Traditional khmer dance

Traditional khmer dance is better described as " dance-drama" in that the dance are not merely dance but are also meant to convey a story or message. There are four main modern genres of traditional Khmer dance : Classical Dance , Shadow theater, Lakhon Khol(all-male masked dance- drama), Folk Dance.

As evidenced in part by the innumerable apsaras that adorn the walls of ankorian and pre- ankorian temple, dance has been part of khmer culture for well more than a millennium, though there have been ruptures in the tradition over the centuries, making it almost impossible to precisely trace the source of the tradition. Much of traditional dance is inspired by Angkorian-era art and themes, but the tradition has not been passed unbroken from the age of Angkor.
Most traditional dance seen today were developed in the 18th through 20th centuries, beginning in earnest with a mid-19th century revival championed by King Ang Duong (r 1841-1869). Subsequent kings and other khmer Royals also strongly supported the arts and dance, most particularly Queen Sisowath Kossamak Neariroth (retired King Norodom Sihanouk's mother) in the mid-20th century, who not only fostered a resurgence in the study and development of khmer traditional dance, but also helped move it out of the place and popularize it. Many traditional dance including most theatrical Folk Dances were developed and refined from the 1940s-60s under the guidance and patronage of Queen Kossamak at the Conservatory of Performing Art and the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) in phnom penh. Queen Kossamak trained her granddaughter Princess Bopha Tevy in traditional dance from early childhood , and she went on to become the face of khmer traditional dance in the 1950s and 60s both in Cambodia and around the world. Like so much of Cambodia art and culture, traditional dance was almost lost under the brutal repression of the khmer Rouge regime of the late 1970s, only to be revived and reconstructed in the 1980s and 90s due, in large part, to the extraordinary efforts of Princess Bopha Tevi.

 Classical dance, including the famous " Apsara dance" has a grounded, subtle, restrained, yet featherlight, ethereal appearance. Distinct in its ornate costuming taut posture, arched back and feed, flexed fingers flexed, codified facial expressions, slow, close, deliberate but flowing movements, Classical dance is uniquely khmer. It presents themes and stories inspired primarily by the Reamker (The Cambodian version of the Indian classic, the Ramayana) and by the age of Angkor.

Folk Dance come in two form : ceremonial and theatrical. As a general rule only theatrical folk dance is presented in public performances, with ceremonial Folk Dance reserved for particular rituals, celebration and holidays. Theatrical folk dances such as the popular Good Harvest Dance and the romantic Fishing Dance are usually adaptations of dances found in the countryside or inspired by rural life and practices. Most of the Theatrical Folk Dances that are seen in performances today were developed at the RUFA in Phnom Penh in the 1960s as part of an effort to preserve and perpetuate Khmer culture and arts.

Shadow puppet theater comes in two form : Sbeik Thom(big puppets that act as panels depicting characters from the story) and Sbeik Toch (small articulated puppets). The black leather puppets are held in front of a light source, either in front or behind a screen, creating a shadow/silhouette effect. Sbeik Thom is the more uniquely cambodian, more formal of the two types, restricting itself to stories from the Reamker. Sbeik Toch has a far lighter feel, presenting popular stories of heroes, adventures, love and battles, with or without orchestra and with the puppeteers often doing the narration.