|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By
:Ly Vanna, Photos Courtesy of Soeur Thavarak.
|
 |
|
|
The stylized beauty and
grace of professional
performers is stunning to watch.
|
| |
|
| The
word for monkey in Khmer is Sva. Since the
beginnings of Khmer civilization the monkey
dance and performance have held important
significance. The depictions are from the
Ream Ke (the Khmer version of the Indian Ramayana).
The main characters can be classified as either
representing Hanuman - the Monkey God who
is shown as white, or the simple soldier monkeys.
It is a well-known fact that this type of
performance is very difficult to perfect because
the performer must behave like a real monkey.
In fact, this is the case to such an extent,
that to be an exceptional dancer, one must
almost become a monkey. Technically, to be
a good monkey performer, the scene, the monkey
character, the style, and the music must gel
together of the monkey is one that Mr. Soeur
Thavarak knows only too well. He has been
a monkey dancer for over 12 years. He also
teaches Lakhorn Khorl - a type of Khmer theatre
in which all the performers are masked, at
the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom
Penh. "I observe the monkey to learn
their behavior so I can mimic it. I discover
new patterns of behavior that maintain my
styles and help me teach these to my students."
When he was a student, in the 1980's, he would
go to Wat Phnom and watch the monkeys there
to gain inspiration for his performance. In
1993 Mr. Thavarak and his colleagues decided
to divide the monkey performance into two
types of display: Sva Kbach (that means literally
monkey performance) and Sva Porll (that literally
means monkey soldier.) Sva Kbach is more dance
orientated and involves an open - chested
stance. The representation is that of Hanuman
(the white monkey God in the Ream Ke) and
is always the commander of the soldiers. This
style is more difficult to perform and is
more tiring than Sva Porll. |
|
|
Sva Porll
is born more out of direct mimicry of real monkeys.
The representations are those of soldier monkeys.
It is the unique nature of these styles and gestures
that has meant that Monkey Performance has become
a famous Cambodian cultural export. Performers have
traveled the globe showing the beauty of this cultural
heritage, for example in the United States, Australia,
France, Canada, Italy, and other Asian countries.
At the Royal University of Fine Arts the performer
start to learn their |
|
| |
|
 |
|
The soldier monkeys as
depicted in the monkey dance.
|
| |
|
lessons
from Grade Three: between the ages of eight
to twelve years old. They have to be physically
fit and must have the patience and passion
to study the art form for nine years. Nowadays
female performers are not taught, however
in the past there have been female performers.
"My mother used to perform as a monkey
performer in 1950s-60s but now she is over
60 years old" Mr. Thavarak remembers.
He continues to outline the syllabus: "I
always teach them both monkey dancing styles
and monkey characters. They are also taught
in the basics of Khmer traditional dancing,
giant dancing, poetry, music, composing, and
some kinds of theatre."
Mr. Thavarak notes the change in personality
of his students: "Normally, the behavior
of the students changes somewhat before and
after training. They are more active than
they were before the class but at the same
time they are more polite." |
|
| The
students will also receive training in the
rhythm of music and its implications for dance,
writing skills and also a degree of moral
advise from their teacher. They will need
all of their skills. Their genre of entertainment
is arguably one of the hardest. It takes strength,
stamina and commitment to achieve good results.
Perhaps the most important virtue to have
is that of patience, so precise and stylized
that one must take the time to learn and practice.
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
Practise makes perfect,
so does patience: Soeur Thavarak (left)
and pupil
|
| |
|
Sva
Kbach = 3 styles:
Leading troops
- one hand on the knee and one behind the
back holding a knife, walking forwards whilst
squatting.
Fighting - one
hand pushed forward at head height and one
held above and behind the head holding a knife.
Inspecting troops
- hands on thighs and moving sideways whilst
squatting facing his soldiers.
Other gestures include laughing - covering
the eyes and face with moving fist, whilst
moving the head from side to side and hopping
from leg to leg.
|
|
|
Sva
Porll = 10 walking styles:
Youl Chomheang - walking
sideways on all fours.
Sorntoh Kha’erk
- walking sideways on two legs .
Kha’erk Load -
jumping forward, like a crow.
Doeu Tea - walking
like a duck.
Doeu Dai - walking
on two hands.
Doeu Choeung Pi - walking
forwards on two legs.
Doeu Choeung Bei -
walking on two legs and an arm, in a diagonal direction.
Doeu Choeung Bei -
walking on two legs and one arm, moving forwards.
Doeu Cheung Buon -
walking forwards on all fours.
Doeu Cheung Buon -
walking forwards on all fours.
There are also ten running styles. These are adaptations
of the walking styles with some exceptions. In the
case of Doeu Dai - it is impossible to run on ones
hands. Thus, they do Roit Thea - running as a duck.
This actually consists of two styles: running shuffling
the feet and running scraping the ground to the
side.
In total, there are 40 gestures of Sva Kbach and
50 gestures of Sva Porl performance, including salutation
style and the lightly scratching style.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Previous
Article |
Next Article
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com |
|
|
Read
Leisure By :
