[2] The cendrawasih dance is often performed outside of Indonesia when promoting Indonesian culture, such as in Peru in 2002,[6] at the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 2008,[4] Japan in 2008,[7] and the Netherlands in 2008.

[8] A 2014 study found that a single performance of the cendrawasih dance could burn 40 calories, or 5 calories per minute of dancing, with dancers' heart rates reaching an average of 157 beats per minute.

[11] The dancers are dressed in Pandji-style headdresses with feathers stuck in them, as well as long flowing scarves or skirts with a pink stripe.

[5] The skirts serve as the colourful tails of the birds of paradise,[12] and when held give the impression of wings.

For instance, dancers use their trailing costumes to symbolize the wings of the birds of paradise and stand en pointe.