Changsha dance troupe’s Chinatown kebaya performance sparks backlash over cultural portrayal – The Online Citizen

A Changsha dance troupe’s sarong kebaya performance at a Chinatown restaurant and on public streets has drawn criticism over cultural representation, while the restaurant apologised over concerns about diners, safety and on-site management.
SINGAPORE: A five-member dance troupe from Changsha, China, has drawn criticism after videos showed the performers wearing sarong kebayas while carrying out energetic dance routines inside a Chinatown restaurant and on nearby public streets.
The videos, which circulated widely on social media, showed the troupe moving from the restaurant to Smith Street while performing vigorous choreography.
The sequence included raised sarongs, high kicks and martial-arts-style movements.
The troupe, known as Fulan Dance Troupe (弗兰舞团), is led by Instagram user Superjohnnybaby (神童童).
According to videos circulating on different social media platforms, lead dancer wore a Nyonya-style outfit while performing with four other dancers.
The performances took place on 23 August 2026 at Gunkee Claypot, a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, and around nearby streets.
One side-angle video showed the lead dancer initially seated at a restaurant table wearing a kebaya top.
She then suddenly slapped the table, stood up and shouted, “All eyes”, prompting diners nearby to look towards her.
The other four dancers responded loudly, “Look at me”, before the five began dancing in the restaurant aisle.
The choreography included lifting their sarongs and performing high kicks. The dancers subsequently moved from the restaurant to the outdoors, continuing their routine as they crossed the road towards Smith Street.
Another video showed the five performers at the entrance to Smith Street wearing Nyonya-style clothing and holding what appeared to be flat-edged sword props.
Their movements included splits performed in the air and low martial-arts stances.
The combination of traditional clothing, vigorous choreography and the public setting prompted questions online about cultural representation and the appropriateness of the performance.
Alvin Oon, founder of Peranakan pop singing group Peranakan Sayang, publicly criticised the troupe in a Facebook post.
Oon said the use of sarong kebayas in the routine was inappropriate and argued that the traditional garment had been used in a way that did not respect Peranakan heritage.
“The elegant sarong kebaya, a symbol of refinement and cultural heritage, is ill-suited to these brash and unruly movements,” he wrote.
Oon also criticised the martial-arts sequence involving sword-like props, saying Chinese kung fu costumes would have been more appropriate if the performers intended to stage such routines.
He described the performance as an “insult” to Peranakan culture and expressed concern that traditional clothing could increasingly be treated as a costume for spectacles rather than as an expression of cultural heritage.
Oon further argued that the history and values associated with Peranakan culture should be presented accurately and said communities had a responsibility to protect the integrity of traditional attire.
Comments circulating online questioned whether the traditional attire was appropriate for the choreography.
Some Singaporean netizens described the movements as too aggressive for an outfit associated with Peranakan and Malay heritage.
One netizen described the performance as “disrespectful to the beautiful Peranakan heritage”, while another called the kebaya an “attire of refinement and grace” and said its use in the routine was inappropriate.
Others focused on the location of the performance, questioning why a large-scale routine was conducted inside a restaurant before continuing onto public roads.
Concerns were also raised about whether the troupe had obtained the necessary permissions, particularly during the street sequence involving sword-like props.
Some netizens said performances of this nature would be more suitable for a stage or designated open-air venue.
According to 8World News, GunKee Claypot confirmed that Shentongtong and the other members of the troupe had dined at its Chinatown outlet and filmed content there on Sunday, 23 August.
The restaurant said the visit was part of the dance team’s personal travel and content-creation activities.
It stressed that the restaurant had not hired or commissioned the troupe to perform, had not arranged for the dancers to film there and had not paid them any performance fees.
The restaurant also said it had not been involved in planning or choreographing the content.
After the videos attracted attention, the restaurant said it had reflected on its on-site management and recognised the need to give greater consideration to other diners.
It apologised for the discomfort and inconvenience caused to some customers.
The restaurant said it would strengthen advance communication and on-site management for larger filming activities inside the premises and for behaviour that could affect other customers.
“Going forward, we will strengthen advance communication and on-site management,” the restaurant said, adding that it would prioritise customers’ normal dining experience, safety and order within the premises.
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