The dance () is a traditional
Indonesian (
Minangkabau
Minangkabau may refer to:
* Minangkabau culture, culture of the Minangkabau people
* Minangkabau Culture Documentation and Information Center
* Minangkabau Express, an airport rail link service serving Minangkabau International Airport (''see bel ...
) dance performed by a group of
dance
Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
rs to the accompaniment of a group of musicians. The dancers carry lit
candle
A candle is an ignitable candle wick, wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a Aroma compound, fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. ...
s on plates held on the palm of each hand. The dancers dance in groups, rotating the plates at a horizontal plane.
History
The dance is said to have been created by the
Minang people of
West Sumatra
West Sumatra () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is on the west coast of the island of Sumatra and includes the Mentawai Islands off that coast. West Sumatra borders the Indian Ocean to the west, as well as the provinces of ...
,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
in the time of
kingdoms in Indonesia.
Origin
Occording to traditional Indonesian folklore, there was once a girl whose fiancé had left to go trading. One day, the girl lost her engagement ring somewhere near her home. She searched for it across her yard by using a candle placed on a plate. In her search, the girl bent to the ground, rushing across the yard. Her twisting and turning to balance the candle appeared to look like beautiful dance moves. It was from here that the Candle Dance originated and began to spread across Indonesia.
Occasions
Traditionally, the Candle Dance strictly happened during festivals around the
Harvest Season: honoring the god of their community, to convey gratitude to God for the prosperity of the community, and to pray for a bountiful harvest. In recent times however, it has begun to be used in entertainment and art. In weddings it is part of during interlude performances, usually after the
pasambahan
is a Minangkabau traditional dance that has developed in various regions in the province of West Sumatra, Indonesia. ''Pasambahan'' dance is usually performed as a ceremonial welcoming dance to honor the guests and elders to a traditional cer ...
. The dance has also been done to enliven cultural events and public performances.
Performance
The Candle Dance is usually performed by a group of female dancers, but sometimes men and women perform it in pairs. Dancers balance small plates holding burning candles in the palms of their hands.
The dance is usually accompanied by Minang music played on traditional instruments like the
Talempong
Talempong is a traditional musical instrument of the Minangkabau people of Western Sumatra, Indonesia. The talempong produce a static texture consisting of interlocking rhythms.
A talempong a small kettle gong which gives its name to an ense ...
, the
Saluang, and the
Kendang
A ''kendang'' or ''gendang'' (, , , Tausug language, Tausug/Bajau/Maranao language, Maranao: ''gandang'', Buginese language, Bugis: ''gendrang'' and Makassarese language, Makassar: ''gandrang'' or ''ganrang'') is a two-headed drum used by peop ...
.
See also
*
Plate trick
In mathematics and physics, the plate trick, also known as Dirac's string trick (after Paul Dirac, who introduced and popularized it), the belt trick, or the Balinese cup trick (it appears in the Balinese candle dance), is any of several demonstr ...
*
Pandanggo
*
Anti-twister mechanism
The anti-twister or antitwister mechanism is a method of connecting a flexible link between two objects, one of which is rotating with respect to the other, in a way that prevents the link from becoming twisted. The link could be an electrical cabl ...
*
Tari Piring
*
Pasambahan
is a Minangkabau traditional dance that has developed in various regions in the province of West Sumatra, Indonesia. ''Pasambahan'' dance is usually performed as a ceremonial welcoming dance to honor the guests and elders to a traditional cer ...
References
{{Dance of Indonesia
Minangkabau dance
Dances of Indonesia