Below are items highly recommended for all tourists to experience when visiting Cambodia. These are ‘Assets’ recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Uniquely Cambodian, the Khmer Classical Dance which includes the famous Apsara dance, the Lakhon Khol and Sbek Thom or Shadow Theatre have been preserved through generations. The irreplaceable Num Banh Chok, a quintessential Cambodia noodle dish has also been passed from generation to generation.
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cambodia – Royal Belle or Robam Preah Reach Trop
The Khmer Classical Dance or Robam Preah Reach Trop, is Cambodia’s premier performing art form; a highly stylized dance form originated from the royal courts, performed and maintained by attendants of the royal palaces.
Two of the most performed classical dances are the Robam Chuon Por (Wishing dance) and the Robam Tep Apsara (Apsara dance). These performances feature elaborately costumed dancers performing slow and figurative gestures to the musical accompaniment of a traditional musical ensemble.
Proof that this delicate dance form existed as early as the 7th century can be seen in carvings at Sambor Prei Kuk temples in Kampong Thom province, where these ethereal beings (Apsaras), have been immortalised in stone. Hundreds of Bas-reliefs depicting Apsaras can also be seen in the Angkor temple complex.
As evidenced by those carvings, Apsara dance has in fact been part of the Khmer culture for more than a millennium and is an essential part of the culture. According to Hindu mythology, Apsaras were beautiful female creatures that descended from heaven to entertain Gods and Kings with their dance and for centuries, the delights of Cambodia’s celestial Apsara dancers were a treat reserved for royalty and the gods.
This dance form was first introduced to foreign countries during the 1960s as the Khmer Royal Ballet and became widely celebrated as iconic of Cambodian culture, often performed during public events, holidays, and for tourists visiting Cambodia. Cambodian girls are trained from a very young age to acquire the flexibility required for executing intricate movements; some of which demand the ability to bend their fingers almost to their wrists. Every single movement of their fingers and every step they take, have a particular meaning.
A visit to Cambodia is only complete when one has attended at least one such traditional dance performance.
