Earth in Flower
Encyclopedia
Earth in Flower is a comprehensive historical analysis of Southeast Asia
’s most esoteric female performing art: the ancient Khmer classical dance
formerly known as the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. Over the past millennium, these women were living goddesses, priestesses, performers, queens, concubines, hostages and diplomats.
In May 2008, the first print edition of Earth in Flower will be released revealing complete details of this dance tradition and offering new insights into the origins and spiritual basis of this unique performing art.
researcher Paul Cravath one of the only Westerners in history to gain full access to the formerly sequestered troupe of royal dancers, their teachers, theater and archives. Following primary research in Cambodia
, Thailand
and Laos
, the author spent ten years doing archival and primary research in the United States
. After submitting the study as his doctoral thesis, the paper was only seen by a handful of researchers on microfilm available from UMI.
The primary sources that the Cambodian Ministry of Culture made available to the author where themselves unique. Even more critical was the time he gathered the information; between January and April, 1975. The author escaped Phnom Penh on a military transport with his research intact on April 6, 1975; the city fell to the Khmer Rouge
on April 15th, beginning one of the most destructive genocides in human history. Under the Khmer Rouge, most of the people and archives the author accessed were destroyed. It is estimated that 90% of Cambodia's dancers and teachers perished.
Beginning in 2005, the publisher and author collaborated to issue a publicly available edition of this research to add to the cultural record of the Cambodian people. The book edition of Earth in Flower contains the complete original thesis with additional photos, new graphics, and supplemental information.
, Prince Yong Kath, when she herself was a royal dancer. Saem’s skill impressed the princess, who adopted her as a foster child. In 1937, Despujols painted Saem on the Rainbow Bridge at Angkor Wat
where special dance performances were held; she holds her right hand in the classic gesture symbolizing a flower.
The interior page layout concept for this book was designed and developed by Sue Balcer of www.JustYourType.biz.
Saem’s “Cinderella
story” embodies the history of the Cambodian dance tradition and the hope of Cambodia’s future. In ancient times, girls from all levels of society pledged their service to temples and to learning the dance. Saem’s devotion to the art led to her royal adoption. Her story speaks to the modern Spirit of Cambodia, empowering women and men from every level in society to participate in the Khmer Renaissance.
scholarship in 1914. In 1936, the Société des Artistes Coloniaux in Paris selected Despujols to travel throughout French Indochina
to record his impressions on canvas and paper. His evocative works were only exhibited a few times until 1969 when they became part of the permanent collection of the Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College
in Shreveport, Louisiana
. The Meadows Museum of Art granted permission to feature this artwork on the cover of Earth in Flower.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
’s most esoteric female performing art: the ancient Khmer classical dance
Khmer classical dance
The Royal Ballet of Cambodia is a form of performing arts established in the royal courts of Cambodia for the purpose of entertainment as well as ceremonial propitiation...
formerly known as the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. Over the past millennium, these women were living goddesses, priestesses, performers, queens, concubines, hostages and diplomats.
In May 2008, the first print edition of Earth in Flower will be released revealing complete details of this dance tradition and offering new insights into the origins and spiritual basis of this unique performing art.
Research history
A wartime twist of fate during Cambodia's tumultuous Lon Nol regime made University of HawaiiUniversity of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
researcher Paul Cravath one of the only Westerners in history to gain full access to the formerly sequestered troupe of royal dancers, their teachers, theater and archives. Following primary research in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, the author spent ten years doing archival and primary research in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After submitting the study as his doctoral thesis, the paper was only seen by a handful of researchers on microfilm available from UMI.
The primary sources that the Cambodian Ministry of Culture made available to the author where themselves unique. Even more critical was the time he gathered the information; between January and April, 1975. The author escaped Phnom Penh on a military transport with his research intact on April 6, 1975; the city fell to the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
on April 15th, beginning one of the most destructive genocides in human history. Under the Khmer Rouge, most of the people and archives the author accessed were destroyed. It is estimated that 90% of Cambodia's dancers and teachers perished.
Beginning in 2005, the publisher and author collaborated to issue a publicly available edition of this research to add to the cultural record of the Cambodian people. The book edition of Earth in Flower contains the complete original thesis with additional photos, new graphics, and supplemental information.
Saem in Her Festival Attire by Jean Despujols
In the 1930s, Saem was a dancer with Princess Wongat Say Sangvann’s royal troupe in Phnom Penh. The princess married the youngest son of King Sisowath MonivongSisowath Monivong
Sisowath Monivong was the king of Cambodia from 1927 until his death in 1941.Sisowath Monivong was the second son of King Sisowath. He was born in Phnom Penh in 1875. During this time, his uncle, King Norodom was ruling from Odong, the capital at that time, as a puppet king for the French...
, Prince Yong Kath, when she herself was a royal dancer. Saem’s skill impressed the princess, who adopted her as a foster child. In 1937, Despujols painted Saem on the Rainbow Bridge at Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
where special dance performances were held; she holds her right hand in the classic gesture symbolizing a flower.
The interior page layout concept for this book was designed and developed by Sue Balcer of www.JustYourType.biz.
Saem’s “Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
story” embodies the history of the Cambodian dance tradition and the hope of Cambodia’s future. In ancient times, girls from all levels of society pledged their service to temples and to learning the dance. Saem’s devotion to the art led to her royal adoption. Her story speaks to the modern Spirit of Cambodia, empowering women and men from every level in society to participate in the Khmer Renaissance.
The Artist - Jean Despujols
Jean Despujols gained renown early in his career when he won the Prix de RomePrix de Rome
The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
scholarship in 1914. In 1936, the Société des Artistes Coloniaux in Paris selected Despujols to travel throughout French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
to record his impressions on canvas and paper. His evocative works were only exhibited a few times until 1969 when they became part of the permanent collection of the Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
in Shreveport, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The Meadows Museum of Art granted permission to feature this artwork on the cover of Earth in Flower.
Table of Contents
Earth in Flower - The Divine Mystery of the Cambodian Dance Drama| TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES & ILLUSTRATIONS PUBLISHER’S INTRODUCTION NOTES ON TRANSLITERATION ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE FOOTNOTES AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PREFACE CHAPTER I SOURCES OF THE STUDY Historical Perspective of the Present Study Structure of the Present Study CHAPTER II THE CULTURAL CONTEXT OF PRE-ANGKOREAN DANCE Earliest Evidence of Dance in Southeast Asia Cultural Similarities throughout Southeast Asia Dance in Funeral Rites and Megalithic Cultures Royal Genealogy Derived from Apsaras The Devarāja, Source of the King's Power Pre-Angkorean Temple Dance Sculptural Evidence Jayavarman II and Javanese Influence CHAPTER III ANGKOREAN DANCE: 802-1431 Angkorean Cosmology Religious Syncretism The Myth of the Origin of Dance Temple Dance Court Dance The Devatā The Apsaras Prior to Angkor Wat The Apsaras of Angkor Wat Twelfth Century Dance Dance in the Reign of Jayavarman VII The Dancer in Late Angkorean Bronze Post-Bayon Period Dance The Fate of Angkorean Dance CHAPTER IV KHMER DANCE: 1431-1981 The Fifteenth Century The Sixteenth Through Eighteenth Centuries The 1688 Account of La Loubere Dance in the Early Nineteenth Century Dance in the Reign of Ang Duong (1841-1859) Dance in the Reign of Norodom (1860-1904) Thai Dancers at Norodom's Court Early European Accounts of Dance Dance in the Reign of Sisowath (1904-1927) The Khmer Dancers in France Condition and Finances of the Lakhon Politics and Chanchhaya Pavilion Dance Personnel and Activities Non-Royal Dance French Attitudes Toward the Dance Dance in the Reign of Monivong (1928-1941) The Contribution of Princess Say Sangvann The Contribution of Khun Meak The Water Festival Monivong's Dancers The Thai Perspective Dance in the Sihanouk Era (1941-1970) Relations with the French Government The Contribution of Princess Kossamak Occasions of Performance Performance Locations The "Friendship" Dance Dance Personnel Dance in the Republic (1970-1975) and After The American Tour Dance During the Siege The Contribution of Chheng Phon The End of the Republic The Contribution of Mom Kamel The Contribution of Phan Phuong Classical Dance in Kampuchea The School of Fine Arts CHAPTER V THE MYTHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF KHMER DANCE The Myth of Liu Ye The Myth of Nāgī Somā The Myths of the Apsaras Mera and the Nāgī Earth Spirit The Legend of Neang Neak and Preah Thong The Primordial Maiden as Serpent |
The Primordial Maiden as Tree Spirit The Primordial Maiden and the Moon The Primordial Maiden as Earth Spirit The Unity of the Primordial Maiden Complementary Dualism in the Dance Drama The Dancer in Female Roles The Dancer in Male Roles The Dancer in Yakkha and Monkey Roles The Archetype of the Androgyne CHAPTER VI THE MODERN REPERTOIRE OF THE DANCE DRAMA The Dramatic Repertoire: Roeung Dramatic Themes The Dance Repertoire: Robam CHAPTER VII MUSIC. CHOREOGRAPHY & STAGING MUSIC AND CHANT IN THE DANCE DRAMA Music History The Sralay The Sampho The Skor Tom The Roneat The Kong The Chhing and Khrab Rehearsal Melodies Musical Structure of Entrances and Exits Dramatic Structure of Entrances and Exits Pinpeat Melodies The Chanters CHOREOGRAPHY IN THE DANCE DRAMA Khmer Choreography The Kbach The Hand Gestures The Emotions Floor Patterns Style of Choreography STAGING THE DANCE DRAMA Staging Techniques The Kré Floor PIan Representational Elements Lighting and Curtains Back Drops and Set Pieces Scene Changes Stage Attendants CHAPTER VIII THE ROYAL DANCER: TRAINING & COSTUMES DANCER TRAINING Entrance to Training Group Training Role Training Teaching Method Mental Qualities of the Dancer The Annual Awards Ceremony Life Style of the Palace Dancers DANCER COSTUMES The Costume Room The Costumes: Some General Distinctions Masculine Role Costumes Feminine Role Costumes Headgear and Flowers Masks Hand Props and Fingernails CHAPTER IX THE RITUAL FUNCTION OF KHMER DANCE Dance as a Traditional Offering The Ceremony of Buong Suong The Dancer and Spirit Mediumship The Sampho Drum and the Spirit World Face Makeup and the Spirit World The Tway Kru Ceremony and Bai Sei Offerings The Sampeah Kru Ceremony Lakhon Khol and the Spirit World Analogous Mask Empowerments The Ritual's End CHAPTER X CONCLUSION APPENDICES I. The Royal Palace Theatre, ca.1910 II. Royal Palace Performance Programs King Monivong Reign 1941-1961 III. The Structure of Chorus, Orchestra and Dance Components IV. Repertoire of the Pinpeat Orchestra About the Author Publisher’s Notes - The story behind Earth in Flower ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX |
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Books and articles citing Earth in Flower
- Apsara: The Feminine in Cambodian Art by Amy Catlin. JSTOR Asian Music, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Autumn, 1990 - Winter, 1991), pp. 173-174.
- The Cambridge Guide to Asian Theatre by James R. Brandon, 1993.
- Dance in Cambodia by Toni Samantha Phim, Ashley Thompson, 2000. ISBN 978-9835600593
- Dance of Life by Julie B. Mehta, 2001. ISBN 978-9812180858
- Domesticating the Empire: Race, Gender, and Family Life in French and Dutch Colonialism Edited by Julia Ann Clancy-Smith, Frances Gouda, 1998. ISBN 978-0813917818
- Khmer Court Dance JSTOR, Asian Music, Vol. 25, No. 1/2, 25th Anniversary Double Issue (1993 - 1994), pp. 322-326
- Ethnomusicology by Helen Myers, 1993. ISBN 0393033783
- "Female Imagery in Ancient Khmer Sculpture," by Dr. Robert L. Brown in Apsara: The Feminine in Khmer Art, ed. Amy Catlin (Los Angeles: the Woman's Building, 1987):6-10
- Oxford Journals: The Changing Religious Beliefs and Ritual Practices among Cambodians in Diaspora by Chean Rithy Men, 2002.
- PDF - Selected Resources - People from Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam Compiled by Judy Lewis, 1993.
- Sasagawa Hideo: Post/colonial Discourses on the Cambodian Court Dance Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 42, No. 4, March 2005
- Southeast Asian Languages and Literatures: A Bibliographical Guide to... By Ernst Ulrich Kratz, 2002.