What is the traditional Umbrella dance?

In Padang, there are various kinds of dances, one of them is called, ‘The Umbrella Dance’. It is a traditional dance that came from Minangkabau, West Sumatra. This dance describes love and tells of a story of 2 people being in a romantic relationship. This dance is usually for the purpose of entertainment, and is intended for the youth, this dance also represents how a partner’s behavior should be in carrying out a romantic relationship, that is in accordance with religion and customary norms. In this particular dance, there are many props used such as umbrellas and scarves. The umbrella is used to show the attitude of a man that has yet to have a partner, protecting a woman or a girl. The shawl would be tied by a female dancer around the neck of the male, depicting the message of receiving love and sacred promises in loyalty to one another. This dance is often performed by three or four pairs of youth. Each would show a dance movement that descries about their love story.

The music in this dance plays a crucial role in the umbrella dance. The musical instruments used are: tambourines, drums, accordions, and Malay gamelan. There is no specific rules in the stage arrangement of the umbrella dance, as it can be performed anywhere, as long as there is a large space. The dancers have to calculate the amount of distance they have as to make sure that they won’t collide with one another. For their outfits, females often used the Minang traditional Malay clothes. It consists of a ‘Kurung’ shirt also known as a ‘Kebaya’, a ‘Songket’ cloth, and a headdress in a form of a golden crown. Then, for the males they would usually wear a long-sleeved shirt and a one-color trousers that is completed with a ‘Songket Sarung’ and a Malay ‘Skullcap’.

References:
https://bobo.grid.id/read/08673804/tari-payung-dari-sumatera-barat

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