Khmer Classical Dance Troupe
| Khmer Classical Dance Troupe | |
|---|---|
| Alternative names | Khmer Classical Dancers; Khmer Classical Arts Association |
| Type | Arts and culture |
| Focus areas | Cambodian classical dance; music; performances |
| Subjects | Dance & Theatre; Migration & Diaspora; History & Remembrance |
| State / province | Maryland |
| Country | United States |
| Operating status | unverified |
The Khmer Classical Dance Troupe was an ensemble of Cambodian refugee dancers, singers and musicians formed in the refugee camps on the Thai border after 1979 and reorganized in the Silver Spring, Maryland area in the early 1980s under the direction of court dancer Peou Khatna. It was also presented as the Khmer Classical Dancers and, in accounts by its members, as the Khmer Classical Arts Association. (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna; The New York Times, Dance: Khmer Classics (1981); Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
History
After the Vietnamese invasion of 1979, Peou Khatna and a few surviving teachers and dancers of the Royal Ballet reached the refugee camps on the Thai border. Within a few months a core group formed an ensemble of 25 former dancers, singers, musicians and a mask maker. Members' accounts place its formation at the Khao-I-Dang camp, led by Peou Khatna and Rachana Nuth. Thousands gathered to watch the troupe practice in the camps. (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna; Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
In 1980 and 1981, with help from the U.S. State Department, international refugee organizations and the National Council for the Traditional Arts, many of the dancers and musicians resettled in the Silver Spring area. They organized a third time, improvised costumes and recreated the palace dances from memory. The troupe was presented across the country and featured in the documentary Dance of Tears. (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna)
Peou Khatna later led the dance program of the Cambodian Buddhist Society's cultural program in Silver Spring, rallying dance teachers in the area. Several former troupe members teach there. See Cambodian Buddhist Society Silver Spring. (Cambodian Buddhist Society, cultural program; Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
Lineage and training
Peou Khatna began training in Khmer dance at the age of seven and performed lead roles with the palace troupe until about 1945, when she became a choreographer, costumer and instructor. She had appeared in the United States with the Royal Ballet in 1971. (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna)
Performances and recognition
- A November 1981 performance at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where The New York Times reported that 2,000 people were turned away (The New York Times, Dance: Khmer Classics (1981))
- Touring performances by members at venues including Epcot Center, the Kennedy Center, the White House, Disneyland and Wolf Trap (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- The documentary Dance of Tears (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna)
People
People the sources name in connection with the troupe: (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna; Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- Peou Khatna, director (National Endowment for the Arts, Peou Khatna)
- Rachana Nuth, co-founder in Khao-I-Dang and a teacher from the Royal Palace (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- Ny Jewell, lead dancer on the United States tour (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- Khantya Nou, dancer in the demon role (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- Puthyrith Sek, dancer in the male and monkey roles (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- Viphas Heng, dancer in the monkey role (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
- Master Ngek Chum, musician, who toured with the troupe (Cambodian Buddhist Society Cultural Group, faculty (2011))
See also
- Cambodian classical dance
- Royal Ballet of Cambodia
- Cambodian Buddhist Society Silver Spring
- Cambodian Celestial Dance
- All organizations