Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor - The Rough Guide to Cambodia - page 150

APSARA DANCE
No visit to Cambodia is complete without at least a quick glimpse of women performing the
ancient art of apsara dance , as depicted on the walls of Angkor's temples. Wearing glittering
silk tunics, sequinned tops (into which they are sewn before each performance to achieve the
requisite tight fit) and elaborate golden headdresses, performers execute their movements
with deftness and deliberation, knees bent in plié, heels touching the floor first at each step,
coy smiles on their faces. Every position has its own particular symbolism - a finger pointing
to the sky, for instance, indicates “today”, while standing sideways to the audience with the sole
of the foot facing upwards represents flying.
In the reign of Jayavarman VII there were more than three thousand apsara dancers at court
- although dances were performed exclusively for the king, and so prized was their skill that
when the Thais sacked Angkor in the fifteenth century, they took a troupe of dancers back
home with them. Historically, the art form was taught only at the royal court , but so few
exponents survived the ravages of the Khmer Rouge that the genre was very nearly
extinguished. Subsequently, when Princess Boppha Devi - who had been a principal dancer
with the royal troupe - wished to revive it, she found it helpful to study temple panels to
establish the movements. It was not until 1995, a full sixteen years after the fall of the Khmer
Rouge, that Cambodians once again witnessed a public performance of apsara dance, at
Angkor Wat.
These days, the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh takes much of the
responsibility for training dancers, who are chosen not only for aptitude and youth (they start
as young as 7), but for the flexibility and elegance of their hands. It takes six years for students
to learn the 1500 intricate positions, and a further three to six years for them to attain the
required level of artistic maturity. Also taught is the other principal Cambodian dance genre,
tontay , in which the emphasis is on depicting folk tales and episodes from the Reamker . You'll
be able to watch both styles of Cambodian dance in the cultural performances put on by
hotels and restaurants in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

3

SHOPPING
Shopping in Siem Reap is second only to the capital for variety and quality, and in some ways it's much easier to shop here
since the outlets are much closer together. The city abounds in inexpensive souvenir stalls selling all manner of goods,
including T-shirts, silk tops and trousers, and traditional Khmer sampots in Western sizes (although note that many of the
textiles here, such as the fabric used to make the cotton sarongs with elephant motifs, are imported from Indonesia).

geared more towards locals (including a big fresh produce
section where you can pick up inexpensive spice packets).
Things become increasingly touristy as you head towards
the river, where you'll find dozens of little stalls heaped
with huge piles of cheap (mainly factory-made) cotton and
skill kramas , sampots , pashminas and other items of
clothing (including the ubiquitous elephant-motif skirts
and trousers), along with stalls selling silver, paintings,
carvings and fun bags made from recycled rice sacks, food
packaging and so on. Daily 10am-10pm.
Siem Reap Art Center Night Market East of the river
opposite Psar Chas; map p.139. Smart new market filled
with handicrafts shops. Much of the stuff is similar to that
found in Psar Chas and the Angkor Night Market, although
there are also some more upmarket stalls selling superior
carvings and jewellery.

MARKETS
Angkor Night Market Off Sivatha Blvd; map p.139.
There's some suprisingly good shopping tucked away inside
this touristy night market (once you've fought your way past
Siem Reap's pushiest massage girls on the approach road).
Right at the back (just to the right of the Island Bar by the
ABA Bank ATM) an unsigned and apparently nameless shop
sells a vast selection of quality handmade cotton and silk
kramas (from $4) including many designs you won't see on
factory-made pieces. Heading right around the back of the
market from here brings you to the small Nabren Leather
Carving Handicraft shop, selling interesting cowskin leather
shadow puppets. Alternatively, head to the right around
the back of the Island Bar to reach the Khmer Boutique
( T 012 345677), selling museum-quality Buddhist and
other authentic religious and other Khmer artefacts.
Directly opposite there's another good krama shop, with
demonstration loom. Most stalls 5/6-10/11pm.
Psar Chas (Old Market) By the river; map p.140. Siem
Reap's main market. The town-facing side of the market is

CRAFT SHOPS AND GALLERIES
Artisans d'Angkor West off the southern end of
Sivatha Blvd T 063 963330, W artisansdangkor.com;