ABSTRACT
Like people elsewhere, Cambodians now regularly cross borders to learn, work and live, without abandoning their homeland. This chapter discusses three different examples of Cambodians dancing beyond borders before suggesting what their work may mean for the future of their dance and Cambodian dance more generally. The first example is the piece done by male performers trained in Lakhaon Kaol called Revitalizing Monkeys and Giants. The second example is the widening repertoire of inventive and renewed works done by Neak Kru Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, now based in Cambodia. A final example deals with the new Compass contemporary dance ensemble. So ‘Cambodians dancing beyond borders’ means more than just receiving foreign support for classical dance or physically working beyond the political boundaries of the Cambodian state. To ensure the survival of Cambodian dance, organizations from around the world have supported Cambodian national efforts to restore the country’s intangible arts traditions, including those of dance.
