Cambodia classical dance: Heritage of the ancient Khmer ancestors (Documentary, 1997)

The dance embodies the traditional values of refinement, respect and spirituality. This art form, which narrowly escaped annihilation in the 1970s, is cherished by many Cambodians. Proeung Chhieng and Princess Norodom Buppha Devi, a former star dancer, have been responsible for setting up a new school and Royal Ballet.
Original title - Dancing for the Gods
Directed by Adrian Maben, 1997
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This documentary travels to Phnom Penh in Cambodia to look at the renaissance of Khmer classical dancing. At the heart of the classical form is the Apsara, the dancer whose image can be seen everywhere in stone on the walls of Angkor Vat temple. It is estimated that there were 3,000 Apsara dancers in the twelfth-century court of King Jayavarman VII. In the year 1400, the Khmer empire was dismantled, and the dancers were seized and abducted to Thailand. The glory of Angkor faded and the Royal Ballet deteriorated. In the 1950s the Queen Mother Rreah Kossmak began to take an interest in its revival. HRH Princess Norodom Boppha Devi, the daughter of King Norodom Sihanouk, became an outstanding dancer. Classical dance again suffered badly during the civil war of the Pol Pot regime. By 1975 the Khmer Rouge had put to death 80% of the royal dancers and their teachers. Only five teachers of Apsara dance survived the killing fields. One who escaped is Proeung Chhieng, a former member of the Royal Dance Troupe who used to perform with Princess Boppha Devi. Chhieng and the Princess are now in charge of the 300 dancers of the Royal Khmer Classical Troupe.
Chhieng is also Dean of the Choreographic Arts Faculty at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Footage shot here shows the daily routine at the school, observing the pupils in class. Students start their training at the age of six or seven, while their bones are still supple. A high degree of discipline and perseverance is demanded but the atmosphere is enormously supportive. After two years of basic training, pupils specialize in either classical dance - that of the Apsaras and legends - or traditional dance. The latter draws on everyday life and peasant customs for inspiration. Examples of this are also seen in the program. At the end of twelve years of study, the best classical dancers are selected to join the Royal Ballet corps, while some others become teachers. The full splendor of the Royal Ballet is seen in extracts from performances the company gave at the 1997 Montpellier Festival. In Phnom Penh students are seen preparing for a performance, during the elaborate and laborious process of being sewn into their ornate costumes, applying make-up and donning headdresses and masks.
The gestures of the stone Apsaras at Angkor Vat are identical to those taught today at the Royal School of Dance in Phnom Penh. Complex and highly formalized, classical Khmer dance leaves no room for improvisation. Over 1,100 main postures form a movement language used to tell centuries-old legends. The traditions are passed on from one generation to the next by dance teachers who are ‘living dictionaries’. Princess Boppha Devi explains: “With the help of former teachers who are alive today, we are trying to rediscover the ancient classical dances. We don’t attempt to change them or modernize them. On the contrary, we are content to preserve the ones that were nearly lost forever. What’s more, we are very much afraid of foreign influences on our way of seeing things. We must protect ourselves against foreign culture and ensure that it does not infiltrate ours.” Visiting Angkor Vat for the first time, dancer Noun Kagyna studies the carved Apsaras whose gestures she mirrors in her art. Professor Chheng Ponh, a sage and former minister of culture, talks about the meaning of some movements demonstrated by Noun Kagyna.
Both the tragedy and spirit of modern-day Cambodia are encapsulated in this film. Sadly, since its completion, the country has once again been torn apart by civil war, throwing the future of Khmer classical dance back into doubt.
© Licensed by Digital Classics Distribution

[@forrestwheeler916]

The Khmer dance is most elegant and beautiful of all the world , kmher heritage is awe inspiring and truly comes from Cambodian lineage and the gods . Of all the countries in the world that I could have traveled too , I chose Cambodia, I seen live apsara and it was truly a gift of the gods and the kind and humble kmher people that one my heart and soul . Thank you to all whom keep this ancient culture and dance alive . Please if anyone can donate to this cause please help now . Blessed Cambodia and it’s people ❤❤❤

[@parangimnida]

Asking for donation is one of the touched point of Khmer behaves.

[@KonradAdenauerJr]

It's a wonderful documentary. It's sobering to think that such a wonderful form of art was almost wiped out by the Khmer Rouge.

[@janlaag]

Schooling systems mostly have the unfortunate peculiarity of killing the most beautiful things, it is very sad, still, their dance is very beautiful.

[@butterfliesxox]

Thank you so much. As a child of Canada but the granddaughter and daughter of survivors, I thank you so, so much for sharing. Tears poured from my eyes when I saw the photo of the woman with the child's head poking into the photo... my grandmother lost her country, fleeing, never to return and lost her family...

[@sdeungsim4423]

I wish I had the opportunity to learned my people transitional dance. These girls are so lucky. Maybe one day when we are able to travel I will hope I can take my daughter to learn there.

[@user-hm7hn3gz6n]

As I know the traditional dancer they learn from a young age so yeah

[@camboclown]

I remember watching this documentary for the first time as a young kid with my family on video tape with the latest V.C.R player LOL. Have some fond memories being in the local khmer dance troupe in my city growing up. The local khmer dance troupe needed male dancers so my aunty sign me up with out my knowledge lol, but i'm glad she did. It was a great experience, learned a lot about my culture and made some good friends. We performed during festivals like khmer new years, bon omtouk etc....... watching videos about the royal khmer ballet was a source of inspiration for us.

[@adriennecasenaz4029]

Phnom_Penh c;est mon pays ou je suis nee en 1930.J'ai de larmes aux yeux de voir ce films.Je quittais pendant l'occupations de KmerRouge. Et j'ai la chance de revenir en visite en 2011.Je regrette de tout mon coeur de ne pas rester,et vivre jusqu'a la mort.Jaime mon pays ou je suis nee et heureuse.UN Bonjour d'Australie.

[@jerryboyd7086]

I hope that these schools are still open 24 years after this doc was made. Heartwarming to see these youth and their teachers preserving a precious, fragile heritage.

[@Ooilei]

So long as there is the king, the monarchy, the palace, the schools will continue and be preserved. It only depends if students will want to continue coming

[@hasanchoudhury5401]

Most beautiful sincere culture integrated with the modern trials and tribulations emerging in the authenticity and splendors. Love it for originality! Best wishes and best regards !

[@marleenneil7542]

Stunning documentary 💜

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful experiences.

[@peangsovann8305]

Wonderful documentary of classical dance

[@mimibigdy1917]

Great documentary. Thanks for sharing 🙏🙏🙏

[@wocomoCULTURE]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Yovo555]

Beautiful Khmer culture and great dance. Thank you for sharing this.

[@anleverlfixedlmark]

Thank you for this... exquisitely beautiful cultural share. ❤

[@antjetautkus5506]

Beautiful documentary Thx😊

[@lchan90a]

Thanks for sharing!

[@TSerey]

Always beating bong to these videos :P

[@lotus7089]

So beautiful...I hope these cultural things are preserved

[@cambodge3240]

8:54 ស្រណោះណាស់ម្ចាស់ថ្លៃអើយ!អ្នកស្រី ពិសិដ្ឋ ពិលីកា😢🇰🇭❤️សូមវិញាណក្ខន្ធបានទៅកាន់សុគតិភព🙏

[@anusuyatk9016]

Very very beautiful thanks

[@aaronTNGDS9]

Fantastic! It's always a source of amazement to see the varieties of human cultural expressions. It's a warning though, to hear the comments about refusing 'foreign' influences. It's this way of thinking, the sense of purity of one's culture, that influenced the mental thinking of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Asian Indians. Each of whom contrived notions that can be called Proto-Racism, in order to feel apart from others. It's possible to preserve one's culture and to see it as an extension of what makes us all members of the same Human Family. That's what the Message of Baha'u'llah is intended to do---to acknowledge the importance of one's culture, to correct old patterns of thought which make us think 'pure' and interfere with seeing ourselves as One Family.

[@luissantiago8446]

Rubbish! This sort of nonsense is what kills cultural uniqueness. One can appreciate a culture's distinctive beauties and qualities without engaging in indifferentism, or a kind of pluralism that robs a culture of what makes it unique. Pride in cultural expression is not racism or an overture to racial purity. This is a documentary on classical Khmer dance, not a sounding board to cast platitudes propelled through the lens of personal religious belief.

[@nakonn5425]

ស្អាតណាស់កម្ពុជា❤❤❤

[@suranjanabasu498]

Wonderful dance form. Displays it's Indian roots.

[@Eeeeeeeeeeeeee5879]

If you want to know what the lady said at 16:10 she said “Why do you move your body like that ? I said you stand from here and you do it like this, you also follow the person in front of you, you were to close to the person as well. Go back!” Well she said something like that

[@montser_rat1638]

Thanks for the translation!

[@hinloi195]

สวัดดีค่ะมารับชมภาพดีๆดัวยค่ะ

[@phorntong1895]

This is Cambodia culture 💙🇰🇭🇰🇭🇰🇭

[@raulramosmorales6301]

Excelente Dance😀😍😘

[@borann_borann]

Beautiful

[@geekane9462]

I love the classical dance forms. So absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing. I'd always liked especially the rear-facing bent knee movement. Its very enchanting and takes much skill and physical agility. Does anyone know if it has a symbolic representation or meaning? I'm sure it does as does the hand movements. That dancer at 29:35. Wow, she is stunningly beautiful and the epitome of all the work, practice, suffering, and dedication to her troupe and her country.

[@shannonliim]

It’s visual storytelling of the circle of life 💫

[@missneezapver]

รวย​ๆ​เฮง​ๆ​ปัง​ๆ​ติดตาม​แล้วจ้า​ ติดตาม​ยาย​ด้วยจ้า มิสนี​ แซ่​บเวอร์​

[@utthamanperan9698]

So Nice Real native culture is great 👍

[@forsomeone7830]

Miss her fromfrom Seihakong

[@charleslively5300]

That great thinking do it your way "CULTURE" very important!!

[@kongsengkree6683]

We love Cambodia

[@DalyaVong]

I was born in Cambodia and I always wanted to learn how to dance in our traditional way of “ballet” / dancing and where those beautiful outfits I was and still am very curious of my religion cause it’s so interesting

[@vijaykumarkashimath7499]

God blessAll who do this.They are real Angels.I wish the Cambodia Queen for efforts to protect it. Oh , it is a penance not a dance, a Divine imprint.

[@hiengdavid8389]

About the true Khmer History , please return to our original origin, Don't get lost with foreign words, They are not our friends just fool us and than swallowing our land and property.

[@Reddylion]

👍👍

[@user-bc4vg2zm6x]

33:05 I sincerely admire our Cambodian dancers.

[@TyTy-wh4bn]

🆗

[@-KindheatedReach]

វីឌីអូនេះមុនឆ្នាំ1999 ព្រោះមានអ្នកស្រី ពិសិដ្ឋ ពិលីកា

[@user-bc4vg2zm6x]

36:01 Who is this woman in green?

[@umsary7707]

ស្រណោះណាស់

[@bencaspar]

The girl said 'streets ahead'! Pierce Hawthorne would be proud

[@pangarithsavun7103]

Great documentary! accurate English interpretation.

[@TSerey]

[@saradykim3970]

មានតែជាតិខ្មែរពិតរាំអប្សរស្អាត

[@sabitapanigrahi1197]

It goes to Indian classical dance origins**

[@GgGg-ic5tn]

S1S1♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥***S1S1

[@hiengdavid8389]

The coconut Dancing had been took place before the turn of century, The Dragon King ordered all the princesses and the dragons come to plant the Corn, Potatoes, Beans for foods, Most of time the White King of monkeys come to destroyed all the plants no one can stops them, than the King of dragon she used coconut shell and knocked together, The Monkeys King heard the noise they all run away. At that time the King of Khmer Dragon took this sound and arranged it as a percussion dance to record Khmer history.

[@arvenarven3764]

รำอัปสรา..เจ้าหญิงเขมรท่านทรงฟื้นฟู...แต่น่าเสียดายที่คนเขมรปัจจุบันกลับจะมาเลียนแบบไทยแล้วลืมรากเหง้าระบำอัปสราของตัวเอง...ความงามของระบำอัปสราก็สวยไม่แพ้ของไทยเลย...แต่คนรุ่นใหม่กลับลืมเลือน...ช่างน่าเสียดาย

[@user-ox5em2ex9h]

English please.

[@arvenarven3764]

@@user-ox5em2ex9h ไม่ เป็นคนไทยก็ต้องใช้ภาษาไทย

[@user-ox5em2ex9h]

@@arvenarven3764 ??

[@arvenarven3764]

@@user-ox5em2ex9h ไม่ต้อง งง ตนไทยไม่เคยเป็นทาสฝรั่งเศษเหมือนเขมร ประเทศที่ไม่เคยเป็นทาส ย่อมภูมิใจในภาษาของตัวเอง...เข้าใจน๊ะ....

[@user-up2ds9st4b]

@@arvenarven3764 មិនថាអ្នកគិតបែបណា មកលើប្រទេសខ្ញុំនោះទេ ប្រជាជនខ្ញុំហ្នឹងថែរក្សាវប្បធម៌នេះរៀងរហូត😔

[@j.k.8538]

Pisith Pilika 😔💔

[@user-ms1rl9vz1r]

😔😔😔

[@dreadknot2238]

Yes the Chenla empire had created the Angkor wat temple and had hindu scriptures and asapara statues however there no evidence they were the creator of the aspara dresses or the dance moves.

[@PraVann]

អគ្គមហេសី លោកជំទាវ ឧត្តមភរិយាឬប្រព័ន្ធ ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់ ឯកឌត្តម មហាសេដ្ឋីឬលោកម្ចាស់ណាអីក៊ញញឹមស្រសម្លេះ?

[@iROChakri]

Thank you India for giving dances to Cambodia, and thank you Thailand for helping Khmers to re-learn how to dance during Rattanakosin era. That's why today Khmer dances look like Thai dances ^^

[@woodoopui184]

Khmen dancing is Thai traditional dancing . Khmen has no dancing like loyal traditional except they had got from Siam local court ‘ traditional dancing groups since Khmen King had bee adopted from King of Siam . Khmen has never influenced dancing from India . Do not tell a lie.

[@khsereysour]

48:44 មានអ្នកស្រី ហុក លក្ខិណាដែរ

[@merlitasevillabader218]

Corporal punishment defeats motivations and pains the inner person whatever age.

[@fidokalman]

"The school has no money" Clothes are dirty" Shame on the government who arrive in Benz cars,

[@Ooilei]

Those with money and power rarely share. So long as they can keep getting away with keeping all the money and forcing the dancers to work for almost nothing, they will continue

[@user-rb9ou4md2d]

เฮอริเทจตรงไหน ก๊อปฟ้อนผางประทีปภาคเหนือไทยมา

[@pongsatornsuankerd3451]

ฟ้อนกะลาอีก ที่สำคัญหน้ามึนประกาศต่อชาวโลก ว่าไทยเลียนแบบไปอีก

[@roeunnovember50]

ประเทศเราไม่เคยลอกเลียนวัฒนธรรมใคร มีแต่ไทยที่คัดลอกมาจากกัมพูชา

[@visoldanh5455]

If an anyone is wondering y the khmer dance and Thai dance look the same it's because the Thai invaded Cambodia n stole it from the khmer empire! The only thing the Thai change was that the dancer was not top less. Every step and hand movement is still same!

[@lovelycakke1234]

Thief is Thief Steal our culture

[@karmasauce6288]

Interesting. I was wondering about the similiarties.

[@visoldanh5455]

@@karmasauce6288 it happen during Khmer empire dark ages. We were spending to much money n time on the Angkor protect but weren't building our defence. They invaded our country n stole everything. Including our writing, engineering, teachers and art. The Thai and Vietnamese r not the natives of South East Asia. They were push out of the southern part of China because of the Mongols. So they invaded our land. We the Khmer ppl r the native of this land!

[@karmasauce6288]

@@visoldanh5455 Interesting. Thank you for the lesson.

[@rothayun3031]

@@visoldanh5455 and they also stole khmer people to their country (siam)

[@TaNu-wi7pp]

Thai song sinuan go to Apsara khmer

[@somtepnimith570]

មុខខ្មែរញញឹមស្រស់ស្ឣាតណាស់

[@PleaseDonateTortoise]

As a Thai person WE NEVER STOLE YOUR CULTURE. No, why would us thai need to steal from a poorer and weaker culture, we have tooken your land for centuries and we’ve develop our own dances. And you saying we stole your culture is implying that for example France and England won’t have a similar culture even though they are close. And even the princess buppha Devi was taught by a royal thai dancer and lots of Khmer dancers were taught by thai, and she also said that in the 1960s Khmers got a lot of hand gestures and movements from Thais. WE NEVER STOLE YOUR CULTURE!

[@axquivi]

See how delusional and uneducated you are talking like that, back then Cambodia was known as the Khmer Empire, it's culture spreaded to neighboring kingdoms. The Tai people came from southern China and migrated to the Khmer. They then consumed Khmer culture and brought it to their place to start their own kingdom, Sukhothai. So no need to look down on your neighbors Thiefland, it shows how poor your Siamese education system is. Simply go educate yourself, use international information like the Chinese, Burmese etc. Google is also free

[@linaneedlove]

ew..

[@soriyasum]

Bro where tf you get your culture from? khom?

[@PleaseDonateTortoise]

@@soriyasumfrom china, the dai ethnic group

[@linaneedlove]

@@PleaseDonateTortoise bro are you like okay? Read some books will ya?

[@dewibulan625]

Like Javanesse dance

[@kimmykung33]

This is very Thai , even your castle. Cambodia sent a lot of dancers learnt in Thailand and copy a lot of poems songs also Thai dresses.

[@tyer9252]

welcome to Cambodia.❤😊😊😊

[@user-dr8tn3wv4x]

เขมรเป็นเมืองขึ้นหลายประเทศ ตอนนี้เป็นของจีน

[@crew]

Yeah 700 years of freedom still the prostitute country of the world with an IQ of 91. You are still poor in international standard. Vietnam, also a colony of many countries, is surpassing your economy in the short future. Korea, a colony of Japan and their whole royal lineage destroyed, and havibg gone through decades of war, is one of the most advanced country in the world. How about you, 700 years of freedom, what is there to offer the world other than ladyboys, foreign sex tourism, and cheap tourist destination.

[@axquivi]

@@crew LOL!!

[@dasa6379]

ប្រទេសរីកចម្រេីនតែការអប់រំចប់!អ្នកនិយាយបែបនេះដូចបន្ថោកប្រទេសរបស់អ្នកអញ្ចឹង

[@billfahchannel934]

Good adopt from Thai culture

[@nutpha3485]

It truth Cambodia Copy culture siam from Ayutthaya empire to rattanakosin empire 400 years old

[@woodoopui184]

That ‘s all Khmer culture is Thai culture which Khmer loyal court had influenced from Siam loyal court for being Siam colony more than400 years ago. 😂😂😂 Khmer medias do not tell a lie to the world .

[@user-sj7me9rs7n]

เพลงที่ร้องเหมือนจะเป็นเพลงที่แปลมาจากภาษาไทยอีกที เพราะการสูญหายของวัฒนธรรมจึงต้องนำครูไทยเข้ามาสอน

[@woodoopui184]

Fake documentory

[@user-qk5jj5zp6t]

คนสอนก็เรียนร้อง เรียนรำไปจากไทยทั้งนั้น😂

[@dasa6379]

ប្រទេសរីកចម្រេីនតែការអប់រំ0

[@user-pc2lc6up9k]

Claimbodia 😂

[@dasa6379]

ប្រទេសរីកចម្រេីនតែការអប់0😊