Dancing before delegates from 84 nations, foreign dignitaries and the Prime Minister! It was the opportunity of a lifetime which the Christian Dance Fellowship of Malaysia (CDFM) just could not passed up even though it would mean many laborious hours of practice.
So, when NECF Malaysia approached the fellowship to produce the cultural dance presentations for the WEF 11th General Assembly opening banquet and night meetings, it immediately seized the offer. About 150 dancers were recruited from local churches to participate in the seven dance items, out of which five were choreographed by veteran choreographer Surianty Liu from Hong Kong.
Born in Indonesia, Surianty, 60, is the founder cum president cum artistic director cum choreographer of three dance companies in Hong Kong, Jakarta and Guangzhou. Regarded as an expert of South-East Asian dances, she has a vision of redeeming dance for God and spends a considerable amount of time “christianising” dance styles.
Take for example the “Oriental Journey”, a fusion of traditional Indian dance and modern jazz. Surianty created this lively dance to portray high praises to God for His bountiful blessings that are like an overflowing stream of water and the countless sand in the deep sea. The delightful dance, which was presented at the opening banquet, expressed thankfulness and joy that come from a worshipful heart.
Another memorable dance was the “Harvest Dance” presented on the closing night of the general assembly. Here, Surianty fused several South-East Asia dance forms to depict the sowing and harvesting process and calling for more labourers to be sent into the harvest fields. The exciting, fast-paced presentation by the 33 CDFM dancers, decked in the most splendid costumes imaginable, was truly a sight to behold.
What did our foreign guests think of the cultural dance presentations? When asked, the replies were all the same: remarkable and unforgettable. The dancers deserve the accolades for their months of hard work. |
