Dikir barat is typically performed by groups of ten to fifteen members,[2] though there is no actual set size,[3] even in competitive environments.

[3] The tukang karut (who is often himself a former tok juara) is expected in his performance to utilise current social and political issues which will be relevant to the audience.

[5] (Pantuns are an oral poetry form indigenous to the Malay region,[6] and are not exclusive to the dikir barat.)

Like any poet, the tukang karut is expected to create lyrics that touch upon everyday life, but he can also address social issues, legal matters, politics, government regulations, and human foibles.

[5] Originally, dikir barat was limited to competition between neighbouring villages,[2] but in the 20th century, as its popularity began to spread (aided by the ability to record performances), it became a national phenomenon.

The government of Malaysia now officially sponsors dikir barat as a major element of national culture, and has experienced substantial success in spreading its popularity.

[7] Today, dikir barat has spread to the end of the Malay Peninsula, having reached Singapore, by some accounts, in the mid-1980s,[8] where it is also being promoted by at least one government agency.