The Cambodian Festival is hot with dance. Last week (April 18 & 19) at The Abrons Art Center, choreographers
Chey Chankethya and Peter Chin both presented works through Amrita Performing Arts (“…an international NGO based in Phnom Penh, with US nonprofit status…committed to creating Cambodian contemporary dance and theater, responding to the creative drive of a young generation of artrists…” writes the folks at Amrita. Chankethya, choreographer, performer and sound designer in My Mother And I prompts questions about upholding a longtime tradition and invokes her mother to the stage as she recalls going to dance school to learn
traditional dances with the “Master.” All the while moving with bent knees ever so articulately, one foot at a
time, led by a heel then through the foot, ending with toes curled way back to towards her ankle, or shape-shifting her arms to end with her wrists bent really far back with fingers nearly touching her wrists. Her musings and movement though presented through a contemporary vein rang heavy with the tradition. Chin’s Olden New Golden Blue with Chankethya, Chy Ratana, Chumvan Sodhachivy, Khon Chan Sithyka, Phon Sopheap
and Noun Sovitou was yet another strong contemporary work built on folk tradition. Chin bravely delivers
traditional movement of the monkey when each of the three male performers masterfully traverse the stage gallantly on all fours articulating the shoulders, hips and torso to move from one area to another, but contrasts with his contemporary movement vocabulary; a twist on articulating the appendages, including a bit of hip hop, for example. The cast delivers story, texts, song and dance with terrific balance.
See more dance from the Festival here: http://seasonofcambodia.org/event/khmeropedies-iii-2-2/
Chey Chankethya and Peter Chin both presented works through Amrita Performing Arts (“…an international NGO based in Phnom Penh, with US nonprofit status…committed to creating Cambodian contemporary dance and theater, responding to the creative drive of a young generation of artrists…” writes the folks at Amrita. Chankethya, choreographer, performer and sound designer in My Mother And I prompts questions about upholding a longtime tradition and invokes her mother to the stage as she recalls going to dance school to learn
traditional dances with the “Master.” All the while moving with bent knees ever so articulately, one foot at a
time, led by a heel then through the foot, ending with toes curled way back to towards her ankle, or shape-shifting her arms to end with her wrists bent really far back with fingers nearly touching her wrists. Her musings and movement though presented through a contemporary vein rang heavy with the tradition. Chin’s Olden New Golden Blue with Chankethya, Chy Ratana, Chumvan Sodhachivy, Khon Chan Sithyka, Phon Sopheap
and Noun Sovitou was yet another strong contemporary work built on folk tradition. Chin bravely delivers
traditional movement of the monkey when each of the three male performers masterfully traverse the stage gallantly on all fours articulating the shoulders, hips and torso to move from one area to another, but contrasts with his contemporary movement vocabulary; a twist on articulating the appendages, including a bit of hip hop, for example. The cast delivers story, texts, song and dance with terrific balance.
See more dance from the Festival here: http://seasonofcambodia.org/event/khmeropedies-iii-2-2/
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