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Here's an opportunity to take an introductory Fishing Dance lesson from expert teacher Samnang Hor. See what it's like to be in an actual class!
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The Fishing Dance is a Khmer folk dance. Folk dances are rooted in rural Cambodia and depict rituals of everyday village life. The Fishing Dance highlights love and romance against the background of fishing. The Fishing Dance features the story of 2 khmer youth falling in love.
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The Khmer Fishing Dance is one of the many Khmer dances taught by Master Teachers at the Angkor Dance Troupe. Check out our current programs to see how you can participate in one of our activities.
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The Angkor Dance Troupe regularly performs classical and folk dances throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and surrounding states for organizations and educational institutions. Learn more about how you can arrange to have us perform especially for you!
There is a saying in Cambodia, “Where there is water, there are fish.” In this dance, you see two traditional methods of catching fish, using braided bamboo baskets called CHHNEANG. Young women scoop up water from the river into their Chhneng. The baskets act as strainers – the water drains out through the bamboo leaving small fish in the basket. The men use bell-shaped traps called ANGKUT for catching large fish in shallow water.
Love and romance are favorite themes in Khmer stories and dance. In traditional Cambodian society, young people are carefully watched and have few opportunities to get to know one another. But the fishing quarter is one place they have a chance to meet.
At the beginning of the dance, young men come down to the river on one side and women from the other. You’ll notice how happy and excited they are when they see each other. As they fish, they flirt with each other. The boys playfully snatch the girls’ fishing baskets.
When the others leave, one young couple stays behind and falls in love. At the end of the dance, the others return to tease and congratulate them.
Each hand gesture signifies something different and is often performed in unison with other gestures, often in a very specific order. Many dances use common gestures.
Explore the meaning of Khmer hand gestures as you learn more about the beauty and the story of the dance.