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Khon, the Khon Masked Dance Drama in Thailand, is a performing art that combines musical, vocal, literary, dance, ritual, and handicraft elements. Khon performances – which involve graceful dance movements, instrumental and vocal renditions, and glittering costumes – depict the glory of Rama, the hero, and incarnation of the god Vishnu, who brings order and justice to the world. The many episodes depict Rama’s life, including his journey in the forest, his army of monkeys, and his fights with the army of Thosakan, king of the giants. On one level, Khon represents high art cultivated by the Siamese/Thai courts over centuries, while at another level, as a dramatic performance, it can be interpreted and enjoyed by spectators from different social backgrounds. Khon has a strong didactic function, reinforcing respect for those of higher age and status, the mutual dependence between leaders and followers, the honor of rulers, and the triumph of good over evil. Traditionally, Khon was transmitted in the royal or princely courts, and in dance masters’ households. Today, however, transmission occurs mostly in educational institutions, while still adhering largely to traditional methods. Concerted efforts are made to ensure the continuity of the practice, including through the establishment of training and performance clubs that help reach out to young people.
As an art form, Thai dance has been honed over many centuries. It is one of the great wonders of the human imagination. We can enter a theater, enjoy a dance performance, and quickly set aside the worries of everyday life. For a time, we can become involved in characters as they struggle with their problems. For a time, their problems are ours. As they resolve their struggles, we return to our more mundane affairs, refreshed, and better able to deal with our own cares.
There are over a hundred different dance traditions in Thailand. However, Thai classical dance includes only several forms, and the khon or masked drama is one of the most refined of them. It is a combination of dance, elaborate costumes, singing, speaking, and music. Initially, the khon was performed at the royal court. It was based on the tales of the Ramakien or the Glory of Rama, which is an adaptation of the Ramayana, the Indian Hindu epic.
Throughout many centuries, Thai people revered their rules. In 1782, when a king of the new Chakri Dynasty ascended the throne, he took the title Rama the First (1737–1809). It comes from the name of the Hindu deity Rama, the seventh avatar of the God Vishnu. All subsequent kings used this kind of title and the current king of Thailand is Rama the Tenth.
Thai classical dance may have come from the Khmer tradition. For example, we find the dance images in the Khmer reliefs of the Bayon temple in Angkor, Cambodia. The Khmer-related reliefs also appear in the Phimai temple in eastern Thailand. Alternatively, Brahman gurus from India could have brought the dance tradition to the country.
Source: Youtube