The sexually suggestive dance trend known as twerking, popularized and brought to the conscience of the mainstream by pop singer Miley Cyrus' antics, and seen lately performed by Rihanna in her 'Pour It Up' video, has its origins from traditional African dance and modern African dancehalls.
It is said to have first appeared in the American hip-hop 'bounce' music scene from New Orleans in 1993.
A somewhat controversial, uncannily similar dance and music trend, Dangdut, has been popular in Indonesia, notably amongst the poor, since the late 70s. It has its origins in Indian Hindustani music; Indonesia was a Hindu kingdom for several centuries, beginning from the Srivijaya rule in the 7th century up to the Majapahit era till the end of the 16th century.
The outlandish form of the dance performance was made popular by Dangdut artist, Inul, when it first appeared on TV in 2003. The gyrating movement of the hips and buttocks is very much akin to the twerking phenomenon, and plausibly has its influences from Indian, Middle-Eastern, and traditional Javanese dance forms.
Dangdut as a form of entertainment is widely popular in Indonesia, and its stage performances which often involve male audience members invited on-stage to dance along with the female performer, while tipping her with rupiah-bills, (in a parallel to how strippers in America are tipped with dollar-bills), are watched with unblinked eyes, figuratively speaking and not, often with young children present and participating.
It is said to have first appeared in the American hip-hop 'bounce' music scene from New Orleans in 1993.
A somewhat controversial, uncannily similar dance and music trend, Dangdut, has been popular in Indonesia, notably amongst the poor, since the late 70s. It has its origins in Indian Hindustani music; Indonesia was a Hindu kingdom for several centuries, beginning from the Srivijaya rule in the 7th century up to the Majapahit era till the end of the 16th century.
The outlandish form of the dance performance was made popular by Dangdut artist, Inul, when it first appeared on TV in 2003. The gyrating movement of the hips and buttocks is very much akin to the twerking phenomenon, and plausibly has its influences from Indian, Middle-Eastern, and traditional Javanese dance forms.
Dangdut as a form of entertainment is widely popular in Indonesia, and its stage performances which often involve male audience members invited on-stage to dance along with the female performer, while tipping her with rupiah-bills, (in a parallel to how strippers in America are tipped with dollar-bills), are watched with unblinked eyes, figuratively speaking and not, often with young children present and participating.
