DANCE 45 Chapter Notes - Chapter All Chapters: Royal Ballet Of Cambodia, London Missionary Society, Classical Ballet
Document Summary
Most traditional dance in societies: women"s movements generally more restricted than men"s. In west, opposite, but not less modest than other societies. Classical ballet tries to transcend physicality of bodies by creating illusion they are eternal beings (ironic b/c elegant/beautiful, but some people do it naked) Cambodia national identity associated with classical court dance. 9th mid-15th century, khmer empire ruled s. e. Empire supported court dancers, played role in fertility rites/ancestor worship. Dance/dancers integral to social/religious fabric of cambodia. When angkor was sacked, took dancers w/ them, but dance tradition survived. The king"s dancers - performed ancient rituals/dances in king"s palace. Slow, smooth, wavelike, synchronized movements, stand in same spot for long periods, one leg raised and bent at the knee and fingers curled back towards wrists, appear to be boneless. The khmer rouge captured capital phnom penh (1975), overthrown in 1979. New gov. made priority to restore dance to establish its legitimacy w/ eyes of cambodians.
