The Dance Department program, under the Faculty of Creative Arts University of Malaya, aims to produce graduates proficient and skilled in professional practice and academic study of dance. Initially the centre provided and managed cultural based co-curriculum activities for students and staff alike. It was a meeting place of professionals, artistes, traditional masters, art critics and students.
Holding true to national aspirations the centre worked towards promoting traditional cultural forms and activities in view of contemporary development and trends. Kumpulan Kesenian Universiti Malaya (KESUMA)
KESUMA Ensemble was formed by a group of students at the University of Malaya in 1971 to promote dance on campus. Since its inception, KESUMA has performed frequently in Malaysia and overseas. Amongst the countries visited are Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Scotland, Austria and England. In 2007, KESUMA became the Dance Department of University of Malaya’s traditional dance ensemble for traditional dances of Malaysia and the Malaya Archipelago. The group is open to all campus members of University of Malaya. UMa Dance
UMa Dance was established in 2007 to enable its dance students to showcase contemporary works featuring challenging choreography. Although a young company, it has been gaining repute nationwide and was selected to perform at the World Dance Alliance Conference (Singapore, 2007), TARI – ASWARA International Dance Festival (Kuala Lumpur, 2009), Pra- Festival Negara Kretagama (Indonesia, 2009), and Youth Dance Festival (Kluang, 2009-2011). Contact, the full length contemporary dance performance, was presented in Kuala Lumpur in 2009.
