កម្ពុជាទឹកដីមហានគរ: Dance describing

Dance

Cambodian Classical Dance is rich in history and cultural significance, below are various pictures depicting Cambodian dance with links to some fantastic articles/website of various aspects of Cambodia dance, such as the famous Apsara dancers, khmer music and various dance related articles:

Also known as Khmer royal ballet or Khmer court dance, is a form of dance in Cambodia originally performed only for royalty. In Khmer, it is formally known as robam preah reachea trop which means 'dances of royal wealth' or robam kbach boran khmer, literally 'Khmer dance of the ancient style'. The origin of classical dance varies among different sources. It does not resemble the dances of the Angkor period. It has many elements in common with Thai classical dance.

This is most likely a result of the royal Khmer court exchanging culture with the royal Thai court throughout the post post-Angkor era. Khmer and Thai classical dance costumes once looked very similar to each other, but Khmer dance and costume have gone under slight changes and reforms brought on by former Queen of Cambodia, Kossamak Nearireath. During the mid-20th century, it was introduce to the public where it now remains an celebrated icon of Khmer culture often being performed during public events, holidays and for tourists in Cambodia.

Khmer classical dancers use stylized movements and gestures to tell a story much like a mime, but in a more vague way as most audiences will probably never understand more than a couple of gestures. Dancers do not speak or sing; they dance with a slight smile and are never suppose to open their mouths. Khmer classical dance can be compared to French ballet as it requires years of practice and stretching at a young age so the limbs become very flexible. Dancers flex their fingers backwards, as well as toes when dancing.

Gestures in Khmer classical dance are called kbach (style). These kbach are broken down into several categories depending on which body parts are involved. Hand gestures that involve fingers are called cheep which means to pinch. These hand gestures can represent various things from nature such as fruit, flowers, and leaves. When put together in combinations they can have different meanings. Most gestures, such as laughing are slightly different between the 4 main types of characters (listed in the next segment).

Apsara Dance

At the heart of classical form is the Apsara, the joyful, almost wanton dancer whose images are everywhere. Princess Buppha Devi, who currently serves as the Minister of Culture, is a master of Apsara dancing, which dates to the 1st century. The graceful movements of the Apsara dancers, adorned with gold headdresses and silken tunics and skirts, are carved on the walls of many of the temples at Angkor. Estimates are that there were 3,000 Apsara dancers in the 12th century court of King Jayavarman VII.

Over the centuries Khmer dancing lent its influence to the classical ballet of neighboring countries, and some of its postures and movements are similar to other Southeast Asian dance forms.

But according to Princess Buppha Devi, "The Khmer kingdom started its traditions in the 8th century, 500 years before Thailand." In 1400, with the sacking of the Angkor Empire, the Apsara dancers were seized and taken to Thailand. Apsara dancing is one of two elements of classical ballet, the other being "today" dancing, the depiction of early myths. Many of the dances involve performing a fragment of the Ramayana, the ancient Indian epic that is one and a half times as long as the Odyssey. Others are based on the legendary battles and mythical sagas carved in bas relief on the walls of the temples of Angkor-including the Churning of the Sea of Milk, the great battle between gods and demons for the holy liquid that gives immortality. There are 100 dances and dramas.

Characters and Costume

There are 4 main types of characters in Khmer dance which are:

In the Reamker dance drama, a lkhaon, these 4 types of characters are plentiful. Other types of characters include apsaras, mermaids, hermits, deer, garudas, and kinnaris. Many people will refer to Khmer classical dancers as Apsara dancers, however this is incorrect as not all Khmer classical dancers perform as apsaras characters. Monkey characters are almost exclusively performed by men or sometimes, young boys, because this role require acrobatic stunts such as somersaults and cartwheels.

Hanuman Classical dance costumes are highly ornate. Many pieces of silk are embroidered and decorated with sequins. Sometimes pieces of the costume have to be sewn onto the dancers for a tight fit. Dancers wear either one of several different types of crowns which denote the type of character they are performing. Divinities and royal characters wear a tall spired crown. Human characters of lesser importance will either wear a circlet, diadem or tiara. Characters such as ogres and monkeys will wear masks and their rank can be determined by the crowns attached to their masks.

Female characters wear iridescent silk sarongs, an armlet on the right upper arm and, traditionally, a rose on the right ear with a phuong on the left side of the crown. A phuong is Khmer term for flowers stringed together into a tassel-like form (sometimes referred to as a flower garland), it is usually made up of Jasmine, Calotropis, and Michelia blossoms. Dancers also wear flower garlands around the wrist which made of usually jasmine buds. Apsara dancers, which are female divinities, will usually wear plumeria flowers instead of the rose, the flower tassel is also made of plumerias, and an armlet on both arms. Male characters also wear the same type of silk sarong as female characters except that it is folded and wrapped to look like the Indian dhoti which are similar to baggy breeches. Male characters can be spotted with a rose on the left ear and a flower garland hung on the right side of the crown. Male characters also wear an x-like strap around the body called a sangvar with an extra set of bracelets in addition to the one worn by both gender of characters.