Moonlight Dance at Lowell City Hall, MA | Angkor Dance Troupe

April 11, 2023 — Khmer New Year Celebration at Lowell City Hall, MA hosted by the Office of Mayor Sokhary Chau, the City Council, and City Manager Tom Golden.

The Moonlight Dance is a classical dance that represents hope and healing. When the universe feels that it is filled with suffering and uncertainty, we look into the soft and bright moon for peace. The comfort and radiance of the moonlight brings forth happiness, hopefulness, and courage amid complete despair. The Moonlight Dance is considered an experimental development of the ancient art form that is Cambodian classical ballet dance.

Traditionally, Cambodian classical ballet is accompanied by a musical ensemble called the Pinpeat (ពិណពាទ្). It has performed the ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples of Cambodia since ancient times. The orchestra consists of approximately nine or ten instruments, mainly wind and percussion.

This particular piece is performed with a Mohaori (មហោរី) music ensemble. This traditional ensemble is known in full name as Vung Phleng Mohaori (វង់ភ្លេងមហោរី). It is composed of many kinds of musical instruments, but today it is more specifically applied to a small ensemble of wind, stringed, and percussion musical instruments.

Video courtesy of: Curtis Mai (Angkor Dance Troupe)
Featured dancers: Brianna Mai, Stephanie Seng, Victoria Phan

www.angkordance.org