Meet Rayyan Arkan Dikha — The Kid Behind The Viral 'Aura Farming' Boat Racing Dance
Rayyan Arkan Dikha, who studies in the fifth grade, appeared in the viral video as he was making his debut at the Pacu Jalur boat race.
Indonesian internet sensation Rayyan Arkan Dikha, who went viral for his "aura farming" dance, has revealed that he created the famous dance moves on the spur of the moment.
The 11-year-old was filmed dancing on the tip of a racing boat. In the video, he was seen wearing sunglasses and appeared full of confidence, quickly capturing the internet’s attention.
His smooth steps have now become a global sensation, with prominent celebrities including Travis Kelce and Alex Albon also joining the trend. Dikha’s moves are now being seen as the peak of "aura farming", which is an internet term for looking effortlessly cool.
"I came up with the dance myself," he told BBC Indonesia on Thursday. "It was just spontaneous."
In the viral video, Rayyan dances in a traditional Teluk Belanga outfit, standing on a racing boat. He blows kisses and moves his arms rhythmically. His smooth, controlled moves, including rolling fists and sweeping gestures, became an instant hit with the internet. He did all this while maintaining his calm expression, appearing as effortlessly cool.
On July 1, French football club Paris Saint-Germain posted a TikTok of the boat dance, which was captioned, “His aura made it all the way to Paris.”
Who Is Rayyan Arkan Dikha?
Dikha, who studies in the fifth grade, appeared in the viral video as he was making his debut at the Pacu Jalur boat race. In this event, a dancer is typically stationed at the tip of the boat to energise the crew. Dikha also participated in the event as a ‘Togak Luan, which is a term for the dancer.
The traditional rowing race originates from Indonesia’s Riau province, the native place of Dikha. According to Indonesia’s national news agency Antara News, he hails from Kuantan Singingi Regency, an inland area of the province.
After becoming a global sensation, Dikha has now been made the cultural ambassador of the province. The boat race has also been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Indonesian government, Antara News reported last week.
