Topic 3
Types of Thai Dancing
Thai Dancing are the arts which incorporate all genres of art. They can be divided into 5 types, i.e. Khon, Lakorn (play), Rum (formal dances), Rabum (non-formal dances), and native entertaining activities.
1. Khon
Khon is the art of dances performed to tell stories which is combined with the various kind of arts. There are several genres of Khon such as Khon Glang Plang, Khon Nung Rao, Khon Rong Nai, Khon Na Jor, and Khon Shak. Each type of Khon has its unique traits and the key element of the Khon performance and it tells an episode of the story of the Ramanaya epic. The Khon costumes consist of Khon masks worn to identify the key characters. The performance contains narration, dialogues and singing and it is accompanied by music played by a gamelan orchestra. Strict norms and patterns are adhered to this type of performance.
Khon performance: Troop marching episode
Ref.:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423408802441638514/
The history of Khon
Khon : It is said that Khon has been influenced by various Thai entertaining activities which were combined into Khon performances are as follows:
1. The Chuk Nak Duek Dam Ban performance which depicts the legend of Vishnu making the immortal nectar. Performers were divided into 2 sides, i.e. the ogres, angels and monkey gods. The ogres pulled the head while the angels and monkey gods pulled the tail of Naga which is used as a rope. The Sumeru mountain is used as the core location. This performance is believed to have influenced the Khon into dividing performers into 2 sides as well as the creation of the costumes of angels, ogres and monkey gods.
2. The Krabi Krabong which is a martial art focusing on defensive tactics. All Thai people had to learn to protect themselves and the nation. It is believed that the fighting actions of Khon were influenced by the movements of Krabi Krabong performances.
3. The Nang Yai (grand shadow play) which is the entertainment of ancient Thais. The cowhide was perforated as different characters. On stage, the light will be shown on the characters making beautiful shadows become alive on the white screen. The distinguished feature of the grand shadow play is the dance of puppeteers along the rhythm of the music called “Na Pat” and the play’s dialogues. Therefore, Khon has been influenced from the narration and dialogues of the grand shadow play.
The stories of Khon were influenced by the Indian Ramayana with Phra Rama, the Arayan heroic king as the hero.
Types of Khon
Khon has been developed and adapted in alignment with the social conditions, conventions, and traditions. As a result, there are several types of Khon which are divided based on the components of the performances are as follows:
Khon Glang Plang performance
1. Khon Glang Plang is an outdoor performance using the natural surroundings as scenes and props. War episodes are mostly chosen for this type of performance because they require a large troop of performers depicting the troop marching scenes and the fights between Rama, Lakshman, the monkey troops and the ogres led by Ravana.
Khon Rong Nok or Khon Nung Rao
2. Khon Rong Nok or Khon Nung Rao has been developed from Khon Glang Plang but the performance venue is a stage with a large bamboo rack at the back. Performers perform in sitting positions while the show is run with narration and dialogues.
Khon Rong Nai performance
3. Khon Rong Nai adapts the performance style of Khon Rong Nok and is combined with Lakorn Nai play where actors sing and dance. The performance is run with narration, dialogues, singing, formal dances as well as non-formal dances.
Khon Na Jor
4. Khon Na Jor is performed in front of the grand shadow play screen which is used as the scene of the performance. Pictures of palaces and pavilions are drawn on both sides and performers perform in front of the screen. The performance is run with narration, dialogues, singing, as well as formal and non-formal dance performances.
Ref.:https://sites.google.com/site/khonnatsilpkhxngkhnthiy/khwam-ru-thawpi-khxng-khon-2
5. Khon Shak is the last type of Khon development, i.e. it is performed in a theatre and settings are changed as the story proceeds. The performance is run with narration, dialogues, singing, and dancing and singing as well as formal and non-formal dance performances.
2. Lakorn (play)
Lakorn (play) is a story telling performance aiming to entertain, create amusement, delight or create dramatic emotions following the plot of plays while the audience learns about moral principles and philosophy from the play
Types of Lakorn Thai (Thai plays)
Thai plays have been developed since the Ayutthaya period until the present time. Therefore, there are various genres of Thai plays which can be classified into the following main categories.
1. Lakorn Rum (Dance play)
2. Lakorn Rong (Singing play)
3. Lakorn Pood (Dialogue play)
1. Lakorn Rum (Dance play)
The dance play is a Thai art of performance consisting of dance movements
with the music and the lyrics sung to run the story. The play has leading male and female characters dressed in beautifully-designed costumes. The dance movements which are fast or slow in alignment with the feelings of the characters are in accordance with the lyrics which are sung along with the melody, Scripts are fun, amusing or sad and the actors communicate their emotions with gestures. Singers are the story-tellers who recite the story in poems. The narration tells who the characters are, where they are and what they are thinking or doing. The play consists of the melody, lyrics, Na Pat songs and dance movements in accordance with the poems in line with the dancing norms. The accompanying music is played by a gamelan orchestra.
Dance plays are divided into 6 types, i.e. Lakorn Nok, Lakorn Nai, Lakorn Duek Dam Bun, Lakorn Pun Tang, Lakorn Sepa, and Lakorn Chatri Krueang Yai.
A Scene from the play “Inao”
A Scene from Lakorn Chatri “Manohra”
A Scene from Lakorn Chatri “Manohra”
3. Rum (formal dance) and Rabum (non-formal dance)
Rum (formal dance) and Rabum (non-formal dance) are miscellaneous performances of various forms, i.e. Rum Na Pat, Rum Bot, Rum Diew, Rum Moo, Rabum Mat Tra Tan, and modified non-formal dances. Most formal dances or non-formal dances emphasize the beauty and unison for grouped performance and the performance is kept short so as not to bore the audience.
Rum Sri Nuan
Chui Chai Phram
4. Native entertaining activities
The native entertaining activities have been passed down over a long time. They are divided into those of the Central, Northern, Southern and Northeastern regions. The activities of each region are of a unique performance style depending on several factors such as the geographical conditions, traditions, religions, beliefs and values. As such, various forms of the native entertaining activities were created.
For example, some activities involve singing such as Pleang Kiew Khao, Pleang Bok, Pleang Sor and some activities involve performances such as Fon Tien, Serng Kra Yang, and Rabum Tarigipus. These forms of entertaining activities have been conserved, modified or developed to preserve such heritage.
Fon Tien performance