Dance in Thailand


Dance in Thailand is the main dramatic art form in Thailand. Thai dance can be divided into two major categories, high art and low art.

Etymology

The term nattasin means "art of the classical Thai dance, art of drama", and the term nattakam means "poetry, music drama and dance", according to The Thai Official Dictionary of Royal Institute 2545 BE. Both terms are derived from Sanskrit:
  • naṭa nata, which means "dancing, acting, a dance,"
  • śilpa sin, meaning "artistic work,"
  • karma kama
The term for dance in Thai, also known as the Dance of the Four Regions, is as follows:
  • Northern Thailand: The term fon describes a category of traditional dance forms, such as Fon Khan Dok. Historical evidence, including stone inscriptions, engravings, and the Buddhist cosmological treatise Trai Phum Phra Ruang written in 1345 AD by King Li Thai of Sukhothai, shows the long-standing importance of this term within the broader Tai cultural area. The development of fon dances in the Lanna region shows a unique cultural path that evolved alongside, rather than just borrowing from, other Tai states like Sukhothai.
  • Upper Northeastern Thailand: Traditional dances are classified using terms from Tai languages. The term fon usually describes a graceful and classical style of dance. This type of dance features refined movements and elaborate costumes for ceremonies or artistic events. On the other hand, soeng refers to a more energetic and vibrant dance form. It is often linked to communal celebrations, festivals, and folk traditions, marked by lively rhythms and frequently improvised movements. Examples include Fon Oen Khwan, which is a welcoming or blessing dance, and Soeng Bang Fai, performed during the rocket festival.
  • Lower Northeastern Thailand: A region with deep historical and cultural ties to Khmer civilization, the word rueam describes traditional dances. It likely comes from the Old Khmer word rapaṃ, which means 'to dance'. A notable example of these native dance forms is Rueam Kan Truem, commonly performed during local festivals and ceremonies.
  • Central Thailand and Upper Southern Thailand: Several terms describe different types of dance. The terms ram and rabam are commonly used as generic terms for many traditional Thai dances. In contrast, ten refers specifically to informal, lively, or energetic movements.
  • *The etymology of these terms reveals a rich linguistic history. Ram and ten are thought to derive from Proto-Tai roots, respectively ram and ten meaning 'to dance', and showing cognates in related Tai languages such as Lao and Shan. This demonstrates their deep historical presence within Tai-speaking cultures.
  • *The term rabam is derived from Old Khmer words, including rapaṃ, rapam, rpam, and raṃ, signifying a historical borrowing from the ancient Khmer language.
While the individual terms ten and ram have ancient Tai origins, their combination to form tenram refers to social or ballroom dancing in contemporary Thai. It is important to note that the concept of Western-style ballroom dance was introduced to Thailand much later, primarily during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, not in the early 14th century.
However, the terms fon, ram, and rabam themselves were indeed present in various forms during the Sukhothai period. These terms evolved over time to encompass a wide array of Thai traditional dances, including classical forms like Ram Baht Sakunee and folk dances such as Ten Kam Ram Kiew.
The Thai term khon, which refers to a highly stylized masked dance-drama, is predominantly associated with performances of the Ramakien, the Thai national epic derived from the Indian Ramayana. The precise etymology of the word "khon" remains a subject of academic discussion.
It is widely acknowledged that Thai performing arts, including Khon, have been significantly influenced by Indian cultural traditions and the epic narratives of the Ramayana. However, direct linguistic derivation from specific terms like the Tamil kōṉ, meaning "king or god," is not universally accepted among linguists and historians as the definitive origin of the Thai word "khon". The evolution of Khon is understood as a complex interplay of indigenous artistic traditions and adaptations of foreign influences, particularly from India and other parts of Asia, culminating in a unique Thai art form.
There are various hypothesis in which the Thai term lakon derives from. Scholarly consensus points to the Old Khmer term lakhon meaning “theatre, drama, play” which ultimately originated from the Pali/Sanskrit root lakkhaṇa/lakṣaṇa meaning “characteristic”. This theory is more popularized amongst scholars due to the historical influence of ancient Khmer culture and linguistics on early Thai civilizations. Another theory is that the Thai term lakon derives from the Javanese word lakon , a derivation of lakuan, lagon and laku, meaning "to walk, to act, to run". Following this theory, Thai historian Prince Damrong Rajanubhab hypothesized that the term lakon originated from the name of Nakhon Si Thammarat when Javanese culture during the Ayutthaya period was first introduced.

History

Origin

Thai classical dance forms, like many performing arts in Southeast Asia, are heavily influenced by ancient Indian art. They include ideas from the Natya Shastra, an important Sanskrit text on the performing arts that describes basic dance poses and movements known as karanas. The depiction of 108 karanas in temples like the Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, India, shows these principles that resonated throughout the region. However, Thai dance developed into a unique blend. It combined these outside influences with local traditions and innovations that grew from interactions with nearby cultures, especially the Khmer Empire.
Archaeological evidence offers a glimpse into the early performing arts traditions that later shaped Thai classical dance. Stuccos and sculptures showing dance-like poses, dating back to the Dvaravati era, have been found at sites like Khok Mai Den and Chansen in Nakhon Sawan, as well as Ban Khu Bua in Ratchaburi. These Dvaravati artifacts show a clear influence from Indian culture in their iconography and artistic expression. In addition, later archaeological discoveries from the Khmer period, highlighted by the detailed dance figures at Prasat Phimai in Nakhon Ratchasima, were also important in the developing performing arts scene of the region.
File:Stucco-of-classical-thai-dance.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Stuccos and sculptures based on the Natya Shastra scriptures, unearthed in Thailand, dating back to the Dvaravati era.
Over time, Thai dance grew through a steady blend of cultural influences. It transformed various elements into a unique artistic form. This evolution involved creatively using different cultural aspects, musical instruments, and storytelling traditions from India, China, the Malay world, Mon, Khmer, Myanmar, and local groups in the Chao Phraya River Basin. Through this broad mixing and local adaptation, these varied influences were reshaped. This process helped create a distinct Thai dance identity that, while connected to its historical roots in neighboring cultures, developed its own aesthetic and performance styles.

Nanzhao period

Traditional accounts and historical narratives suggest that early forms of martial dance emerged in kingdoms associated with Tai-speaking peoples in mainland Southeast Asia. One tradition, often linked to the historical kingdom of Nanzhao, which dates from the 8th century CE onwards, is known as Fon Joeng. This art form, practiced by northern Thai peoples, combines ceremonial dance for rituals with martial movements for self-defense. It showcases both offensive and defensive fighting styles. Fon Joeng features various drum rhythms and is traditionally believed to have been passed down through a lineage that includes the Ngoenyang and Lanna kingdoms. Its cultural influences extend to other Tai states like Sukhothai. Today, Fon Joeng is still practiced in Thailand as a recreational dance and is recognized as a historical precursor to elements found in the martial art of Muay Thai.

Sukhothai period

Evidence from the Sukhothai period, particularly the famous inscription attributed to King Ramkhamhaeng, shows that public festivities and performing arts were present. The inscription describes the sounds of pipes and drums during a celebration, likely the Kathina festival. This suggests that music and festive activities played a role in community life. While these records confirm the existence of performances, scholars point out that the evidence highlights communal, ritualistic, or festive events rather than structured, narrative drama, which arose in later periods. The performing arts in the Sukhothai kingdom were part of a larger regional mix, combining various cultural influences from mainland Southeast Asia during that time.
Early inscriptions indicate that public performances were festive. However, more structured dance-drama based on stories developed in the region due to a blend of cultures. The emerging states in the Chao Phraya basin, such as Sukhothai, interacted closely with the well-established Mon and Khmer civilizations. The Khmer, especially, had a rich court culture at Angkor, filled with complex, Indian-influenced religious and theatrical traditions. As Sukhothai gained power, it started to adopt and modify these respected Khmer performance styles, which focused on storytelling and graceful movement. This cultural blending played a key role in creating the classical dramatic arts later linked to Siamese courts, combining local traditions with the refined aesthetics of the Khmer.
Further evidence of performance in this era comes from inscriptions and literature, although their details are often misunderstood. For instance, Sukhothai Inscription No. 8, dated 1357 CE, describes a royal pilgrimage marked by the sounds of horns, conches, drums, and other instruments. This creates a vivid image of ceremonial processions filled with music. While this inscription confirms the importance of music in royal and religious events, it lacks specific verbs for dancing. A separate and influential literary work from the time, the Buddhist cosmological text Traibhumikatha, describes celestial beings in various heavens who entertain themselves by singing and performing. The text uses the general term len, meaning "to play" or "to perform," to refer to these heavenly activities. Together, these sources show that music and performance were recognized concepts, connected with both earthly ceremonies and heavenly joy. They provide a basis for the more complex dramatic forms that would emerge in later centuries.
File:Dancing-girls-of-Siam-National Geographic Society-1921-303.jpg|thumb|300px|Dancing Girls of Siam in 1919, in which Siam performed the classical Thai dance to welcome Sir Ross Macpherson Smith's pilots at Don Mueang Aerodome. Photograph by Theodore Macklin, the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
Investigating the vocabulary of performance from this period offers insight into its various origins. Historical linguists point out that key Thai terms for dance have unique roots. For instance, the general verb ram comes from Tai, while the term for a choreographed, often ceremonial group performance, rabam, is generally accepted as a loanword from Old Khmer. This linguistic evidence aligns with art historical and archaeological findings that show significant Khmer cultural influence on Sukhothai. Although Sukhothai rulers managed to gain political independence from the declining Khmer empire, they also adopted important aspects of Angkorean court culture. This included ideas of divine kingship, religious art, and state ceremony, which were the established standards of power and refinement in the area. Therefore, although Sukhothai created its own distinct artistic style, it was based on a deep connection to sophisticated Khmer aesthetic and performance traditions.