Khmer Royal Ballet dancers dancing the Apsara Dance.Kingdom defends its ballet
Monday, 29 November 2010
By Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
Phnom Penh Post
The Cambodian government last week condemned statements made by members of Thailand’s Yellow Shirts that the origins of Khmer Royal Ballet were derived from traditions in Thailand.
The statements were reported on the website of Thai television network ASTV nearly two weeks ago and quoted Yellow Shirt members as saying that “both music and dance of [the Khmer Royal Ballet’s] modern forms are of Thai characteristics”.
Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the statements were unreasonable and baseless.
“We think that this statement has shown the bad dignity and culture of these Thai extremist groups, which aim at insulting, creating polluted environments and lying about national and international issues to people in the world.”
In 2003, the Khmer Royal Ballet was proclaimed a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. This international distinction, according to UNESCO, honours “the most remarkable examples of oral traditions and forms of cultural expression in all regions of the world”.
The National World Heritage Committee issued a statement last week to help explain why the Khmer Royal Ballet was its own cultural artefact, and not based in Thai traditions.
It said the Khmer Royal Ballet started at “the beginning of the Christian period and continued to be performed during Angkorian, post-Angkorian periods up to the present time, as depicted on galleries of ancient Khmer temples and architecture”.
Cambodia and the Yellow Shirts, who support current Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, have quarreled for several years over border demarcations, particularly over land near the Preah Vihear temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Monday, 29 November 2010
By Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
Phnom Penh Post
The Cambodian government last week condemned statements made by members of Thailand’s Yellow Shirts that the origins of Khmer Royal Ballet were derived from traditions in Thailand.
The statements were reported on the website of Thai television network ASTV nearly two weeks ago and quoted Yellow Shirt members as saying that “both music and dance of [the Khmer Royal Ballet’s] modern forms are of Thai characteristics”.
Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the statements were unreasonable and baseless.
“We think that this statement has shown the bad dignity and culture of these Thai extremist groups, which aim at insulting, creating polluted environments and lying about national and international issues to people in the world.”
In 2003, the Khmer Royal Ballet was proclaimed a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. This international distinction, according to UNESCO, honours “the most remarkable examples of oral traditions and forms of cultural expression in all regions of the world”.
The National World Heritage Committee issued a statement last week to help explain why the Khmer Royal Ballet was its own cultural artefact, and not based in Thai traditions.
It said the Khmer Royal Ballet started at “the beginning of the Christian period and continued to be performed during Angkorian, post-Angkorian periods up to the present time, as depicted on galleries of ancient Khmer temples and architecture”.
Cambodia and the Yellow Shirts, who support current Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, have quarreled for several years over border demarcations, particularly over land near the Preah Vihear temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
6 comments:
To All Thais: The Classical Thais is the Khmer Classical dance because the Thais stole from the Khmer in the 12th century. To All Thais, get your history straight...read the book that was written by the French or by the American not by the Thais historians because all Thais are bias or races.
Apsara Dance is one of two major forms of Khmer dance and incorporates parts of the other, much older, traditional or popular dance, which has its roots in animism and primitive magic, with Hindu forms introduced during the time of Indian influence beginning in the 1st century; the dance in turn drew its inspiration from the mythological court of the gods and from its celestial dancers, the Apsaras. The dance took on its own unique form adding movements and meaning, during the reigns of Jayavarman II and Jayavarman VII as well as in the Angkor era. By the 13th century, the dance received a Khmer identity rather than Indian, unlike any other dance form in the world. It melded soft movement with loud, traditional Khmer music during its performance. In that era, Apsara dance was performed solely for the benefit of the upper class, and particularly for the king.
Estimates suggest that there were 3,000 apsara dancers in the 12th Century court of King Jayavarman VII. Between the 12th and the 15th centuries, Apsara dance flourished, until the Thais sacked Angkor in the 15th century; the invaders, not immune to the allure of the dance tradition, are reputed to have taken a troupe of aspara dancers back home with them. While this was a setback to the tradition of Khmer Classical Dance, the Apsara tradition was nonetheless set in stone, as represented in the bas-reliefs of the Angkorian temples in Cambodia.
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I thnik you have to ask your King Ang Duong because when he leave from Siam to Cambodia he brought Siam dancing to your country. and if you don't know it because you read your history only from French book which they try to blind khmer eyes from the fact. read it more , there are japanese reseach can show that many Cambodia culture adapt from Siam.
Claiming that one race stole from another is obviously making those on the opposing side more angry, which will lead to even further name-calling and finger-pointing. As far as I can tell, the two races share a common root; if anything the two are copying India/Sri Lenka, which is where these myths came from. This unfortunate quarrel began when the western world decided to divvy up Southeast Asia into the countries that exist today (I guess... in reference to the "civil" animosities of particular African nations). We share our roots, so maybe we could share the praise for our acclaimed performing art.
I am writing a paper in regards to comparison and contrast between Khmer Classical Ballet and Thai Classical Dance. I have to admit being part Thai and Lao and having been a Classical Thai dancer for over 20 years. Khmer Classical Ballet came first. I just wished
how could you say that khmer king brought yours if khmer have had this dance long before the reign of king Ang Duong whom you have raised up.I have an idea that it would be great for you to compare all the documents from America French Chinese as well as Japenese you have said .I wish you will find out.
This is one of the document showing that Thailand has influenced Cambodia dance
https://books.google.ca/books?id=8qMTPAPFGXUC&pg=PA154&lpg=PA154&dq=thai+and+cambodia+dance&source=bl&ots=uMXHX2fyZ9&sig=HPecY1EnUBaGo_tBNua3PB8ChFA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbysCij6jJAhXLPB4KHQHSCx44ChDoAQgiMAM#v=onepage&q=thai%20and%20cambodia%20dance&f=false
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