Classical Malaysian dance theatre to captivate audience at ComCelebrate!

Classical Malay dance theatre dating back centuries to the ancient royal courts of Malaysia will be brought to life at ComCelebrate!, a multicultural concert staged at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK, on 14 March 2008.

The dancers, who will be dressed in hand-woven brocade costumes and elaborate headdresses, will captivate the audience with their performance which depicts the folklores of south-east Asia that have entertained the royal courts of Malaysia from centuries past to the present.

The dance items will be presented by the Nottingham-based Nusantara performing arts company and sponsored by Tourism Malaysia.

“ComCelebrate! offers an opportunity for us to share the limelight with other cultural performances from around the Commonwealth,” said Razip Hasan, Director of the UK office of Tourism Malaysia.

“The Nusantara dance performance will offer a glimpse of Malaysian culture and our multicultural heritage.”

Traditional Malay dances have been influenced by Indonesian, Thai and Indian culture, music and mythology. The instruments used for these performances are very similar, such as the gong, drum, cymbals, xylophone and fiddle.

“ComCelebrate!, which promotes multiculturalism in the Commonwealth, will enable Malaysia to project its uniqueness and what makes the country a cultural mix of Asia,” commented Mr Razip.

He stated that Malaysia, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence, also takes pride in celebrating its membership of the Commonwealth for the past half century.

“It’s a double celebration for us,” said Mr Razip. “ComCelebrate! is the perfect venue for us to commemorate our successes and to reflect on how far we’ve travelled in our journey to achieve our common vision and values.”

Secretariat Links:

• Commonwealth Week
• ComCelebrate!

Related Websites:

• Nusantara Performing Arts Group