – there is a beautifully intricate range of technique, musicality, choreography and history that is embodied within it," says Imran. 'Traditional dance shows are often priced lower than musicals or ballet, but I hope this production helps audiences see the depth of work involved and value it on equal footing with other dance forms,' he concludes.
