The dance is called Zapin Tenglu, one of the many types of zapin dances in Malaysia.
This type of zapin dance is originated from the state of Johor and among the most popular Malay folk dance in Malaysia.
The dancers in this performance are those professional zapin dancers from Johor’s Heritage Foundation funded by the State of Johor Government (Yayasan Warisan Johor), needless to say one of the best professional folk dancers group in the country and the Asean region!
Zapin or zafin was introduced to Malay archipelagos hundred of years ago by Arab traders who came here to trade and at the same time expand the teachings of Islam. After sometimes, the dance revolved to inculcate the values and tradition of the local Malay people until it wholly become unique in its own local way but still maintaining some important features of original Arabic zapin dance like the musical instruments used (gambus / oud, traditional drums etc.), the Middle East melody in its song and the identical 8-counting-basic-movements in its dance steps!
Apart from the Malaysia’s state where the zapin is danced by its people like Johor, Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah, zapin is also danced by the people in its neighboring country like Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei.
