9 Famous Traditional Dances from West Sumatra

Indonesia blessed with full of rich cultures that spread in all of the Indonesian regions. Not only modern cultures, but also the traditional ones. It becomes part of the regional wealth that we must protect.

There are so many traditional cultures in Indonesia that include traditional dance. Every region always has its unique traditional dance, such as in the West of Sumatera. They have so many traditional dances that not other regions have.

Here we have some the list of traditional dances from West Sumatera. Let’s check them out!

1. Piring Dance

Piring dance is one of the famous traditional dance from Solok, West Sumatera. It used to originally a ritual dance from villagers to show their gratitude after great harvest they’ve got. It follows some offers that put on a plate and they dance with the plate on their hands. The offer is kind of different from Javanese offers that commonly using Nasi Tumpeng.

But, the offers were removing once the Islamic culture come to the Solok. After that, they follow some Islamic law in Indonesia and Piring dance was play for pleasure only or entertaining needed in some important meetings. It plays with a complete of Bundo Kanduang’s traditional clothes.

The Piring dance should be at least play by 3 up to 7 people. It can play by couples of men and women or both of them. The beauty of Piring dance is about their plates that should not befall from the dancer’s hands.

But, in the middle of the dance, they will make the plate as if they accidentally fall them all. The dance keeps continues with the dancer’s dance when the plate breaks. They will dance over the shards, but they will not get hurt by.

2. Payung Dance

Payung dance is a reflection about the love as the villagers mentions that Payung or the umbrella is a form of protection. This dance comes from Minangkabau, which romantically designs as the protection for teenage romance from negative things.

The dance plays by using the umbrella and the shawl with a complete of traditional clothes of Minangkabau. It plays by couples of men and women in most of three or four couples. The dance follows by the Babendi-Babendi Ke Sungai song with Padang gamelan, tambourine, drums, and Gongs.

3. Indang Dance

Indang dance is famously known as the Dindin Badindin dance because that is the song that follows the dance. It originally comes from Pariaman as the reflection of religious education. That is why it used to play after Maghrib time or after sunset.

The true meaning of the dance is to ask people to greet each other whenever they meet. That is why this dance comes cheerfully and dynamically. It used to play by men only but as long as the modern cultures come, women allow to play it.

4. Lilin Dance

Lilin dance is a kind of dance while the dancer using candles that put on the plate and hold by the dancer the whole dancing. Nor the candle and the plate should not befall from the dancer’s hands. With a beautiful rhythm, the dance plays romantically with a complete of Minangkabau traditional clothes with Baju Batabur and sarong.

According to the West Sumatran folktale, Lilin dance used to mentions the girl who left by her fiance. One day at night, her ring suddenly gone, and her moving was capturing as the dance in the night using candles.

5. Pasambahan Minang Dance

Pasambahan Minang dance is the most popular dance because it using for the wedding ceremony.  The basic meaning of it is to greet every invited people at the party. But, as modern cultures come this dance usually plays in to greet the groom once he arrived at the bride’s house.

During the dance, the dancer will bring some offers such as betel leaf as the form of honoring the groom and his families. It reflects as one of the greatest facts of the wedding ceremony of the Minang tribe.

6. Rantak Dance

The Rantak dance originally comes from Kerinci district in West Sumatera. This dance mentions about the reflection of Pencak Silat as the traditional fight from Minangkabau. The dance can play both by men or women with a complete set of Minangkabau traditional clothes.

7. Ambek-Ambek Koto Anau

Ambek-Ambek Koto Anau originally from one of the sub-district in Solok region name Koto Anau. The dance is a reflection of some kids when they playing at the ground. That is why this dance is so cheerful with a great combination of Pencak Silat.

8. Randai Dance

The Randai dance comes from Minangkabau that usually plays for tourist entertainment. This dance is so interesting with some dialogues in the middle of the dance. Commonly, the dancer will tell some folktales from West Sumatera as the famous cultures in Indonesia.

That makes the audience want to know about the whole story that the dancer brings to them. While the dancer moving with their beautiful move, the audience keeps focusing on the story that they tell.

9. Alang Babega Dance

Alang Babega dance is a dance with an eagle moving dance which beautifully performed by men or women. The story of this dance is about the eagle that tries to hunt the prey. Every moving of the dance is beautifully amazing that make every audience won’t move until the dance over.

So, there are 9 traditional dances from West Sumatera which amazingly has the story behind every move. They are wanting us to make a move after watching their traditional dance. Are you ready to dance from one of them? Let me know which one is your favorite!