Kuda Kepang

Besides Mak Yong, there is another dance that I believe also interesting and have some similarities with Mak Yong that is Kuda Kepang. I feel a little bit foolish as I do remember that once I thought the Mak Yong dancers are riding a horse when they are performing. I mean a real horse! But actually I’m not that one hundred percent wrong because they do ride a horse but only a paper made horse.
Again I want to make a confession here that I did not have any idea what is Kuda Kepang except that they performed with a mock horse. I choose this dance because it is an interesting fact that this dance using an instrument and as far as I know unlike the other dance (or are they?).
Kuda kepang have quite a similar faith with Mak Yong since it is also not being encouraged to be performed and practice. This happens because this dance is believed to have strong links to the spirit world. Hence, it is not uncommon to see the dancer entering a trance during a performance. Wow! That’s cool. I think that is also one of its attractions but ironically that is also the single reason why it is forbidden to be performed. For me that’s sad and totally unfair. Just because it is believe that the hide or pleated bamboo made of horse is said to harbour spirits which have to be appeared in a pre – dance ceremony conducted by a bomoh.
Unlike Mak Yong, there is hope for Kuda Kepang since it is still become a regular fixture in grand occasions such as the birthday of the Sultan Johor, state government celebrations and cultural shows. If that so, how about the part where the dancers are under a spell during the performance? Do they have to skip that part? Hmm…I wonder.
However, I hope one day I will have the chance to watch a Kuda Kepang shows. The part where the dancers are believed to be under a spell really giving me a chill but that is what assumed as the attraction of this dance.