Malay dance is part of Singapore's own heritage, and it gives an event warmth and grace: graceful hand gestures, coordinated footwork, colourful baju kurung and kebaya, fans and scarves moving in unison to traditional music. In Singapore you can book a Malay dance group for a wedding, a Hari Raya celebration, a National Day event or a company dinner, with a kompang group to welcome guests if you want drums.
Price: a traditional Malay dance set such as joget or zapin usually costs SGD 600 to 1,500 for 15 to 20 minutes, and a kompang group SGD 600 to 2,500 depending on the booking. See how much a cultural dance performance costs in Singapore.
Malay dances you can book
- Zapin. Dancers in pairs move with quick, graceful footwork and fine hand gestures. Zapin has roots in dance brought to the region by Arab traders, and it is traditionally accompanied by the gambus lute and the rebana drum.
- Inang. A gentle, elegant dance, often performed at weddings, with fans or scarves. It suits formal occasions.
- Joget. Lively and upbeat, with cheerful music and fast steps. Dancers often invite guests to join, which makes it a good choice when you want the room involved.
- Asli. Slow and flowing, set to melodic music. A calm, refined item.
- Tarian silat. A dance form of silat, the Malay martial art, combining strength and flowing movement.
- Tari piring. The plate dance, with intricate balancing.
The kompang
The kompang is the Malay hand drum, played in a group. A kompang group arrives in matching baju Melayu with songkok and samping and brings all the drums. Size it to the space: six to eight drummers for a void deck, function room or office, ten to twelve for a hotel ballroom, twelve or more outdoors or in an atrium. At a wedding the kompang announces the bride and groom. At a company event it leads the guest of honour from the entrance to the stage, opens a launch or welcomes guests at an office Hari Raya celebration, often followed by Malay dancers on stage. Travel within Singapore is normally included.
When to book Malay dance
- Malay weddings. Kompang for the entrance, zapin or joget on stage, and silat as a tribute to the newlyweds. See cultural dance for weddings.
- Hari Raya. Company open houses and Hari Raya dinners usually centre on a Malay dance or kompang set, often 15 to 25 minutes around the meal. See the festivals page.
- Corporate events and National Day. A Malay dance set inside a multicultural showcase, or a kompang welcome for the guest of honour. See corporate events.
Space and set up
A dance or kompang set needs about 3 by 3 metres of clear floor as a baseline, more for six or more performers, and a raised stage once the crowd passes about 80 people. If the dancers use a backing track or the kompang is amplified, you need a power point near the performance spot.
Book a Malay dance group
Book six to eight weeks ahead for Hari Raya, and earlier near the public holiday, since Ramadan to Syawal is the busiest season for Malay performers. Send the date, the venue and the occasion on WhatsApp or through the quote form.
