Khmer+Dance

By Viriya Uon
Khmer Dance

Art has played an important role in society. Art reveals the rich history people should know about. It’s also fun to observe. Some types of art are singing, dancing, acting, and painting. In Cambodia, the main

type of art form is Khmer dance. Dance has been a tradition. Some were created recently, but most were passed down from generations. Khmer dance is important because it became a part of the Khmer culture

which demonstrated the way Cambodians live and explains their history.

Khmer dance is also called ‘Robam Khmer’. It has been around since the 7th century, the Angkorian period. It has three different categories, which are: classical dance, folk dance, and vernacular dance. “Much

of traditional dance (especially Classical) is inspired by Angkorian-era art and themes, but the tradition has not been passed unbroken from the age of Angkor.” (CanbyPublications) Classical dance were developed in

the royal courts and performed for the king, or people that were rich. This shows that Cambodia had a structure/class system. “Classical dance is called ‘Robam Preah Reachea Trop’, which means 'dances of royal

wealth'.” (AlloExpat) In America, Khmer classical dance is called Khmer royal ballet. A well known royal ballet would be Apsara dance. “It is heavily influenced by the depiction of the dancing Apsaras on Angkor

Wat’s walls.” (web-cambodia) Folk dance was usually performed by farmers, peasants, and hill tribes. Folk dance told stories about how farmers lived. For example would be the Coconut dance, also known as

‘Robam Kuos Tralork’. Cambodians traditionally performed this dance after working hard in the rice fields and on celebrations, like Khmer New Year. It was originally created in Svay Rieng province. The dance

stages a ritual harvest celebration, when all the rice paddies are cut. ((CASA)) Vernacular dance were dances that we normally would do at parties. Some dances of this type are Ram Saravan and Ram Vong. In these

dances, there are basic hand gestures or movements that flow with the beat. These dances are usually done at weddings or Khmer new years.

Each dance has its own different costume or wardrobe. There are Mokot crowns and Apsara crowns. Some dances make the dancer wear masks to show a story. For example, the Ramayana, or Reamker.

The masked man is role the monkey. Thai dance costumes are very similar to those worn in Khmer dance. This shows that there may have been some sort of cultural exchange throughout the time period.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">

===<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Below is a video of three Cambodian girls who play a roll as Apsaras. The dance is called 'Tep Apsara'. The dance being performed in the video next to it, is called The Coconut ===

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Dance. The next video is 'Chayyam' which is performed on special occasions like ceremonies at the temple or new years.
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Each hand gesture has it's own meaning. ( I got this from [] ) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">The first one represents a blooming flower. The second represents flower and is called "Kbach Cheap". The third means fruit, which the gesture is called "Kbach Coung". The fourth is the hand movement showing a

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">leaf, and it is <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">called 'Kbach Sung Luc'. The last image is 'Kbach Chung Aul" which reprsents a bud or sprout.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">During the 1970’s it was a bad time for Cambodia. Pol Pot, and others wanted to make it ‘year zero’. That means that those thousand years of history perishes. This includes Khmer dance. The Khmer Rouge

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">slaughtered all the intelligent/educated people during this time. Dance masters were killed, or brutally and mentally beaten up. But there are still some survivors today. In the refugee camps, the survivors would teach

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">younger kids so that the younger kids, could teach their children. “Here in America Chamroeun performs and teaches the style as a means of keeping his culture alive.” (Kasrel) This explains that in America, we still

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">have this going on today. “This ancient dance form is experiencing a revival in the United States.” (ACF) “Court dance and music almost vanished during the Khmer Rouge’s reign of fighting, famine and genocide, but

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">artists managed to secretly keep it alive in refugee camps. Now, this ancient dance form is experiencing a revival in the United States.” (ACF) People who were passionate about this wanted to preserve and revive the

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Cambodian culture because their kids will become the lost generation. “While approximately 80% of the faculty at the national conservatory, the University of Fine Art, perished during the Khmer Rouge purge, it was

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">at the camps that those few who survived began to teach again.” (Peterson 35)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">Khmer dance became a part of the Khmer culture which demonstrated the way Cambodians live and explains their history. From the outfits, to the movements in which the dancers perform, and everything else

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">about it shows pure Cambodian history. Khmer dance proves that it’s worth still being here, since so many people are still so passionate about keeping it alive. It has become a tradition. Culture and tradition is

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">important. One reason why we should study Asia is because we’ve become our own nation. These people have suffered hardship, and have made mistakes. We need to look at these mistakes, and make the United

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">States a better nation. The U.S is like a tossed salad. All the different cultures are mixing in with our own. Although we should, most people do not really acknowledge Asia and they don’t really care. Khmer dance has

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">become such an importance to the Cambodian society living in America. It’s about time that we realized this, and possibly help this culture grow.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Works Cited

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">ACF. Court Dance Comeback. 2002. 15 01 2011 <http://www.acfnewsource.org/art/cambodian_dance.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">AlloExpat. AlloExpat. 15 01 2011 <http://www.cambodia.alloexpat.com/cambodia_information/culture_cambodia.php?page=0,1>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">CanbyPublications. Apsara Dance: Traditional Khmer Dance-Drama and Dance-Drama Performances. 1997-2011. 16 01 2011 <http://www.canbypublications.com/siemreap/srothersr.htm>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">(CASA), Cambodian AIT Student Association. Cambodian AIT Student Association (CASA). 2008-2009. 15 01 2011 <http://www.cambodia.ait.ac.th/blogs_detail.php?news_id=90>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Kasrel, Deni. Chamroeun Yin. 17-14 08 1997. 15 02 2011 <http://citypaper.net/articles/080797/article032.shtml?print=1>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Peterson, Elizabeth. "The Changing Faces of Tradition." National Endowment for the Arts, n.d. 35.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">web-cambodia. web-cambodia. 14 01 2011 <- A well known royal ballet would be Apsara dance. It is heavily influenced by the depiction of the dancing apsaras on Angkor wat walls. (http://www.web-cambodia.com/en/article/Cambodian_Apsara_Dance-36065.html) 1/14/11>.