#NSTviral: Chinese teen wins praise for graceful Zapin performance
Aza Jemima Ahmad
A Malaysian Chinese teenager, Eric Tan Zhen Long, 14, has garnered online admiration for his elegant Zapin dance performance. Tan, a student at SMK Sri Muar in Johor, was featured in a video by choreographer Mohamad Eddy Hafifi Chuai. Prior to taking up the art in 2025, Tan had no professional dance experience. The Arunika Nidera Tari troupe, comprising Malay, Chinese, and Indian students, excelled at the secondary school category of Festival Zapin Jauhar 2026, held on Oct 29 in Iskandar Puteri.
Eddy praised Tan's graceful movements, naming him Best Male Dancer at the national-level Malaysian Schools Dance Competition organized by the Education Ministry in June. The group's online performance has amassed over 109,000 views, with viewers lauding the dancers' skills and the performance's ability to unite people. Zapin, a traditional Malay dance, features rhythmic footwork and graceful movements, accompanied by music played on instruments such as the gambus, accordion, and rebana.
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