8 Traditional Dances From North Sumatra That Will Fascinate You

North Sumatera riches with so many Indonesian cultures, and they keep the tradition a lot. They are persistent to continue their traditional cultures from time to time without bothering the modern eras such as the traditional dances from East Kalimantan.

That is why North Sumatran traditional cultures exist until now, including their traditional dances. This dance becomes one of the richest traditional cultures in Indonesia that they keep preserve from time to time that comes from one of the 5 largest islands in Indonesia.

Speaking of traditional dances, this time we will let you know about some North Sumatran traditional dances that you can find the show in some occasional events. Most of them used to play for custom ceremonies only like the traditional dances from Aceh, but nowadays you can see them on so many occasions.

Let’s see some of the traditional dances from Sumatera that will be fascinating to you about their beauty dancing with Sumateran local wisdom.

1. Piso Surit Dance

Piso Surit is one of the traditional dances from North Sumatera that using their local wisdom based on the language. Piso Surit is the traditional language from Batak tribes that means as singing birds. Even though the Indonesian language becomes the national language, North Sumateranesse are not change the name.

Piso Surit dance comes originally from the Batak Karo tribes that showing the beautiful story. People believe that there is a girl that waiting for her lover with the deepest sadness in North Sumatera so that this dance tell us about her story.

Commonly, Piso Surit dance is played by five or more couples of both men and women. Usually, they play for special occasions such as welcoming guests and many more. They wear their traditional clothes that usually comes in red Kebaya and Ulos skirt with some  North Sumatran traditional music.

2. Tor-Tor Dance

Tor-Tor dances are so famous in Indonesia so that this dance usually plays on so many occasions such as welcoming guests, government events, wedding ceremonies, and many more. The dancer wearing the North Sumatran traditional dances called Ulos.

Tor-Tor dance originally comes from Batak Toba’s tribe that following with the Gondang traditional music. This dance tells us about the tools that they use to convey their inner body language both for the ancestral spirit and the honored guest.

3. Baluse Dance

Baluse dance is one of the famous traditional dances from North Sumatera that you can find it in welcoming the most important guest events. This dance plays by men with the North Sumatran traditional war clothes as if they are ready to win the war.

Commonly people more familiar with the Baluse dance with the Fataele dances. These dances tell us about the story of the tribe’s war from the Nias tribe. The dancer will wear red and yellow clothes completes with the Baluse’s shield and 2 meters long of the spear.

4. Serampang Dua Belas Dance

Serampang Dua Belas is one of the traditional dances from North Sumatera that you can dance in most of the custom tradition ceremonies. This dance tells us about the story of the youth generation from finding their true love and decided to build a household with their lover.

Serampang Dua Belas originally comes from Deli Serdang that commonly plays with 12 dancers, both men, and women. They will wear a North Sumatran traditional clothes with a combination of both pink blouse and trouser. The dance followed by Rebana’s traditional music and lute for the 12 movements of the dance.

5. Maena Dance

Maena dance is so famous in the North Sumatera with the short of poem call as Pantun plays in the middle of the dance. You can find this dance at most wedding ceremonies. The Pantun will tell us about happiness and pray for the wedding couple in some marriage cultures in Indonesia.

Maena dance originally comes from the Nias tribe and usually plays by wearing a red traditional North Sumatran clothes.

6. Tatak Garo-Garo Dance

Tatak Garo-Garo dances are one of the traditional dances that originally comes from Phakpak Dairi. This dance tells us about the life of birds that have a free life so they can fly away to the sky. Usually, you can find this dance after the harvest season ends in the North Sumatran harvest events.

Tatak Garo-Garo plays by five or more dancer with a black traditional North Sumatran clothes. The dancer will start from the lined up each other before the dancing as the bird’s movements.

7. Endeng-Endeng Dance

Endeng-Endeng dance is one of the traditional dances from North Sumatera that originally comes from the south of Tapanuli. This dance plays by 10 dancers that consist of two people who serve as vocalists, one person serves as a keyboard player, one tambourine player, five drum players, and a Ketipung player.

You can find the Endeng- Endeng dance in most wedding ceremonies with the happiness movements on its. Commonly this dance takes about four hours of play so you can enjoy the wedding ceremony following this beautiful dance.

8. Balanse Madam Dance

Balanse Madam is one of the traditional dances from North Sumatera that comes from the Nias tribe. This dance comes from the acculturation from the Portuguese cultures, the Nias tribe’s culture, and the culture and art in the West Sumatra. The dancer will wear Nias’s traditional clothes in Ulos skirt and shawl.

Usually, the Balanse madame plays by men and women in a couple of groups. These dances will follow by the Gamat traditional music with the happiness vibe on its.

So, there are some traditional dances from North Sumatera that will fascinate you with their beauty dancing in a local wisdom way.