In this episode, Maisarah and Sharifah team up to talk about asli, while Aleesyah and Sarah give us an introduction to zapin. The four young dancers trace the origins of two out of five—other styles are inang, masri and joget—traditional Malay dance forms, which are all hundreds of years old. Zapin is a fast-paced dance that is heavily influenced by other cultures and was once only danced by men, while asli is a slow, graceful dance that originated from the Malay peninsula, typically accompanied by pantun (poems). The girls demonstrate basic techniques that cut across different traditional styles and explain the key differences in asli and zapin, finishing with a flourish—a performance of both styles of dance.

Asli
Maisarah Rifqah Bte Mus Iskandar
Sharifah Auni Imaan Bte Syed Abdul Rahman

Zapin
Aleesya Nadya Puteri Bte Muhammad Azim
Sarah Atikah Bte Aminuddin

Through the music and instruments of varied cultures and traditions, kids understand more about people who come from different backgrounds, while reconnecting with their own roots. This opens their minds from a young age, showing them the unique ways in which others might see the world. As they grow up, the kids are able to observe and appreciate different points of view, allowing them to effectively navigate the diverse world we live in.

Special thanks to

Sriwana

Q'aisya Shukor

Fauzi Anwar

Aziela Rahim

Asmida Kasim

Fauziah Hanom Yusof