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Recently, TikTok videos of 5 dancers wearing sarong kebayas and dancing along to energetic music have been trending. So, who are they? The group, known as Fulan Dance Troupe, originates from China.
In the videos, they can be seen dressed as nyonyas in a Chinese restaurant. While dressed in sarong kebayas, they dance along to upbeat music, whipping their hair around, pumping their fists and kicking their legs. The troupe then makes their way out of the restaurant and sashays across the street.
Now, this has sparked heated discussion. Why, you may ask? Firstly, the sarong kebaya is more than just an outfit to many Singaporeans. It represents our rich tradition, showcasing our heritage and craftsmanship. The kebaya is also inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reflecting its cultural significance across Southeast Asia.
The combination of this symbol of tradition and grace with the crude movements of the dance has ruffled some feathers. Netizens have several reasons why they find this egregious.
Firstly, the restaurant does not even serve Peranakan food to begin with, so why use the kebaya?
Secondly, the dance features kung fu-like movements, with the dancers spreading their legs and kicking forward. This creates jarring imagery with our elegant sarong and the rough movements of the dance, which some people find disturbing.
Lastly, people find the shouting and noise to be offensive, especially in a public setting such as a restaurant.
This raises the question: where does artistic expression end and mockery begin?
When I watched the video, I was shocked. To me, the sarong kebaya is a symbol of elegance, and to see it paired with such forceful movements was strange and off-putting.
I couldn’t help but wonder why they chose the sarong kebaya instead of a traditional kung fu outfit. To me, the dance seemed more like a kung fu ritual, with the shouting and swinging of limbs.
Personally, I thought they had simply done it in bad taste, but I could see why people found it to be a deliberate mockery. The dance troupe is from China, and they might not have realised the cultural sensitivities of dressing up as nyonyas while performing their dance.
To play the devil’s advocate, I guess the dance troupe thought that wearing one of our traditional outfits would better translate their art for the general public. However, I think that this was generally insensitive, given the history and significance of the kebaya for Singaporeans, especially Peranakans.
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