Togok Dance: An Analysis of Movement Variations in Malay Gamelan Performance

Abstract

The Togok dance constitutes an important repertoire within the Malay Joget Gamelan tradition, embodying the aesthetic sophistication and historical value in the heritage of the Malay royal court arts. This study deconstructs the Togok composition by Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Terengganu (SUKTRA) group, employing choreographic theory as an analytical framework. Through a qualitative descriptive approach, the findings reveal that the Togok dance comprises two main categories of movement actions, namely basic movement actions and narrative movement variations. The analysis demonstrates that these movements are rigorously organised according to choreographic principles including continuity, variation, transition, climax, and unity to ensure aesthetic coherence. The visual documentation produced, together with descriptive explanations of each movement variation, is intended to function as a learning guide and academic reference for Malay dance practitioners and performance studies researchers in Malaysia. These findings contribute directly to the safeguarding of the Malay Joget Gamelan’s intangible cultural heritage, offering a robust model for arts education and the sustaining of Malay cultural identity.

Keywords: Togok, movement variations, Malay Joget Gamelan, cultural documentation, SUKTRA

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