Robam Tep Apsara
| Robam Tep Apsara | |
|---|---|
| Khmer name | របាំទេពអប្សរា |
| Also known as | Apsara Dance; Robam Apsara; Dance of the Apsara Divinities |
| Practice type | Performing art |
| Usual occasion | Khmer New Year |
| Subjects | Dance & Theatre |
| Creator pages | Norodom Buppha Devi, Sisowath Kossamak, Voan Savay |
Robam Tep Apsara is a performing-art tradition practised in Cambodia and Khmer communities. (Wikipedia)
Practice
Robam Tep Apsara is a traditional dance in the repertoire of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, performed by women in tight-fitting traditional dress. Its graceful, sinuous gestures are codified to narrate classical myths or religious stories, accompanied by a pinpeat orchestra. The dance portrays Apsara Mehra in a garden, joined by Apsara maidens who present flowers symbolizing love for Cambodia and its people. (Wikipedia; https://www.triplekangkor.com/what-does-the-apsara-dance-symbolize-in-cambodia/; https://www.livingcambodia.asia/2024/dancing-into-khmer-new-year/ Asiakingtravel)
History
Apsaras are represented in dancing or poised-to-dance figures in the bas-reliefs of Cambodia’s Angkorian temples, while still, forward-facing female figures are distinguished as devatas. In the 1950s, Queen Sisowath Kossamak was inspired by a school performance of an Angkor apsara dance and recreated the form from the Phuong Neary dance, using pinpeat music and the song “Deum Chheung.” Princess Norodom Buppha Devi became the first professional apsara dancer of the modern era and performed the role internationally. (Wikipedia; https://www.triplekangkor.com/what-does-the-apsara-dance-symbolize-in-cambodia/; https://www.livingcambodia.asia/2024/dancing-into-khmer-new-year/ Asiakingtravel)
Variations
The lead dancer’s costume commonly includes a three-point headdress with two rows of spherical decorations, while subordinate dancers may wear a similar crown with one row; five-point crowns are often absent in modern routines. Costume details also vary, including the use of white for the lead dancer’s sampot and different arrangements of flowers and jewelry. (Wikipedia; https://www.triplekangkor.com/what-does-the-apsara-dance-symbolize-in-cambodia/; https://www.livingcambodia.asia/2024/dancing-into-khmer-new-year/ Asiakingtravel)
Communities and practitioners
The dance is kept and performed by women of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, with accompaniment by the pinpeat orchestra. Named performers include Princess Norodom Buppha Devi, Voan Savay, Yim Devi, Ouk Phalla, and Sin Sakkada. (Wikipedia; https://www.triplekangkor.com/what-does-the-apsara-dance-symbolize-in-cambodia/; https://www.livingcambodia.asia/2024/dancing-into-khmer-new-year/ Asiakingtravel)