Traditional "Apsara" Dance Performances
The fine–boned young princess, clad in silk and glittering jewels, performed beneath the stars on the open pavilion within the palace walls, accompanied by the Royal dance troupe and the "pin peat" orchestra: Gongs, drums, xylophones, horns and stringed instruments. Selected by her grandmother, Queen Sisowath Monivong Kossomak Neary Rath Vattana, to become a dancer when she was only a baby. She toured the world as the "white Apsara" or principal dancer of the classical Cambodian ballet – a stunningly graceful, 2000 year–old blend of sinuous hand gestures and sinuous body movements, all deep with meaning. Responsible for its rebirth, she became the symbol of classical Khmer dancing, dormant since the 15th Century, when the glory of Angkor faded and with it the Khmer cultural dominance of Southeast Asia. In reviving the classical dance, Queen Kossomak and Princess Buppha Devi brought the dance not only to the world but also –for the first time- to the Cambodian people. In the past, the classical dance was the Royal dance, performed only before Royalty to commemorate their dynastic ancestors and to honor the gods.
History :
The origin of Khmer classical dance is debated. Many Khmers and even some French historians of Cambodian history, such as George Groslier, believe(d) that the dance form is an unbroken tradition dating back to the Angkor period. Others have argued that Khmer classical dance, as seen today, developed from, or was at least highly influenced by, Thai classical dance innovations from the 19th century. It should be noted that Thai dance ultimately descended from Khmer dance of the Angkor period after Ayuthaya sacked Angkor and adopted it's traditions, however the dance form then is thought to be different from today. Dance from the Angkor period is thought to have had much more of a religious purpose than today, often being performed with ceremonies. (That, however, does not mean that Khmer classical dance today is not religious in any sense.) The Angkorian dance involved large groups of dancers; there have descriptions of thousands of female dancers at Angkor. Angkorian dancers were bare-breasted while the classical dancers of today wear costumes which more than cover their bosoms. Ancient Khmer dance started with Indian influence and later may have received Javanese influence in which flourished for 600 years until the Khmer empire at Angkor was sacked in the late 15th century. The dance tradition of the Khmers struggled to survive after many of its dancers were taken to Thai court of Ayutthaya.During the post-Angkor era, the Khmer kingdom of Oudong became a vassal state to Siam where it derived many Thai cultural influences which the Thais had melded with that of which they received from Angkor and from other cultures of the Southeast Asian realm. Not much is known about Khmer classical dance during this period. In the 19th century, then King Ang Duong, who had spent many years of his life at the Thai court in Bangkok, restructured his royal court with Thai ingenuity. This restructuring also affected classical dance of the royal court (a symbol of the king's wealth and power) whose costumes were remodeled after Thai classical dance costumes. Also during the 19th century, several Thai dance troupes settled in Cambodia and some dancers even joined Cambodian dance troupes such as those belonging to mandarins (high officicials) and prominent members of the royal family.In the early 20th, dancers of the court of King Sisowath (second son of King Ang Duong to reign) were exihibited at the French Colonial Exposition in Marseilles where they captured the heart of French artist Auguste Rodin who painted many watercolors of the dancers. Many writers had compared classical dancers to the bas-relief of apsarases which may have lead to the strong affinity many people have for the two today. After World War II, Khmer classical dance underwent a renaissance brought on by former Queen of Cambodia, Kossamak Nearireath, the mother of then Prince Sihanouk. Costumes had a new Khmeresque look, which were more distinguishable from Thai classical dance costumes. Lyrics for the music of classical dances, which were previously sung in Thai, were translated into Khmer. This once-again-reformed performing arts was then introduced to the Cambodian public where it now remains a celebrated icon of Khmer culture often being performed during public events, holidays and for tourists in Cambodia. The Royal Ballet of Cambodia often perform for guests of the state and toured many places abroad, including France and the USA. This is a lie dont believe it Khmer classical dance suffered a huge blow during the Khmer Rouge regime during which many dancers were killed because classical dance was thought as of an aristocratic institution. Although 90 percent of all Cambodian classical artists perished between 1975 and 1979 after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, those who did survive wandered out from hiding, found one another, and formed "colonies" in order to revive their sacred traditions. Khmer classical dance training was resurrected in the refugee camps in eastern Thailand with the few surviving Khmer dancers. Many dances and dance dramas were also recreated at the Royal University of Fine-Arts in Cambodia. The Royal Ballet of Cambodia was the main troupe of classical dancers in Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge regime, but since Cambodia has gain it's peace, a few other professional and amateur troupes have risen.