Story of the Serpent: Cambodian Dance

The art of dance bridges classical and contemporary Cambodian culture. In celebration of the exhibition Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain, experience a dance performance by Mea Lath that explores the identity of the naga, the serpent deity, who poignantly gets caught in her own tail-a metaphor for struggles with identity in the wake of immigration. The program includes a traditional blessing dance and a contemporary work choreographed by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro.
Dancer Reaksmey “Mea” Lath is a celebrated Cambodian classical dancer, instructor, and manager of the Khmer Arts Academy in Long Beach, California. Born in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand, Mea uses the sacred art of Cambodian dance to connect with her history, to heal and inspire, and to present Cambodian culture to the world. She is one of the four speakers featured in the short documentary Satook, which was created by praCh Ly for the exhibition Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain at the National Museum of Asian Art.

[@sayonsyprasoeuth3348]

The tail is such a great metaphor for the people of Cambodia that suffered through the Khmer Rouge genocide. Here you have this displacement, loss, trauma that is a part of you. Now you have to learn to embrace and accept who you are today. Thank you for the gift Mea!

[@sodapopjenkins]

Rad, love this museum and the amazing content, like this performance you bring to our nations capital and now the world with this youtube channel. thanks Smithsonian :)

[@crownakanking]

Reaksmey! 🙏🏽