Serampang dua belas dance, Youth Making Love

Helloindonesia.id – Four people came out from backstage. They wear brightly colored costumes. Their lower bodies are clad in beautiful patterned satin. Meanwhile, music plays energetic and vibrant Malay songs. This is a traditional dance called twelve serampang dance. The name “as easy as twelve” is said to be taken from the number of movements in dance, amounting to twelve.

Based on its history, this dance was born and developed in the internal territory of the Sultanate of Serdang Bedagai, Deli Medium, North Sumatra. Before using the name “as easily as twelve”, this dance was originally named the Sari Island dance created by a native Malay named Sauti in the 1940s. Because there were traditional rules governing women not to appear in public, the dance was only performed by Adam. After the dance was renamed as twelve-layered dance, women were allowed to perform it. Even now, twelve serampang dances are performed simultaneously by men and women.

Twenty-nine dances have movements that rely on the strength of their hands and feet. In general, there are 12 movements in simple dance – which are dominated by jumping and spinning movements. The movements in this dance tell a pair of young people who are making love.

The first movement of the twelve-section dance is the movement of jumping and turning. This movement means a meeting between two young people. This movement was followed by a small jogging jump which was interpreted as shyness that approached the hearts of a young couple. From the shame, a young couple was then depicted through a dance as someone who was intoxicated.

Movement back and forth by one dancer symbolizes a test of belief in the loyalty of a partner. After being convinced, then the other dancers make a jumping gesture as a gesture to wait for an answer. After being convinced, then they make a movement to come to each other. This movement illustrates that both of them have agreed to go to the altar.

Twenty-nine dances are closed by a pair of dancers holding a handkerchief. The two dancers then wrapped handkerchiefs together, which meant they were bound by marriage and were ready to wade through various trials in marriage.

Like other archipelago dances, the twelve-legged dance is also attached to the mandate. In this dance, there is a mandate that love for the opposite sex should not be delayed and immediately brought to the altar.

Based on its development, the young social dance also touched other areas in Sumatra, such as Jambi and Riau. Twelfth dance is also developed on the island of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Maluku. In fact, neighboring countries which are still a group as a Malay nation do not want to be left behind to love this dance. It is noted that there is one area in Malaysia and Thailand that is also familiar with twelve-layered dance. Therefore, special attention is needed from the young generation of Indonesia to continue to love this traditional art, so that it is not claimed by other countries or even extinct footprints.