A pioneering professional Malay dance company in Singapore, Sri Warisan blends traditional dance and music with contemporary stagecraft to keep Malay heritage vibrant.
 

★ Sri Warisan is described by Singapore’s government heritage platform as the country’s first professional Malay dance company.
★ In 2020, the group received Singapore’s Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award in recognition of its longstanding work to preserve and promote Malay culture.

Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts was founded in 1997 by Som Said, a recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion, and is one of the country’s important Malay traditional performing-arts organizations. Rooted in Malay traditional dance and culture, the group also incorporates contemporary stage presentation. Members receive interdisciplinary training in dance, music, theatre, and multimedia, and the company has long been invited to festivals and cultural exchanges around the world. In 2020, Sri Warisan received the Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award from Singapore’s National Heritage Board in recognition of its long-term contribution to preserving and promoting Malay culture.

【Performance Highlights】
The group excels at combining traditional Malay dance with contemporary stage presentation. Delicate gestures, body lines, formations, and symbolic props convey the aesthetics of Malay everyday culture. One signature work, Zapin Telok Blangah, features light footwork, fluid formations, and lively rhythms, accompanied by traditional instruments including the gambus, accordion, rebana, marwas, flute, and gong. The overall style is bright and rhythmically engaging, balancing traditional character with strong theatrical appeal.