Unleash!  A Performance by New Graduates of Aswara 2009

4 June 2009

ASWARA Campus

By Kee Huey Ying

22 Aswara graduates have scheduled public performances two nights in a row. The first night, which I attended, was themed “Living Traditions” where age-old Malaysian traditional dances were relived. The list of the cultural dance includes Tari Inai, Bharata Natyam, Terinai, Ayak-ayak, Ngajat Iban, and many more.

The theatre was full house. Faces of anticipating parents, friends, and arts enthusiast were seen giving their full support to the graduates.  Audiences were given a sneak peek of the origins of every cultural dance via a short clip. 

The performance throughout the night was very enlightening and the atmosphere was brimming with fun. The smiles on the dancers are bright and relieving. I guess it must be because they were overjoyed that all the trainings and rehearsals have finally paid off. This is it - their moment, to put a dot in their campus life and to enter the exciting and erratic world of performing arts.

I learnt a little about the cultural dances, the origins of the dance and the occasions these dances are performed. Ngajat Iban, the Sarawakian traditional dance is usually performed during the harvest festival, Gawai, to welcome important guests to the longhouses. I was fascinated by the gentleness and softness of this dance. The ladies looked ever so “ayu” in their fiery red costumes.

I was fascinated by the dances. At the same time, I was trying to figure out the stories behind those dances when I noticed that the ladies’ hands would illustrate daily chores. They also lit candles and danced in circles. It seems I have plenty more to learn about Malaysian cultural dances.

For me, the highlights of the event were the Tarian Piring and Tarian Mongolia. These two are the compulsory dances for third year dance graduates. It was quite a sight to see them dance with a saucer on their both hands and trying not to drop it.

Tarian Mongolia ended the night with a bang! It was really entertaining, I found myself smiling away watching that, and I was simply at lost for words to describe it now. The music was fun; the dancers portrayed birds and horses. The movements were all so fast and so intense. The dancers seem to be all over the place, but in a neat way. Kudos to the new graduates of Aswara 2009!