Traditional Cambodian Dance

Traditional Cambodian dancing can be referred to as a 'dance-drama'. It is a dance that is meant to convey a story or message.

 

There are four main modern genres of traditional Khmer dance:

1) Classical Dance

2) Shadow theatre

3) Lakhon Khol (all-male masked dance-drama.)

4) Folk Dance.

Traditional dance has been part of the Khmer culture for well more than a millennium. The history can be seen on the walls of the famous Angkorian temples, with carvings of Apsaras (celestial dancers) However, it is almost impossible to precisely trace the source of the tradition. Many modern traditional dancing is inspired by Angkorian-era art and themes.

Most of the traditional dances performed today were developed in the 18th through to the 20th century.  Kings and other Khmer Royals strongly supported the arts and dance, most particularly Queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearireach, who aided in the development of Khmer traditional dance and helped popularize it.

Theatrical Folk Dances were developed and refined from the 1940s-60s by Queen Kossamak. Her granddaughter, Princess Bopha Devi went on to become the face of Khmer traditional dance in the 1950s and 60s both in Cambodia and abroad. Like lots of Cambodian art and culture, traditional dance was almost lost under the brutal repression of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s. Luckily it was revived and reconstructed in the 1980s and 90s by the extraordinary effort of Princess Bopha Devi.

 

Classical dance is distinct in its costuming, posture, arched back and feet, flexed fingers and slow, deliberate but flowing movements, It presents themes and stories inspired  by the Reamker (the Cambodian version of the Indian classic, the Ramayana)       

 

The Folk Dance comes in two forms: ceremonial and theatrical. Theatrical Folk Dances are presented in public and Ceremonial Folk Dances are reserved for particular rituals, celebrations and holiday events. These include the popular Good Harvest Dance and the romantic Fishing Dance.

 

Shadow theatre comes in two forms: Sbeik Thom (big puppets, which are panels depicting certain characters from the story) and Sbeik Toot (small puppets).

 

The Apsara Dance is a Classical dance inspired by the apsara carvings and sculptures of Angkor and was developed in the late 1940s by Queen Sisowath Kossamak