Thai+Culture-+Classical+Dance

//Welcome to the Thai Culture Classical Dance page!// 

"Fawn Thai"**
 * Poetry in Motion

Thai Dance is also known as "Fawn Thai." Dance is a very important part of Thai culture. Its a dramatic art that helps people express themselves. There are two main forms, classical and folk dance. In different parts of Thailand, different forms of dance arise. All of the dance troupes in Thailand are part of the Royal Court.

There are five main types of classical dance, Fawn Leb [The Fingernails Dance], Fawn Marn Gumm Ber [The Butterfly Dance], Fawn Marn Mong Kol [The Happy Dance], Fawn Tian [The Candle Dance], or Fawn Ngiew [The Scarf Dance]. In a dance group, there are usually 4-6 people. They perform at many festivals to celebrate Thai Culture and royalty. At one point in time, Thai dance was an art performed for the royal courts of old Siam. But still today, Thai dance is a very important part of royal performances. Dance outfits are usually very vibrant with color and style. They differ region to region.

Fingernail dance groups usually have five dancers with six-inch long fingernails. The dance is more fluid while the arm and head movements are more robust. The long fingernails accent on the gentle and graceful hand movements. At some points in time, one pair or more dance in a kneeling position. Fiev to seven musicians play the traditional Siamese instruments [Glong Aw, the Bpee Mon, the Mon Tapone, the Glong Talod, the Sharb Yai, the Shing and the Mong], sitting in the lotus position while the dancers are doing their thing. Fawn Leb was once a sacred dance performed at court functions on days of festivals!
 * Fawn Leb** //[The Fingernail Dance][[image:http://www.fotosearch.com/comp/STK/STK010/bangkok-thai-dancing_~DJH50868.jpg width="194" height="156" align="right" caption="Fingernail Dance"]]//

This dance group usually consists on four pairs of dancers, four on left and four on right, in a wing position. They all hold lighted candles in each hand. The traditional Thai orchestra sits behind the dancers, at the very point of the dancers. The Candle Dance dancers are all dressed in full-length sarongs and jackets with a matching shoulder cloth. They also wear floral headpieces and hold the candles between the thumb and forefinger. Dancing slow and gentle with short steps while the shoulders and upper torso sway. It is ALWAYS held at night, hypnotizing the crowd.
 * Fawn Tian** //[The Candle Dance]//

There are a few more types of dances but there is not very much information on these! But there is one more type of dance: the Khon Dance.

Khon Dancing is like a play with dancing and not much talking! In the Khon dance, all of the dancers wear masks with acting and dancing. Each step has a certain meaning it, to represent emotions. Until the 19th century, men played all the roles: men and women roles. Sometimes, the actors cannot speak and may just use facial emotions. The major roles though do not wear masks but do speak. The masks represent the roles charactor and are covered with little beautiful designs. The music and dance moves show the atmosphere at the time- happy, sad, mad, etc.
 * [[image:dance.jpg width="258" height="137" align="left" caption="Khon performace in 2006 in Germany."]]Khon Dance**

media type="youtube" key="ZpfCJsMsBOE&hl=en" height="355" width="425"

Thai Classical Dancing

[|Classical Dance- CLICK HERE!] [|Khon Dance- CLICK HERE!]

Back to the HOMEPAGE! Thai Culture- Education BIBLIOGRAPHY Quiz