Traditional Dance

Negeri Sembilan is the only state in Malaysia practices Adat Perpatih - the traditional custom inherited from Minangkabau, Indonesia. It includes all aspects of life; marriage, the traditional dance, the properties etc. As the new generation of Adat Perpatih, I admit that I’m not practicing all the custom especially the traditional dance such as Endang and Tari Piring.

Both are different in movement and music. During my school days, I had the opportunity to watch the Endang dance. It was perform on the Teachers’ Day when I was twelve. The dance involves the body and hands movements and the dancers need to sit on the floor. The movements become faster when it comes to the end, so does the music. Its tempo grows faster. It was an enjoyable performance by the teachers.


Tari Piring is difficult from Endang because it involves the whole body movements. The dancers have to hold two saucers on their palms and dance. It usually performed on the wedding occasion in front of the bride and bridegroom when they sit next to each other. The dancers for this occasion are males. The musical instruments used are Rebana and Gong. The sound from the Gong is important it leads the dancers’ steps. Nowadays, the dance is no longer performed on wedding occasion and it has been replaced by the silat show.

Something needs to be done in order to make the traditional dances still exist even though we live in the new era. In addition, the state government could instruct all schools in Negeri Sembilan to have a 'Traditional Dance Club' so that the new generation could learn and retain it from become extinct.