A story about Cambodian dance in Pictures by Anders Jirås

Stockholm — Cambodian dance is the featured exhibition in Sweden’s Dansmuseet from March 25 until May 8. The powerful images hold special meaning because they are the work of Swedish photographer Anders Jirås, who has spent years in Cambodia devoted to documenting Cambodian performing arts.

Cambodian dance photography by Anders Jiras

As the exhibit describes:

“The Khmer civilization flourished in South-East Asia a thousand years ago and its legacy still shapes the region’s art and culture to this day. Aside from the architecture, Cambodian dance is now what visitors find most captivating, as the disciplines of dance, drama, shadow puppetry, folk dance and music merge into each other.

“The civil war, Pol Pot and other calamities almost eradicated this dance. However, Cambodian culture is strong, with dance and music an expression of a cohesive power. With so little written down, passing on and preserving the dance as part of an oral tradition was problematic. With nine out of ten dancers from the Royal Palace killed during Pol Pot’s reign of terror in the 1970s, parts of the tradition were lost.

“But not everything.

“Some dancers managed to survive and they had carefully concealed their knowledge, allowing the dance to be restored once more. Now, thirty years later, the few survivors are passing their knowledge on to a new generation of dancers. It is this transfer of tradition that Swedish photographer Anders Jirås, who lives in Phnom Penh, has captured in his study of a form of dance that managed to survive against all the odds. It seems that art cannot be killed off after all.”

The exhibit’s visual beauty conveys this message of optimism and hope. The arts thrive in Cambodia and it is a delight to see them recognized so far from home.

Cambodian dance student and teacher by Anders Jiras

About Anders Jirås

For more than three years, Swedish photographer Anders Jirås has spent most of his time in Cambodia devoting himself to capturing dynamic images of the Cambodian performing arts.

The National Museum of Cambodia recently featured his exhibition of photos of the Royal Ballet from November 2010 to February 2011. This was the first exhibit in the museum’s history devoted to this ancient living art.

His international exhibit on Cambodian performing arts at the Museum of Dance in Stockholm, Sweden runs from 25 March – 8 May, 2011.

The artist’s work has appeared in public exhibits for more than 40 years: see Anders Jirås Exhibitions 1966-2008.

About the Dansmuseet – The Dance Museum

Stockholm’s dance museum, located in the heart of Sweden’s capital city near the Royal Opera House, offers far more than the name reveals. Its colorful displays show visitors an historic and creative range of theatrical arts, from the Russian and Swedish ballets in Paris, circa 1910-1930, to the rich cultural dance forms of Asia and Africa.

The museum was founded by Rolf de Maré (1888–1964), a Swedish aristocrat, art collector and leader of the Swedish Ballet in Paris 1920–25. In 1933, he opened the world’s first dance museum and research institute in Paris.

The exhibits and extensive library of Les Archives internationales de la Danse attracted students and visitor from all over the world. Les Archives offered lectures, dance demonstrations, and published its own magazine and books. In the late 1940s de Maré closed his institution in Paris and donated parts of the collections to the French state. He then brought the non-European collections and his huge collection from the Swedish Ballet in Paris to Stockholm to found the dance museum – Dansmuseet – which opened in 1953.

Today, the museum offers a changing array of activities including special performances, special video presentations and even the opportunity to learn popular dance forms in the spring and fall.

Admission to the museum collections is free, with admission fees only charged to meet the expenses of temporary exhibitions in the Gallerie de Maré.

The Khmer temple of Preah Vihear is located in Cambodia, as resolved by the International Court of Justice in their ruling on June 15, 1962. Photo by Kent Davis.

Strasbourg - The European Parliament has issued a strongly worded resolution seeking to end fighting between the armed forces of Thailand and Cambodia near the Khmer temple of Preah Vihear on the Cambodian-Thai border. (download a PDF of the resolution here)

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the ruling by the International Court of Justice on June 15, 1962 that irrevocably ruled that the temple stood on Cambodian soil. Despite this, violence erupted in the area again in early February, resulting in fatalities to soldiers and the displacement of innocent civilians on both sides.

According to media reports, shelling from Thailand during the recent clash has caused serious damage to the ancient Khmer temple itself. UNESCO listed Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site on July 7, 2008. The European Parliament notes that the international community has a special responsibility to preserve this monument.

This troupe of dancers from the Nginn Karet Foundation gathered at Preah Vihear to perform a dance of peace in August 2010.

Respecting a Sacred Site

Sadly, to Khmer and Hindu people throughout the world, the temple of Preah Vihear is a spiritual site that deserves respect above the affairs of governments and armies.

To honor the temple’s sacred nature, a special group of children gathered there on August 17, 2010 to perform a religious ceremony of rare intensity called a “buong suong“. At that time, sixty-two young girls danced a sacred ritual praying for peace.

All the children are students at the Conservatoire NKFC Samdech Preah Ream Buppha Devi, the first school of Cambodian dance to operate under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Buppha Devi.

The peace ritual was organized by Ravynn Karet Coxen, founder of the Nginn-Karet Foundation for Cambodia, as part of her ongoing effort to bring purity and respect to Khmer temples throughout the region. Though unable to return to Preah Vihear due to the fighting, the NKFC troupe conducted another peace ritual 12 km from the Cambodian-Thai border on February 10, 2011, at the temple of Banteay Chhmar.

These children join people throughout the world who wish to see the sanctity of this and every sacred Khmer temple respected.

Other Resources

Click here to download a PDF of the European Parliament resolution on the border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia (117k)

Sacred Dance Arts Sooth Cambodian Souls

Cambodia Complains of Google Map Mistake at Preah Vihear

Preah Vihear on Wikipedia

Preah-Vihear.com – Useful maps and historical information

Khmer Temple Photo Index

62 barefoot dancers gather at the temple of Preah Vihear on the tense Cambodian-Thai border to perform a sacred ritual for peace led by Ravynn Karet-Coxen (right).

A religious ceremony of rare intensity took place August 17 in the temple of Preah Vihear, where sixty-two young girls danced a sacred ritual to pray for peace. Originating the event was Ravynn Karet Coxen, founder of the Nginn-Karet Foundation for Cambodia.

By Frédéric Amat

© 2010 Cambodge Soir – This translation of the original article appears with the permission of the copyright holder. No further reproduction is permitted.

PREAH VIHEAR, CAMBODIA — Sixty-two girls, entirely dressed in white reminiscent of Rome’s Vestal Virgins, performed a Buong Suong (sacred ritual) before the astonished eyes of soldiers stationed in the heart of Preah Vihear temple, which is located four hours by road from Siem Reap.

All the dancers come from impoverished families living in the villages of Banteay Srey district, which is considered to be the cradle of the Khmer culture. All attend classes at the Conservatoire Buppha Devi, which was founded by the Nginn Karet Foundation and named for its Royal Patron. With specialized dance and music teachers, the Conservatoire offers these disadvantaged children from farming families the opportunity to learn the refined disciplines of classical dance, folk dance, music and shadow theater thereby discovering their country’s ancient culture and learning traditional Cambodian values.

The troupe of Nginn Karet Foundation dancers gather at Preah Vihear

According to Ravynn, “our institution doesn’t aim to train these young artists to later work in the tourist venues of nearby Siem Reap town. The arts we teach develop the spirit, mind and body by creating close communion with nature. These young dancers train to perform sacred rituals that honor and invoke our gods with the pure respect of our ancestral traditions.

“These rituals, and their associated gestures, have been developed over a thousand years to petition the heavens to bless our country and to attract prosperity and abundance to our land. Today, Angkor’s temples are perceived more for tourism or for their archaeological aspects, but rarely for their spiritual quality, which is a pity. Our goal is to re-sanctify our ancestor’s temples with these purifying rites”.

Sacred dancers ascending Preah Vihear temple with offerings of peace.

For these young artists, discipline is strict. They are required to regularly attend the training six half-days every week; the other half-days being devoted to academic studies.

In the Hindu (not Buddhist) ritual that took place at Preah Vihear — as for other ceremonies previously organized by Ravynn and members of her foundation — the dancers must be “pure”, which is to say virgins. They are not adorned with makeup or jewelry, so as to enhance the beauty of the gestures and to preserve the piety of the rites.

Gathering Lustral Water at Preah Vihear's sacred pond Srea Meas.

The adornments and offerings are therefore natural, carved by the dancers and teachers from banana trunks or designed with plants, flowers and fruits, each having a specific symbolic meaning.

“The same is true of our Institution of Royalty, which is paramount for the Khmer because it represents the divine presence on earth and the protection of the Kingdom. In accord with the ideals of the Devaraja religion of Jayavarman II, prayers, incantations and pilgrimages are all necessary to strengthen the soul of our country. I fundamentally believe that when the sacred sites have been respected as such, and re-sanctified, Cambodia will regain peace.

“It is with this goal that we organized this sacred ritual at Preah Vihear with 62 dancers. This number is not without significance, by the way. It commemorates the irrevocable judgment of the International Court of Justice of The Hague, delivered in 1962, that granted Cambodia the right to regain the sovereignty of Preah Vihear,” explains Ravynn, whose father, Nginn Karet, participated in the World Court proceedings as an expert engineer geographer.

The sacred dancers began their blessing ritual at the foot of the mountain.

So, at Preah Vihear, sixty-two dancers, candles and sticks of incense in hand, ascended hundreds of temple steps, from the mountain’s base to its final courtyard. The young ladies gently and beautifully invoked the names of all the Khmer gods, royal spirits, kings, spiritual masters, ancestors and the leaders of modern Cambodia, as they stopped at each Gopura (an entry structure on each level) to perform special ceremonies using lustral water gathered from the temple’s sacred pond of Srea Meas.

As the sacred ritual concluded storm clouds gathered and raindrops fell -- to the dancers it was a sign that their gods had heard their pleas for peace.

Focused on their ritual dance they reached the highest point at the edge of a cliff, offering their final prayers for tensions to subside so that this sacred site is again peaceful.

When all nine dance rituals were complete the witnesses were awed to see the sky darken. Within minutes lighting flashed, thunder rumbled and heavy rain descended near the mountain. On the top, only a mist of spray touched the gathered troupe of dancers, who saw it as a sign that the gods had heard their plea and accepted the Buong Suong.

This was the first time in many centuries that a sacred Hindu rite was celebrated in Preah Vihear temple; a rite for peace, at the summit of Cambodia, in this sanctuary mid-way between Heaven and Earth.

***

Cambodge Soir is the most important French language newspaper published in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It is distributed throughout the country and is available online for purchase by the single issue or by subscription (online edition).

Apsara Dance. From Apsara Mera, 26 October 2010 , Chaktomuk Conference Hall. © 2010 Anders Jirås.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia — A millennium ago, the Khmer civilization flourished in Southeast Asia and its legacy still shapes the region’s art and culture. The magnificent Khmer architecture is recognized worldwide in the temple of Angkor Wat and the stone faces of the Bayon. But this creative empire left a living legacy that still fascinates audiences today: the art of Cambodian dance.

Boung Soung Dance from the ceremony in preparation for the performance in the Lakhaon Festival 2009 at the Chenla Theatre. © 2010 Anders Jirås

Dazzling images of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia captured by Swedish photographer Anders Jirås form the basis of a special exhibit at the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Exhibition runs November 5, 2010 to January 31, 2011.

Sampeah Krou, before the classical dance drama Preah Anurudh, Preah Neang Ossa. Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, 6 June 2008, Chenla Theatre. © 2010 Anders Jirås

An architectural photographer by trade, Anders Jirås first visited Cambodia in 2005 and became interested in documenting the country’s unique performing arts. His first experiences with Cambodian performances were with students of Cambodian Living Arts and with Sovanna Phum, which specializes in the art of shadow puppetry. He was also captivated by a presentation of “les Nuits d’Angkor”, an annual dance presentation of the Ramayana by the Royal Ballet that began in 1995.

”The Swedish winter convinced me to return to Cambodia!” relates Anders. “This time I met Darryl Collins, an independent researcher working at the National Museum. In discussions with him and the museum directors the idea for this exhibit took shape.”

In 2008 Anders photographed the Royal Ballet for the first time. Through the connection and through the Lakhaon Festival at the French Cultural Center began photographing a wider range of Cambodian performing arts. But according to Anders Swedish interest in Cambodian Dance is not new, and actually began 99 years ago, with the visit of the Swedish Prince William in 1911. In the account of his trip, In the Land of the Sun, Prince William wrote:

“The first part of the programme was a prehistoric ballet of the gods…the dance contained a number of characteristic dances, such as flower, staff, fan dances, and so on, in which there was some very expert juggling with the different objects.

“One number, which specially took the fancy of the populace, was entitled ‘An angel, riding on a naga pursues a garuda through the air.’ The leading persons were hung from the roof by wires, which could be moved in elliptical orbits round the stage. Sprawling and gesticulating, they chased each other round the arena, looking exactly like children’s toys dangling on the end of a string.”

Cambodian dance is perhaps less flamboyant today, but no less fascinating as the series of full color photos in this special exhibit shows.

The exhibit was supported by Friends of Khmer Culture, a non-profit educational group with a long history of supporting positive projects in Cambodia.

Apsara Dance. From Apsara Mera, 26 October 2010, Chaktomuk Conference Hall. © 2010 Anders Jirås.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CAMBODIA INFORMATION

National Museum of Cambodia Official Site

Treasures of Khmer Culture-The National Museum of Cambodia

Cambodia’s National Museum Marks 90th Anniversary

CAMBODIAN DANCE – VIRTUAL PHOTO EXHIBIT

The Royal Ballet of Cambodia special exhibition is featured at the National Museum of Cambodia.

See the entire collection on the website of photographer Anders Jirås.

Article by Kent Davis, www.devata.org

NOTE: All photos of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia are copyright protected by Anders Jirås. For reprint permissions please contact the photographer directly.

Le Ballet Royal du Cambodge Paris performance.

By Kent Davis – Devata.org

PARIS — At the beginning of time, an extraordinary Hindu legend relates how the forces of good and evil worked together to create Amrita, the nectar of immortality. Today, humankind still seeks this magical elixir and Khmer dancers continue to recreate the tale.

The Royal Ballet of Cambodia will perform in Paris on October 10, 2010 with the support and collaboration of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia. Their performance is directly connected to their country’s thousand-year-old royal tradition of dance through the choreography, which was arranged by Cambodian Princess Buppha Devi.

Cambodian dancers in full costume.

The Princess, a former prima ballerina in this sacred art, is the daughter of former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, and the sister of the present King Sihamoni. At its origin, this dance form was only performed as an offering for gods and royalty. It has only been presented as a performance art in modern times.

“The Legend of the Apsara Mera” presents two Brahmanic tales that became integral to Khmer culture. Act I is the “Churning of the Sea of Milk” (“Le mythe du barattage de la mer de lait”). While the myth originated in India, Khmer interpretation and portrayal are unique, focusing on the naga, or cosmic serpent, and Vishnu at the center of the image balancing the forces of good (devas on the right below) and evil (asuras on the left).

Angkor Wat features the largest artistic representation of the Hindu legend of "the churning of the ocean of milk" on Earth. Visnu appears at the center with the naga Vasuki wrapped around Mt. Mandara. Vishnu also incarnates as his avatar, the turtle Kurma below, to provide a base. The demons, or asuras, pull on Visuki to the left as gods, or devas, pull on the right. This churns the ocean to manifest magical objects, including the apsaras that fly over the scene.

Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia is home to the largest artistic rendering of the “churning the sea of milk” on Earth; a bas-relief panel 49 yards wide. In considering the legend, the Cambodian dance history book Earth in Flower by Paul Cravath quotes French archaeologist Bernard-Philippe Groslier’s observation that the naga is the “god of the waters” that “haunts the whole of Khmer art, from the endlessly repeated theme of the churning of the Sea of Milk down to the most insignificant architectural element which will accommodate it.”

In addition to the elixir of immortality, the art of Angkor Wat reveals that something else associated with Khmer culture manifested from the ocean: the apsaras or celestial women who fly above the scene. Khmer art routinely features women and goddesses, with temples like Angkor Wat honoring women, even to the exclusion of men. The female dance tradition of Cambodia is closely associated with these ancient beliefs.

Performance by the Royal Cambodian Ballet. Copyright 2010 Anders Jiras.

Act II presents “The Legend of Kambu and Mera” (“La légende de Kambu et de Méra”). Quoting historian Thierry Solange, Earth in Flower describes how this legend establishes that “the origin of the kings of Cambodia goes back to the union of the hermit Kambu Svāyambhuva, eponymic ancestor of the Kambujas, with the celestial nymph Merā….” As Cravath explains, Svayambhuva means “self-creating,” and Merā was an apsaras or heavenly dancer given to him by Shiva.

The royal troupe features elaborate costumes, including beautiful new crowns replicating the ancient styles worn by women in the stone portraits at Angkor Wat.

A modern crown created for this special performance of the Royal Cambodian Ballet and a crowned devata seen on the West Gopura of Angkor Wat. Photo left - Copyright 2010 Anders Jiras. Right - Kent Davis

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Act I: The myth of the Churning of the Sea of Milk

Act II: The Legend of Kambu and Mera

Exécution musicale - Ngornly Seang, Pruong Proeung, Kong Chum, Kol Nol, Sok Chhem, Kimsour san

Chant – Borin Yann, Marey Doung, Sarath Hun

Danse – Phirum Meas, Chamroeumina Chap, Chansoda Chen, Sokhoeum Sok, Pech Heung, Viphearun Yann, Mary Prom, Savin Sam, Sathya Sam, Danida Muong, Borena Chhin, Thida Kao, Samphors Chamroeum, Phirum Keo, Limsothea Sam, Dalis Ou, Lin Seng, Vichivi Praseth, Vichheka Praseth, Chamroeuntola Chap, Chanmoly Vuth, Sovanney Samart, Khankanha Ram, Leakhena Im, Linda Hem, Sophy Yan, Chumnit Penh, Thavrak Seur, Yeng Yang

Chorégraphie – S.A.R. Norodom Buppha Devi, Proeung Chieng

Chorégraphie-Costumes – Soth Somaly

Interprète - Kor Borin

Costumes – Sim Mantha, Pen Sokhuon, Ros Yaran,

Décor -Sek Savuth

Soutien - Ministère de la Culture et des Beaux-Arts du Royaume du Cambodge, Ministère de la Culture et des Beaux-Arts du Royaume du Cambodge

PARIS

Sunday, 10/10 2010 16:00
Sunday, 10/10 2010 20:00

PARIS TICKET INFORMATION – FRENCH

PARIS TICKET INFORMATION – ENGLISH

BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS TICKET INFORMATION – FRENCH

Khmer culture is featured on WHYY TV's "Art of Life" series.

Extended  Interview with Rorng Sorn

The WHYY website now features an extended interview with Rorng Sorn, who was born in rural Cambodia in 1968. In the interview, Rorng Sorn recounts the difficult road from the countryside of Cambodia to the urban streets of Philadelphia.

Rorng Sorn interviewed on WHYY TV

Despite the challenges, Rorng Sorn achieved the education she so desired, earning a Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In return, she serves her community through her role as Executive Director of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia.

A portrait of Rorng Sorn's family before the war.

In her inspiring interview, Rorng Sorn describes her personal experience of what life was like for her family during the Khmer Rouge and the devastation that followed. Most important, she talks about how she became a leader in Philadelphia’s Khmer community so she could contribute to preserving her culture.

Links

The Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia

WHYY Art of Life features on Cambodian culture

Cambodian Dancer Chamoeun Yin – Philadelphia Folklore Project

Khmer Art Gallery – Philadelphia

Students learning the art of Khmer Classical Dance through the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia dance project.

Philadelphia, PA – A new segment on WHYY considers the artistic side of one of the world’s greatest, and most mysterious, civilizations: the Khmer.

Many Americans are familiar with the tragic Khmer Rouge genocide that brought many Cambodian refugees to our country in the 1980’s. But few know about the magnificent Khmer civilization that began flourishing in Southeast Asia in the 8th century. The Khmer legacy still inspires rich traditions of dance, music, fashion, literature and art that survive to this day.

As a segment on WHYY’s Art of Life series, producer Karen Smyles created Bridging Cambodian Culture to focus on unique people and cultural events in Philadelphia’s Khmer-American community.

The feature included Rorng Sorn, Executive Director of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia (CAGP), a foundation that has implemented social, health and education programs for Cambodian refugees and their families in Philadelphia for over thirty years.  Visit CAGP’s Facebook page here to become a fan.

The Khmer Art Gallery in Philadelphia features a variety of traditional and contemporary art from Cambodia.

The documentary also visits the  Khmer Art Gallery to meet founders Bonna Neang & Bob Weinstein. Hidden in the heart of Chinatown, the spacious gallery displays a vast array of artwork from Cambodia’s “Millennium of Glory,” from traditional pieces to the works of contemporary masters in stone, bronze, wood and fabric.

The WHYY feature coincides with the celebration of Cambodian New Year, April 13-15, a three day event filled with special meals, cultural presentations and religious ceremonies.

Watch a clip of the WHYY documentary Bridging Cambodian Culture here by selecting CHAPTER 2.

Khmer Classical Dance students in traditional costumes study with the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia dance project

NKFC dancer performs blessing ritual at Siem Reap city shrine. Photo Kent Davis.

By Aye Sapay and Cherry Thein © 2010 The Phnom Penh Post This article appears with the kind permission of the copyright holder. No further reproduction is permitted.

Siem Reap, Cambodia – Fourteen young Khmer girls, dressed in flowing white garb with coconut flowers in their hair, danced sinuously to the rhythm of traditional classical music. The Preah Ang Chiek Preah Ang Chhorm Shrine in Siem Reap, next to the Royal Residence, was the venue enlightened by their sashays.

As the girls went through their paces on the evening of January 26, a growing band of lucky tourists gathered, gob-smacked, to watch this ritual unfold. The looks of delight on the crowd’s faces proved they knew they were seeing something special, but of course they were unaware of the significance of the proceedings.

They were unaware that the shrine where the ritual was taking place was the most sacred site in Siem Reap and that the images of the divinities within the shrine are considered the most powerful in the town.

They were unaware, too, that the ritual was unfolding in the presence of royalty and that two of the three women sitting on a prayer mat among the dancers were princesses, including one of Cambodia’s most legendary classical dancers, Her Royal Highness Princess Buppha Devi, and her daughter, Princess Norodom Sisowath.

The third woman was the “mother” of the tribe of little dancers, Lady Ravynn Karet-Coxen, although she was quick to say, “You can drop the lady bit and just call me Ravynn Karet-Coxen as it is more in tune with the work I do with the most destitute, thank you.”

HRH Princess Buppha Devi and Ravynn Karet-Coxen preparing a morning ceremony at the NKFC school. Photo © Anders Jiras.

The dancing girls were part of a troupe of more than 160 children who had been lovingly trained by Ravynn Karet-Coxen, the founder of the Nginn Karet Foundation for Cambodia (NKFC) Conservatoire Preah Ream Bopha Devidance school, of which Coxen is chairperson.

Princess Buppha Devi, the patron of the school, had come to the sacred shrine on the evening of January 26 to partake in the ritual and to pray for the good health of King Father Sihanouk and King Sihamoni, to pray for the government so that it can lead the country well, and to pray to the dance divinity and the dance spirit of ancient Angkor.

But more importantly, the ritual at the shrine was the culmination of a day of celebration marking the third anniversary of the Royal Patronage of Ravynn Karet-Coxen’s dance school at nearby Banteay Srey; the first and only arts school in the Angkor Archaeological Park and the only school of its kind in the Kingdom.

The onlooking tourists were lucky to see the performance because usually the dancers are hidden and protected from the prying eyes to “preserve their purity” as Ravynn Karet-Coxen put it.

Girls and boys train in folk dance and traditional music. Photo © Copyright Anders Jiras.

he said her school was not intended to train dancers to entertain people for money.

She proclaimed the dancing taught in her school helps the children learn to respect their god and divinities, and explained that the little dancers usually perform in temples and sacred areas for the gratification of the Gods and the King. Last year the dancers performed their first royal private performance for the king’s birthday.

She added that her dancers are never allowed to wear heavy costumes, jewellery or make-up on their faces, like the so-called traditional dancers who perform in public for tourists. Her dancers are also instructed to dance in bare feet on Mother Earth or on simple mats, and not on stages.

“We do not dance for entertainment or money,” Ravynn Karet-Coxen emphasised. “And certainly not to amuse tourists in the hotels. We don’t need that. We are dancing for our God.”

Rural students attend the school at no cost to their families, who live below poverty level. In 2010, NKFC initiated a program enabling supporters to sponsor young dancers and musicians. The cost is only $5 per week but even that small amount of money will change a child’s life and future.

Special thanks to photographer Anders Jiras for sharing his images for this article.

Earth in Flower: The Divine Mystery of the Cambodian Dance Drama

A wartime twist of fate made Paul Cravath one of the only Westerners in history to gain full access to the formerly sequestered troupe of the Royal Cambodian Ballet. In 1975 he interviewed royal dancers and teachers and gained full access to their theater and archives. Then, war and genocide nearly obliterated the thousand year old tradition.

Over the ages, Cambodia’s sacred dancers have been goddesses, priestesses, queens, concubines, hostages and diplomats. Cravath’s award-winning book Earth in Flower, reveals the complete details of their tradition for the first time. This multilingual newscast from Supreme Master TV documents the book and its awards:

Royal Cambodian Dance Book Wins Awards

Earth in Flower is dedicated to Her Royal Highness, Princess Buppha Devi, the living embodiment of Cambodia’s ancient royal dance tradition. In the video below, the princess performs a dance of offering for Cambodia’s former kings before her grandmother, Queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearirath.

This ritual offering in the Royal Palace is especially significant because it marked the occasion of Queen Kossamak passing responsibility for the unbroken royal tradition to her granddaughter.

With the special permission of Queen Kossamak  in 1961-62, a USIS film crew in Cambodia captured this sacred ritual and other performances. The film disappeared for decades only to reemerge from the US National Archives late in 2008.

In presenting her credentials to Cambodia, the the new US Ambassador Carol Rodley presented His Majesty King Sihamoni with a digital copy of the entire original film showing these historic Cambodian dance performances. This documentary of the Royal Cambodian Ballet is now available in DVD form on Amazon.com.

The DVD first features the troupe performing a dance about the legendary origins of Angkor; it then covers a visit to the school of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh with scenes showing dance instruction of boys and girls, a dress rehearsal, costume design, and mask-making. Finally, the DVD contains footage of the school’s graduation ceremonies, including a presentation of novices to the school’s patron Queen Kossmak. The conclusion is the solo dance by Princess Norodom Buppha Devi featured in the clip above.

In 2009, Princess Buppha Devi made her first official visit to the only school of dance in music in Cambodia under her royal patronage. Cambodia’s royal tradition now continues and individual donors are invited to sponsor dancers and musicians at the NKFC dance school to maintain this sacred legacy.

Women, children and the elderly all fell victim to the Khmer Rouge regime's brutal policies.

Banteay Srey, Cambodia – From 1975-1979 genocide swept the tiny Asian country of Cambodia like a firestorm. As the name implies, the “Khmer Rouge” perpetrators were of the same ethnic Khmer blood as their fellow citizens but communist fanaticism drove them to enslave their brothers and sisters. In four short years they killed nearly a quarter of the population through starvation, overwork and murder.

The Khmer Rouge aggressively targeted and systematically exterminated educated people, particularly those who practiced age-old traditions. An estimated 90% of the country’s dancers, musicians, artists and teachers died, leaving a cultural and spiritual vacuum in the hearts of the people. In 1979, a Vietnamese invasion wrested control from the Khmer Rouge in most of the country, but many guerillas retreated to the jungles and mountains of the north, where they dug in.

The remote Angkor region, former home to the Khmer civilization that flourished during the 8th to the 12 centuries, became a Khmer Rouge stronghold. Two decades passed. It wasn’t until 1995 that Siem Reap province was completely liberated, but by then an entire generation of people there had known only privation, fear and brutality.

A Daughter Returns to a Tortured Homeland

After Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953, King Sihanouk directed cartographer Nginn Karet to organize the Service Géographique Khmer, transferring national mapping responsibilities from the French government in Saigon to Cambodia. Through Karet’s work, Cambodia later proved ownership of the disputed border temple of Preah Vihear for the Cambodian people. Karet passed away in 1965 but left his Swiss wife and children with a profound love and respect for their shared country.

In 1994, after more than two decades of European exile, his daughter Ravynn Karet-Coxen committed herself to begin rebuilding her broken country. The family maintained many political contacts in Cambodia, including General Toan Chhay, a resistance leader who doggedly fought the communists throughout their occupation. Ravynn went to him to ask where she should begin? Where had people suffered the longest? Who had the greatest needs?

The general was quick to reply: the Banteay Srey district of Siem Reap Province had 2,500 rural families living in subhuman conditions. There were 14 villages with nearly 20,000 people trying to survive. He quickly advised Ravynn to begin elsewhere. Without realizing the extent of the crisis, Ravynn formed the Nginn-Karet Foundation (www.NKFC.org) and committed herself to begin helping the seven worst villages in the district.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said Ravynn in a telephone interview. “But nothing could have prepared me for what I found. When we first went to the villages I was speechless. Housing, sanitation, education and health services were almost non-existent.

“These people lived in abject poverty, barely surviving from day to day. It is shocking to say but some were living like animals. There was no clean water or hygiene. Children ran wild without supervision, care, education or direction. The primary occupation was scavenging forest wood to sell for a daily bowl of rice. They ate whatever insects or animals they could catch for protein.

“But these were just physical symptoms. What frightened me most was seeing the psychological devastation. There was no eye contact. There was no laughter. There was no emotion. Just numbness. These families had no hope, no future and no concept of bettering their living conditions or livelihoods.

“It tore my heart apart. Many times I wept and didn’t know if I could continue. This is why I named the foundation for my father. With my respect for his memory and his name I knew I would never quit. Never.”

Ravynn Karet-Coxen (center) at a village hygiene class.

Ravynn’s struggle continued. During the first years progress was slow and building relationships was next to impossible. Successes were few and far between. She agonized over whether her group could even accomplish the seemingly simple goals they had set. These people had never experienced empathy or compassion before and lethargy abounded.

“The few who spoke to me said that during the years of the Khmer Rouge each breath was a breath of fear. The Communist leaders were paranoid and capricious. They never hesitated to incarcerate, beat, torture or even execute a villager for the slighted infraction — actual or imagined. Neighbors spied on neighbors. I saw scars on their minds and bodies.

“We worked for years building schools, wells and latrines. We helped villagers improve their houses and taught them cleanliness. But the question I kept asking myself was what could restore these broken human spirits? All these material things didn’t seem to be working as well as they should.”

National Geographic's recreation of Angkor Wat temple in 1,150 AD.

Is Cambodia Actually a Land of Plenty?

In ancient times, the Angkor area was known as “The Land of Gold” and Cambodia was known throughout the region for its wealth. Rich forests and plains yielded far more fruit, rice, vegetables, fish and animals than the people could use. The Khmers exported their natural bounty to China and other neighbors. Yet today modern visitors find Cambodia a wasteland filled with starving, uneducated, impoverished people. What happened?

“I was baffled to see my country, where 80% of the population was involved in agriculture, suddenly forget how to grow even the most basic crops,” said Ravynn. “For generations, my people lived simple but comfortable lives of abundance in the forests. But now they have forgotten how to plant for the seasons, to make organic compost, to harvest and preserve vegetables, and so much more. In previous generations Cambodian mothers prided themselves in maintaining tidy homes, now I saw them living in squalor with children who no longer knew how to even brush their teeth. My heart ached.

“We spent years rebuilding the most basic village systems: providing clean water, sanitation, housing. Gradually villagers began, once again, to learn personal hygiene, farming skills, child care skills. People became more self sufficient, began taking charge of their futures and started to practice healthier lifestyles. But something was still missing.

“Then, two years ago, something wonderful happened. Some older villagers approached me to ask for our help opening a small school to teach traditional Cambodian dance. Here I pause to explain how powerful, important and sacred the dance tradition is to the culture of my country.

“For Khmer people, traditional dance and music are passions that flow in our veins. In Cambodia, dance is much more than entertainment or even art: dance is our way to speak to our gods and to thank them for the gifts of this rich land that we inhabit.

“The discipline, power and purity of Cambodian dance embraces all our religious and cultural values, values that have been passed down to us since the time of Angkor. Our dance not only teaches our most ancient legends and Buddhist values, these ancient rituals purify the soul and make Cambodian people one with our land. Cambodian dance gives inner peace.”

Children at NKFC study Cambodian classical and folk dance, as well as music.

New Blessings for the Khmer People

With the formation of NKFC’s dance school everything suddenly began to change. Parents remarked to foundation workers that children attending the new classes gained confidence, energy and strength. The revival of the traditional Khmer arts of music and dance drew families closer together, inspiring emotions and vitality unseen for decades. The power that permeates the land of the Khmers seemed to return to the area through the children.

According to Ravynn:

“We accidentally rediscovered the missing key, a timeless language of nature that flows in our veins. These simple arts began unshackling broken people from painful pasts, these gentle rhythms were a balm that brought love to their numbness. The children stood with confidence and walked proudly. Parents re-embraced traditional Cambodian family values in their hearts and minds.

“I realized that our earlier efforts had gone to improving physical things — homes, crops, water supply — but even then, the eyes were still empty. But now, through the wellspring of Khmer traditions, we are reviving ancient strengths and sacred arts that heal villagers and their children from the inside. For the first time, I clearly see that we are truly nourishing the souls of our people.”

The skill of the dance and music school students has progressed beyond everyone’s expectations. The modest facilities, open air thatched roof pavilions with three full time teachers, accepted new students as donations allowed.

NKFC students practice 6 days per week, in open air pavilions and no electricity. Music is provided by cassette players powered by car batteries.

In 2006, Ravynn met with Her Royal Highness Princess Buppha Devi to present the idea of a rural dance and music school. The Princess, already familiar with Ravynn’s record of success with village improvements offer to become the school’s official patron. Ravynn organized the school but waited more than two years before formally accepting the royal acknowledgment.

In 2009, the students performed for King Sihamoni at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, an incredibly rare honor for any dance performance in Cambodia. Following that performance, Ravynn officially named the school the  “NKFC Conservatoire – Preah Ream Buppha Devi Chhouk Sar – Banteay Srey.”

NKFC students dance for His Majesty King Sihamoni at the Royal Palace.

H.M. King Sihamoni recognized every dancer with a personal greeting as Ravynn Karet-Coxen witnessed the blessings.

In 2010, the school has accepted 163 students to train. Children and their families pay nothing to attend so the opportunity is based on finding personal sponsors for each child. The cost is less than $5 per week per student, but even that amount is beyond the ability of the local families.

Sponsoring a young dancer or musician is easy,  quick and rewarding. You truly have the opportunity to participate in the spiritual and cultural reawakening of a deserving land.