On September 1 2009 we premiered our first collaborative effort with the Japan Contemporary Dance Network under their program “We’re Gonna Go Dancing!!”. The work in progress, featuring eight of our dancers, was choreographed by Takiko Iwabochi.

Represents a new phase in the process of revival and preservation by completing a classical work that was only begun before the war, as opposed to reviving a previously finished work. This complete work of classical court dance was choreographed by HRH Princess Buppha Devi for whom the lead role was originally created by Queen Kossomak in 1955. It was premired in Phnom Penh in July 2008.

The original production of “Preah Anurudh Preah Neang Ossa” was choreographed by Ms. Pen Sok Huon, Director of the Dance School of the Secondary School of Fine Arts with support from the Asian Cultural Council/Rockefeller Mentorship Program. The unique nature of this work is the revival of “Kenor” (a mythical bird) role in Cambodian classical dance, both the dancing movements and costumes. The work was presented in Phnom Penh in June 2008.

This new work tells the story of Sovann Macha, a scene from the Reamker epic normally told only through classical dance and large shadow puppets, which recounts the building of the road to Langka by Hanuman’s army to save Sita, only to be destroyed by the mermaid Sovann Macha.  Hanuman seduces the mermaid after which the monkeys successfully rebuild the bridge and out of their relationship, comes Machanub, the half monkey, half mermaid warrior. The work is an outstanding marriage of traditional Cambodian circus and Lakhaon Kaol (classical male masked dance).

Let’s Talk about Love is an educational work of youth theatre that was produced in collaboration with Bhor all in Arts Center and Phare Ponleu Selpak. The production was funded by CARE International Cambodia and premiered in Phnom Penh in September 2007 and featured at the Epic Arts’s Spotlight Festival in February 2008.

A Miserable Village is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Yike theatre (Cambodian folk musical theater) The story captures an important segment of Cambodian history under French colonial rule and served as a fantastic creative vehicle for the artists to merge their traditional training with modern Cambodian history.

Neang Kakei is a work created in the form of Bassac theater (Cambodian opera theater). The work represents the  revival and development of the Bassac theater form. The artistic director and Bassac theater master Sek Savuth introduced new ideas on costumes and movements into this work as a result of workshops between Cambodian Bassac artists and Peking Opera master Wu Hsing-guo. Supported by the Asian Cultural council, the final work was presented in Phnom Penh in July 2006.

Revitalizing Monkeys and Giants was one of our first attempts at contemporary dance created in collaboration with Thai choreographer Pichet Klunchun. Six Lakhaon Kaol (classical male masked dance) dancers explore their ancient form without the benefit of their masks and elaborate costumes to create a work that is deeply provocative and intimate. This work premiered in Phnom Penh in March 2005 and later featured at the National Museum of Singapore in 2006, at the Singapore Arts Mart in June 2007, and at the TARI Festival in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia in July 2007.

Weyreap’s Battle is an episode from the Reamker – the Khmer version of the Ramayana epic. This particular episode was premiered in 1970 and was choreographed under artistic supervision of Chheng Phon, former minister of culture and information. This revival incorporates some of the original staging but is augmented with other styles of Lakhaon Kaol that have been researched from the traditions of the Lakhaon Kaol troupes from Battambang and Kandal Provinces. The gestures of the monkey role are based on the traditions from Battambang whereas those of the Giant role are based on the style of Wat Svay Andet in Kandal Province.

The work was produced in collaboration with the Department of Performing Arts and Royal University of Fine Arts.  The work premiered in Phnom Penh in February 2004, and featured at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand; Melbourne International Arts Festival in October 2005, and the Barbican Center in London in April 2007.