Hi everyone! I apologize for taking so long to write a new entry! I’ve had a crazy ending to my school year!
Anyway, my forth set of workshops I would have say was the craziest set so far! The main purpose of these workshops was to prepare me for my performance for the Cambodian new year celebration in San Jose.
We started the training with another prayer and offerings to ask permission for me to learn the dance, Preah Vorachun. Everytime we pray it always sends chills down my spine. Preah Vorachun is a character from a story that explains the origin of thunder and lightening. He is a prince of the earth and a student of a great hermit. His classmates were Moni Mecala, the goddess of water, and Ream Meso, the demon. In the particular scene that I learned, Prince Vorachun is in his bedroom getting ready to mingle with gods in heaven. He is admiring himself and even plays with his dagger.
This particular dance was extremely challenging to me. The dance was 12 minutes long and requires a lot of energy. Prince Vorachun is a very handsome and strong man and I do not obrain those qualities whatsoever. Trying to understand his character was difficult because I had to develop this handsome, royal, and strong attitude.
While I was working with Neak Kru Charya, I was doubting myself a little because I didn’t feel like I would be ready for the performance which was in a few days, but she believed in me and assured me that I would be. When the day of the performance came, I was really excited. I felt ready! The performance like learning the dance was very hard. The tightness and heaviness of the costume and the difficulty of the dance made it very hard for me to breathe towards. I felt like I was going to faint, but I knew I had to finish this performance!
Though this experience was very difficult for me, I am truly grateful to have learned this piece because this dance is not taught too often.
Mea
Neak Kru Charya correcting a pose backstage before the performance.