Classical Thai Dance, Rhamakayian and Todays Audience - Essay Example

? ical Thai Dance, Rhamakayian and Today's Audience Introduction The National Epic of Thailand: Rhamakayian has been transformed from the original Ramayana several times over centuries as monarchies changed with history. Borders brought new cultures and changes to old cultures. One man saw the value of using the base of the Rayamana to the Rhamakayian as a means to keep the customs of the people of Thailand or at the time the people of Siam in order to solidify the history, art, music, literature and dance. The epic was put to art in all its forms. . . Before the constitutional monarchy in 1931 (Kiriwat 2001), all theatre Khon, or masked dance drama was for palace performances only. Khon is still part of an elite group of the Thai National Theatre. Their performances are only related to the Rhamakayian. Lakon Nai also dealing with the Rhamakayian, was intended to be danced only by women who can do the complicated hand and finger movement. They are both very much part of the Thai culture. This is a study to present a short history of the origins of Rhamakayian and its importance in Thai Culture. The study will show how the royal family changed Rhamakayian from the original Ramayana developing two distinct dance styles which began centuries ago. King Rama I and King Rama II standardized the dance forms . This classical dance of today still has ancient origins. It style is old fashioned and no longer appeals to modern audience. It will be shown why the perception of the audience is no longer met. An audience is determined by the type of performance . Their needs and expectations will be shown in order to how what companies can do today, to bring the universal aspect of Rhamakayian back to the dance and drama without losing this beautiful Thai Epic. To conclude, the study will have shown that the use of an ancient subject is universal and its dance and drama can be brought up to the expectations of today's audience. The Origins of Ramakien from the original Ramayana Ramayana is a "timeless tale", which originated in ancient India. India was considered the centre of the world. The epic consists of 18 books covering every significant and insignificant aspect of human nature and character. The epic, though adapted to each individual country's culture and standards, has traversed all of Asia. It is so ingrained in the culture of the Asian world that it is compulsory in University and some lower education. In Indonesia, students are quoted as saying "Islam is our Religion but Ramayan is our Culture". (Kumar 2007) The Way of the Ram as Ram was a God who left his children , Lav and Kush to travel the world. This epic is universal to all as it covers the nine sentiments known to man. Each and every situation in a person's life is covered in the epic. So that the reader might get an excellent feel of the importance of Ramayana on the development of Rakayian. Expressing feeling are used in movement as they show the power of the sentiments in dramatic art. As it will be explained in the psychology of the audience are the Rasas expressed to the people in the hall? Love: between Sita and Rama Valor : Shiva's bow was broken when it was being restrung Pathos: Kakasura's feelings when he surrendered Suprise: the bridge over the ocean Humour: Shoorpanakha going to Rama Terror and Disgust: battlefield Fury: Killing Ravana Peace: Interaction with the sages. All of Asia was influenced by the story. "Ramanama is for the pure in heart and for those who want to attain purity and remain pure.' Mahatma Gandi". (Kumar 2007,page 4) The progression from Ramahaya to Ramakian was done in stages. The first Ramakian version came to Siam in the 14th century. In the 18th century there was a great fire which destroyed all existing written versions of the epic. The most modern version comes from King Rama I who in the 18th century saw the importance of cataloguing and sequencing the whole epic. He added his own writing where he had to complete the storyline. In Thailand, Ramakien changes in context but the story stays the same; the clothes, the weapons and the style becomes the style of the country. The following photo comes from the Wat Phra Kaew temple rendition of Ramakien. He is a warrior which would have been displayed by a masked male dancer in a royal dance. This part of the mural dating from the 18th century in Bangkok during King Rama I. As all previous artwork had also been destroyed. he had massive murals painted in his palace. (Ramakien Gallery Wat PhraKaeo Pallace) In a modern day costume, the Kohn dancer is in an elaborate decorated mask. The viewer can only see his angry face with the shape of his lips and his horns. (Story: Ramayana) The Ramayana became the National epic of Thailand and changed the name to Ramakien In the 14th century, the Thai expanded their kingdom by conquering the Khmers. The Ramayana was already part of the Khmer culture. The Indians were merchants and their culture influenced the trading channels. They called this kingdom Ayuthaya as in Rama's Ayodhy. It was completely destroyed in battle in the 18th century. When the capital was moved to Bangkok. King Rama took on the name of the main hero and began to rewrite the Ramakian as previous versions had been destroyed when the holy city was destroyed. He was not writing a new epic. He was respectful and wanted to keep the storyline bringing in the magical Thai culture. The epic brought the Tamil influence of magical creatures with special powers. They were able to transform themselves into different creatures. They showed women as being strong and full of force in the positive sense. Other than the magical aspect, the epic is the same as the Ramayana of India. The epic was turned into a form of artistic expression. Certain aspects were changed from when the Indian epic as it became the National epic of Thailand The Ramayana became the national epic of Thailand when King Rama I compiled and re organized the Epic. So much of it had been destroyed that he wanted to make sure that a sure copy existed and variations were not allowed to exist in one country. He was educated and was able to add to areas that were missing and add cultural effects that would appeal to the Siamese. The people of Siam saw life in a very different way from the people of India. . One significant difference changed from the Indian epic was at the end. Sita left Rama. He was emotionally destroyed. In the Ramakien, Sita is united with Rama by the Gods. The Thais are a happy, optimistic people. This shows in their Epic, and their later performances of the Ramakian when it become an artist means of expression. Evil never wins. Additional changes were made by his son. These changes were important as they created the palace theatre and dancers. The edition of 1782 is the version that is well known and accepted today. (Kumar 2007) His son, King Rama II (1766-1824) adapted the epic establishing the khon drama. (Khon 2001) The Khon performed with a chorus of men and women who sung from the Ramakien. (Kumar 2001,p.19) It differed slightly from his father's version as there was a happy ending and the Hanuman, the God of the Monkey, had a more important role. The khon masked danse was dynamic. This video is a performance of the Khon dance based on the story of Ramayana. The Thai music is light and without drama. The video will illustrate the masked dansers though it is nothing like the actual performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUIG5NoZldc The Lakon Nai women performed to show the complicated finger and hand movement done in groups using the Ramakien . Outside of the palace, The Thai population was only exposed to their beloved Ramakien in the form of intricate shows of puppet acting. The costumes are just as complicated and the puppets perform movements that show the trainers have worked hard to learn. The great gift of King Rama I and II was putting the Ramakian into theatre form. Dance is music and music is dance. Costumes are art and art is costumes. These universal themes decorate the walls of the palace today and have traversed 3 centuries. Though we think of the Story of the Ramakien to be a theatre performance, it was only create to be performed in for the royal courts. The Thai have only had access to the performance of the Khon and the Lakon Nai for less than one hundred years. Before this time, the Ramakien was shown only through puppet shows performed outside so everyone would have access. These interpretations were an art within themselves. The costumes of the puppets were as beautiful and complicated as the artist they represent. The puppet are a personification of the dancers in the royal palace. The plays the puppeteers performed, were serious and taken as a serious form of drama. Our western concept of a puppet show is the opposite of the Thai concept. Just the word puppet gives a sense of jest and playing around. The Thai puppet show is a full program. The costumes are exquisite. It is a respected art as you will see in this youtube rendition. | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jsmrc0-Bu0&feature=related When Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1931, the Department of Fine Arts was founded. For the first time, the population was able to see the royal art. Though the National Theatre was the only theatre allowed to perform Ramakien, it was accessible to the outside world. The arts chools were also established. Young men were to be trained to dance Khon . They were to be given the monkey and demon roles. Lakon Nai was to be taught only to young women as it was designated in the 18th century as a court drama for female dancers.. In performances Khon, Kakon Nai, dialogue, singing and playing of instruments are mixed and intertwined into all performances to make up one tale. As of 2011, It is still so much part of the Thai culture that the Kohn and Lakon Nai dancing are taught in public school. There is no difference made of religion. The Ramakien represents the national Epic of Thailand. Children have an understanding of the art and are prepared before they audition for a sacred place in the National Schools of Art. In this traditional classical performance, one can see the how complicated it is for the women and now men to keep to the discipline which was how it used to be. The form of the body is very important as can be seen that they keep perfect time to the music using only their up and down movement with the 90 degree angle of their legs and arms. The beauty of the hand work and the fingers. During the monarchy it was only a dance for women. "A great deal of symbolism and importance is displayed in complex and beautifully executed finger and hand movements. Sometimes six-inch, especially designed, finger nails add to the effect and complement the splendour of the spectacularly ornate costumes." Here is a performance of both men and women in classical dance by youtube: | Traditional Classical Dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpfCJsMsBOE. Only now do women and men dance traditional dance together. Animals and demons are still reserved for men Today's Audience A modern audience today has changed overnight as fast as the change of the internet. Perceptual processing of the viewer is determined by several properties of the visual and audio stimulus. (Krishna 2007) If these stimulus are positive, the emotional experience of the performance is also positive. Positive is subjective and cultural. Dance is music and music is dance. It will be shown in two stages why audiences do not tend to watch classical performances from a perception point of view and from a sensorial point of view. I. Perception The concept of what is music is relative. The perception of music and dance going together will depend on the auditory stimuli given to the brain. So much music in Thailand is "Westernized" in the sense that it has a 7 note scale. Young people now have the opportunity to listen to Western seven note scale music just as often as national music. Between television and the internet, there becomes a conflict in perception in the emotional benefit of listening to traditional music. Other stimulus must be received. This is a psychological view point. It has become more important that music or the concept of music be associated with other stimulus in order for national music to be part of a positive experience of an audience. Three factors will change the perception of what a modern audience sees as a "good performance". 1. Music and Dance going together 2. The right sounds 3. The right instruments A modern Audience's perception in a dance drama performance therefore must rely on several sensorial stimuli : the visual, the audio or a mixture of the two in order for the performance to be successful. II Cultural: Sensorial Point of View All across the world, classical forms of art are having to adapt to the sensorial needs of the modern age. These sensorial needs were more explicit before the rapid growth of the internet and the new attitude that everything must have a rapid response otherwise it is not interesting. When a ballet told a story, there was the auditory and visual perception responding to the emotion of the viewer. Today, it no longer is good enough only to have just two elements of two perceptions. It is as though the viewer must have his pulse beating rapidly, a rise in temperature and his wanting to sit on the edge of his seat to see who is going to perform. Of course this is an exaggeration but it is to show the change of the audience in the last 30 years. Every cultural medium is suffering to find ways of keeping their audiences entertained without damaging the art. Today's Production Techniques Ballets no longer just do classical performances without integrating some modern aspect within the program. We are used to cinema, computers, and having a rapid response time. Techniques in performances are used to make audience active participants or feel as though they are part of the performance. Performers no longer limit themselves by entering the stage from the stage doors. They use the hall entrances as different stage entries. It has been noted as using such techniques as showing different geometrical designs to those looking at performances from upper balconies to those looking from the orchestra section in order for each person to see the performance from a different perception. Each viewer has a feeling that he is just as important from the last seat in the auditorium to the most expensive seat. Audiences are no longer the passive on lookers as they had been in previous centuries. This is a worldwide problem of each dance theatre, symphony orchestra and theatre group. They must keep their audience entertained. It is difficult as it is cross cultural; cross age and cross time. The Thai Classical Dance concerts are also having problems. It is not in the scope of this study, but as an audience do the Thai not have the developmental problem in which other nations do not have. As theatre was reserved to royalty until 1931, the Thai have only been a "classical audience" for less than a hundred years. A study needs to be done in cultural anthropology into the study of the development of the audience. In comparing a classical dance performance and a puppet performance of the Ramekian, it is interesting to note that the Thai have far more experience being an audience for puppet shows that they do for classical concerts. In listening to their reaction, they are far more responsive to the puppet show. This generalization can be reserved to the clapping at the end. In making Thai Classical Dance concerts more interesting much can be learnt by applying techniques used in puppet concerts. They are multi-sensorial. There is the visual of the beautiful costumes, the rapidity of changing scenes and movements; and the audio of having multiple speakers and music. They use more audience participation or the audience feels more involved. The audience is not the passive viewer. Tradition Classical Dance in Today's World vs New Theatres There is still a definite place for the beautiful grace of the traditional classical dance. More can be done to educate the audience to the symbolism of each movement and each dance.. The training is intensive and just as important. As part of the heritage, the court dances are mimes of ancient history of the Thai people. The following photo is a perfect example of the gracefulness of the dancer, her beautiful hands, her costume and the symbolic pose. Thailand (2001). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au Much has been said about the original style of Ramakien performances. Today there is modernised performances of Thai Ramakien. It would be difficult to say that it is modernised Thai classical dancing. When one looks at such theatre performances from the Siam Niramit group, they are presentations about Ramakien themes with modern musical instruments, in modern 7 scale chords and the dancing is Asian but not typically Kohn or Lakhon Nai . The performances are beautiful but a culture is being lost. There is lighting, pyrotechnics and slings. The whole stage is being used. YouTube has many videos of the different sample of the different styles and interpretation. The typical use of the Kohn or Lakhon Nai is missing. How Ramakien dance can be made more appealing to a modern audience As has been explained, Ramakien dance needs to adapt to the modern audience. Different experimentation is needed trying modern instruments or different orchestration. Using the whole stage or different parts of the stage. The audience should be held in suspense and not expect what is to happen next. More work can be done to set the appeal to the modern expectation of the audience. A great deal of preparation can be done in educating the audience in terms of the symbolism of the movements of the Lahkon Nai and the different mask of the Kohn dancers. As said in the beginning there are 14 books explaining human nature. The Thai have had only one hundred years of watching these dances. Study also has to done is seeing from a western and an Asian point of view why they are not as appealing. A Greek play is outdated. Do young Thai feel that the Ramakian is outdated. Conclusion Much time has been spent showing how the Ramayana went from India to Thailand where it became the National Epic in the 18th Century. Three principal dance forms evolved when King Rama I and King Rama II re organized the Rakhayazien to be told in dance to include many of the national ancient customs and stories. The Kohn, the Lakhov Nai and the Puppet Shows. In 1931, the first constitution monarchy established the first National Theatre abolishing court performances and the Thai were allowed to see traditional classical dance performances. As in many countries across the globe, audiences ' expectations have changed, and directors have had to adapt their performance practices to meet the needs of the audiences without losing the artistic beauty. The same must be done in Thailand. The author has shown that much can be learnt from well established expectations of the audiences of the Puppet. Much can be studied and adapted to the Traditional Classical Performance as it answers the questions of sensorial and perceptual stimulus contributing to satisfaction . There are a few theatres in Bangkok which are putting on money making performances but it must not be forgotten that the Traditional National Dances of the Ramakien are the National Epic and cannot be lost. References Kiriwat, A (2001) Khon: Masked Dance Drama of the the Thai Epic Ramakien .Thesis for a Masters of Arts in Theatre. University of Maine. [Online] Krishna, A. (2007) Cognition and Sensory Perception: The Impact of Input from Sensory Modalities on Imagery,Memory, Information Processing, and Sensory Perception.[Online] Accessed 23 May 2011 http://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/v36/NAACR_vol36_210.pdf Kumar, Ravi ed. (2007) Ramayan Around the World. [Online] Ramakien Gallery, WatPhra Kaeo Bangkok. [Online] http://www.superstock.com/preview.asp?image=1848-408810 Story: Ramayana (2011) [Online] Accessed 27 May 2011 http://www.windsong2.com/stories/Ramayana.html Thailand (2001). [Online] Available: www.kidcyber.com.au YouTube. (2007) Thai Classical Dansing. [Online] Accessed 27 May 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpfCJsMsBOE YouTube. (2007) Thai Mask Dance. [Online] Accessed 27 May 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUIG5NoZldc YouTube. (2007) Thai Puppets. [Online] Accessed 27 May 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jsmrc0-Bu0&feature=related Read More