Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Folk dance is another popular element of dance performances that are regularly staged
for visitors in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Folk dances draw on rural lifestyle and cultur-
al traditions for their inspiration. One of the most popular folk dances is
robam kom arek,
involving bamboo poles and some nimble footwork. Also popular are fishing and harvest-
themed dances that include plenty of flirtatious interaction between male and female per-
formers.
Other celebrated dances are only performed at certain festivals or at certain times of
year. The
trot
is very popular at Khmer New Year to ward off evil spirits from the home or
business. A dancer in a deer costume runs through the property pursued by a hunter and is
eventually slain.
Check out
www.tinytoones.org
for more on a hip-hop cooperative seeking to inspire the youth
of Cambodia to adopt a healthier lifestyle free of drugs and exposure to HIV. Keep an eye out
for their performances around Phnom Penh.
Chinese New Year (
Tet
to the Vietnamese in Cambodia) sees elaborate lion dances per-
formed all over Phnom Penh and other major cities in Cambodia.
Contemporary dances include the popular
rom vong
(circle dance), which is likely to
have originated in neighbouring Laos. Dancers move around in a circle taking three steps
forward and two steps back. Hip hop and break-dancing is fast gaining popularity among
urban youngsters and is regularly performed at outdoor events.
SPORT IN CAMBODIA
The national sport of Cambodia is
pradal serey
(Cambodian kickboxing). It's similar to kickboxing in
Thailand (don't make the mistake of calling it Thai boxing over here, though) and there are regular
weekend bouts on CTN and TV5. It's also possible to go to the TV arenas and watch the fights live.
Football is another national obsession, although the Cambodian team is a real minnow, even by Asi-
an standards. Many Cambodians follow the Premier League in England religiously and regularly bet
on games.
The French game of
pétanque,
also called
boules
, is also very popular here and the Cambodian
team has won several medals in regional games.
