KUALA LUMPUR: The Zapin Nusantara Festival this weekend will showcase music, songs and dance of the zapin from Johor, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, and Indonesia with Nyala Dance Theatre.
It is a unique opportunity to witness a traditional dance rich in culture and heritage of the Malay Archipelago.
The festival is produced by Nusantara Performing Arts Centre, in collaboration with the Academy of Malay Studies Universiti Malaya.
A total of 11 pieces will be performed with dialogues and explanations between interlocutor Prof Mohd Anis Md Nor and choreographer Khairulazhar Mohtar.
Following a series by the Nusantara Performing Arts Centre on Johor zapin at the Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC) from 2021-2023, the festival at Universiti Malaya, here will introduce zapin from the Straits of Malacca inclusive of Zapin Tidung (Southeast Sabah) and Zapin Sebat (Sarawak) together with Zapin Asyik (Singapore) and the variety of zapin from the Riau-Jambi and the Riau archipelago.
"This is part of my ongoing project of reviving zapin in Malaysia, particularly in Johor since 1996 when I began the Johor Zapin revival programme to reintroduce the traditional dance to the younger crowd," said Prof Anis.
He added: "It is gaining popularity as we can see today."
Festival Zapin Nusantara will take place at Universiti Malaya's Experimental Theatre on Sept 20 at 8.30pm and Sept 21 at 3pm & 8.30pm.
The Zapin Nusantara Seminar & Workshop at Dewan Semarak, Academy of Malay Studies, UM will take place on Sept 20, 10am-noon (Zapin Melayu Johor, Malaysia) and 2.30pm-4.30pm (Zapin Asyik, Singapore), and on Sept 21 at 10am-noon (Zapin Daik, Riau Islands, Indonesia).
For more details and reservations, contact Zidane (+6012-841 1017), Nuryn (+6010-240 0414) or Illah (+6010-432 3738).