Foreigners are generally NOT keen on Cambodian pop.

Maybe they should pay more attention, as this savvy article spells out.
http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/song-and-dance-hun-sens-other-power-play/

This music forms a constant background soundtrack to life in Cambodia, where the majority party oversees the vast majority of the media as well.

Of course, community advocates engaging with the powers that be also use music – beyond the highly public offerings from The Messenger Band and legendary Chapei player Kung Nei (a former resident of Dey Krahom) to ‘Gagnam Style’ – the latter used when delivering an anti-evictions petition.

Note the sunglasses and kramas. Protests are photographed and recorded studiously by the police. Which is why there are protest songs but very few singers who will publicly associate themselves with ‘controversial’ lyrics. For sharing topical songs, it’s all about context, as seen above.

There is a large body of colloquial Cambodian songs and slogans that have not been documented, arising from communities experiencing land grabs and economic distress. If you’re an anthropologist or ethnomusicologist, know Khmer and have a digital recorder, there’s a PhD thesis topic for you.

For the next Cambodia election, it will be fun to explore the aesthetic approach of candidates and platforms. It sure reveals a lot about their underlying perspective. But a dance-off or Cambodian Idol competition to choose representatives is probably off the cards.

Well, the Mekong ICT Camp introduced a segment on ‘Unconferences‘. We were encouraged to choose a topic that was not our primary skill or occupation. Sunil chose palmistry. (Hugely popular).  Michael chose yoga. I raised my hand for ‘Ballroom Dancing in 10 Minutes’.

(Above/below pix courtesy Aimeng Pattanaiem)

In all honesty this was ‘Look Like You’re Ballroom Dancing in 10 Minutes’. I taught the attendees (1) the basic posture, (2) how to do a spin, and (3) how to ‘dip’ their partner at the end of the song to look cool. Simple.

By the end of the sessions Michael had booked a yoga class for 6:30 AM the next day, and I had agreed to teach a longer class at 8pm that evening. My experience? Some training in middle school, and a few weeks hanging with the Phnom Penh Swing group. I’m not exactly an expert.

Justin loaned me his IPod with some swing classics, but even those were a tad fast. I was looking for slow songs with a basic 4/4 beat. Really slow, to start out with. So I went for the classics:  Sin Si Simuth. People drifted into the conference room and we went through a few basics.

And what should come on as the third or fourth number? ‘Bopha Chiang Mai’, about a Khmer man who falls in love with a Thai woman.

By this time Tharum had shown up. He had been waiting for an opportunity all week to share Laura Mam‘s version of the same song. We ended up unplugging my Ipod and holding a microphone next to Tharum’s laptop speakers.

It was really fun to encourage people to loosen up. Southeast Asian dancing is not terribly ‘hands on’ so it was fun to see Burmese, Khmer, Lao and Thai folks try something different, resulting in a lot of joking and smiles.

(Last photo courtesy Dan Meredith)

By that time enough people had joined that it was getting tricky to manage. Different skill levels, different languages. We ended the class after an hour with a track from ‘Cambodian Rocks‘.

Linkage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_Sisamouth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrloLkHqx2Y
http://asiancorrespondent.com/tharum-bun-blog/the-flower-of-chiang-mai-a-romantic-episode-of-cambodia-thailand
http://www.youtube.com/user/LauraMamMusic
http://www.pppswings.com
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/12/cambodian-rocks.html

Tags: cambodia,thailand,music,khmer,mekongict

Khmer New Year is coming up!

Tags: cambodia,khmer,new year,holiday

Well, it made for a snappy title. I should probably say ‘love laughs at the problems and discrimination associated with leprosy’, but I think readers will get the general idea.

With National Culture Day approaching, here’s some sights from the ongoing performances at the Chaktomuk.

This is a dress rehearsal for Kok Thlok Theatre Company, for their presentation of colored shadow puppets (quite rare) “Prah Thin Vong Neng Prah Neang Pov”. (The title of the story is the names of the leading characters.) Boy meets girl. Girl likes boy, but it turns out he’s a leper. (And really a prince in disguise). Her sisters and family shun Neang Pov, hijinks ensue, and prejudice gets the boot.

If the schedule is correct, performance  repeats 8:30 am Sunday. I’ll be curious to see what goes on at ‘La Rue Dance’ @  Wat Botum 6:30pm Sunday evening. (Thanks Andy for the reminder!) http://www.andybrouwer.co.uk/blog/2010/02/street-performance.html

Postscript: The Phnom Penh Post finally gets its act in gear as the festival ENDS:
Folk dance headlines two-week culture fest
Forgotten form of theatre comes out of the shadows

Tags: cambodia,dance,khmer,theatre

I was down the pub to get some takeway when a friend walked in.
“I’m just in from the theatre,” she said, “they’re having performances through March first.” Apparently several times a day.

Now, I have had my head pulled  in like a turtle this last week due to work.

But for the life of me I could see nothing on the web or in the (English or French) press. LadyPenh / Expat-Advisory / Phnom Penh Post / Cambodia Daily, BongThom, Asialife?

Anybody? TaxiVantha? (That was a friendly nudge, kindly correct me if I’m wrong.) Despite the best efforts of many arts groups, there’s still a pretty big cultural divide, largely due to language. I prefer to blunder in whenever possible, you never know what you’ll discover.

I have managed to score a Khmer events program, (blogged up as a scan) and will link up a translation shortly. There is a lot of culture to be explored in Phnom Penh, but sometimes it’s a bit of a treasure hunt. Chaktomuk ahoy!

More from Andy:
http://www.andybrouwer.co.uk/blog/2010/02/taking-stage.html
http://www.andybrouwer.co.uk/blog/2010/02/street-performance.html
http://www.andybrouwer.co.uk/blog/2010/02/festival-season.html

Feb 25 Postscript: Very Rough Draft Translated schedule

(Earlier draft in comments below, subject to change.)

On the Festival of Khmer Theatrical Performance of the Kingdom of Cambodia

1st Day: Thursday 18th February 2010
Time: 16:00
Opening Festival of Khmer Theatrical Performance of Kingdom of Cambodia 2010, preside over Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and Lok Chumteav

2nd Day: Friday 19th February 2010
Starting Competition Process

Morning:
8:00 Lakhon Yike “Buddha Brovat” performed by the Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Takeo Province

10:00 Lakhon Bassac “Dong Sovann Chan Kiri” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Kep City

Evening:
2:30 Lakhon Yike “Brovat Phnom Sompov” performed by the Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Battambang Province

5pm Committee Meeting

3rd Day: Saturday 20th February 2010

8:00 Lakhon Yike “Mekhantragoun Phnon Kachol”performed by the Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Kompong Speu province.

2:30 Lakhon Bassac “Khla Osleak”performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Koh Kong province

5:00 Committee Meeting

4th Day: Sunday 21st February 2010

Morning
10:00 Lakhon Bassac “Bontong Maratak” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Svay Rieng Province

Evening:
2:30 Lakhon Niayay, “Phkarik Ottong” performed by the Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Ratanakiri province

5:00 Committee Meeting

5th Day Monday 22 February 2010

8:00 Lakhon Niayay “Kon Khos Heuy Me”performed by Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Bay Len province

Evening

2:30 Lakhon Bassac “Tejo Meas” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Kompong Thom province.

5:00 Committee Meeting

6th Day: Tuesday 23rd February 2010

Morning:
8:00 Lakhon Yike “Tondakam Chivit” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Kompong Chnang Province

10:00 Lakhon Bassac “Maratak Kon Ploh” performed by the Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Prey Veng Province

Evening:
2:30 Lakhon Bassac “Tip Sangva” performed by Bodyguard Unit.

5:00 Committee Meeting

7th Day: Wednesday 24th February 2010

10:00 Lakhon Bassac “Tom Nuogn Phsot”performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Kratie Province

2:30: Lakhon Bassac “Thnam Su Kom Heng Phop” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Kompong Cham Province.

5:00 Committee Meeting

8th Day: Thursday 25th February 2010

8:00 Lakhon Yike “Khun Hluong Prah Stach Kon” performed by Bodyguard Unit

10:00 Lakhon Bassac “Bandam Morakat” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Banteay Meanchey Province.

Evening:
2:30 Dance “Radovayattava Chor”performed by Khmer Art Institute

5:00 Committee Meeting.

9th Day: Friday 26 February 2010

8:00 Lakhon Bassac “Daravichhay Malay Sorya” performed by Department of Culture and Fine Arts, Kampot province

Evening
2:30 Lakhon Pleng Kar “Petibokleak” performed by Cambodian Living Arts

5:00 Committee Meeting

10th Day Saturday 27 February 2010

8:00 Lakhon Yike “Chab Cheab Kabbas” performed by Cambodian Living Arts

10:00 Lakhon Bassac “Preah Ko Bot Prah Sorya” Performed by Department of Culture and Fine Art, Kandal Province

Evening

2:30 Lakhon Sromol Sbek Thom “Sokkacha” performed by Sovanna Phum Art Association

5:00 Committee Meeting

11th Day: Sunday 28th February 2010

8:30 Lakhon Sbek Por “Prah Thin Vong Neng Prah Neang Pov”performed by Khok Thlok Art Association

10:00 Lakhon Sbaek “Bhuddho” performed by Khmer Amatak association

5:00 Committee meeting

* * *

Notice:

Monday 1st March 2010
Full day: The committee will open the meeting to evaluate all art presentations and classify the competitive results.

Tuesday 02 March 2010
Full day: Celebration on (upcoming?) National Cultural Day and pubulication of results of theatre performance

Wednesday 03 March 2010
Celebrate the National Cultural Day 03/03/2010
Closing Festival of National Khmer Theatrical Performance, presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen

Tags: cambodia,dance,khmer,theatre