Arts for Cambodian Children & Teens at Champey

Performing the Robam Trot   (Khmer New Year’s Dance)

New Year celebrations in Cambodia are filled with traditional dance, music, children’s games and foods. The Khmer New Year is a time in Cambodia when people traditionally return to their home towns to be with family.   The holiday lasts for three days beginning on New Year's Day, which this year, falls on April 14 and it will usher in the year of the Rooster. The New Year also celebrates the end of the harvesting season, when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season begins.

 Our students and teachers at Champey have been busy preparing for New Year’s celebrations, by learning to perform an ancient dance called   “Robam Trot”.   This dance originates in the Siem Reap area and has its roots in in the ancient Angkor Era.

This year, our Champey students have been invited to perform Robam Trot at various festival events around Phnom Penh to celebrate the upcoming Khmer New Year and required  new costumes to perform this dance.  Not only have our dancers  been actively rehearsing the Robam Trot, but the Champey team and students have been very busy   making all of the costumes for the performances. ( approximate cost $ 150)

About this tradition:

 Cambodians are by nature,  superstitious. They believe in spirits and supernatural powers. Several types of supernatural entities are believed to exist and they are believed to make themselves known by means of inexplicable sounds or happenings. All spirits must be shown proper respect, and folklore persists that during the Cambodian ( Khmer ) New Year that performing this traditional dance, “Robam Trot” will drive out bad spirits and invite in the good ones.   It is not unusual for businesses to hire performances to be performed in the vicinity of their business neighborhood to drive out bad luck.

 About the dance:

Roban Trot dancers dress in brightly colored costumes and go from house to house collecting  money and offerings from the community for the local temple. Hand drums and poles with bells attached  provide rhythm  for the dance. The elaborate dance has several characters, including a Hunter, Oxen, Giant, and Witches who all attempt to kill the deer while Peacock tries to protect it.

This dance, performed at the Cambodian New Year,  to drive out bad luck accumulated in the past year and bring good fortune in the coming new year is similar in context  to the Dragon dance that we often see at the Chinese New Year.

Learning this dance and receiving  the invitation to perform it at Khmer New Year celebrations is an important step forward in expanding the public performance experience of our students and gathering local support of Champey Academy and it programs.

Our Students

 At the present time Champey has more than 200 students registered for its art, dance and music classis and sees a daily attendance ranging from 50 to 80 students. Our students must juggle school with their attendance at Champey. Some Champey students can attend only once or twice per week, while others are able to attend more frequently and many attend daily.

You make this possible !

 Your support of Champey makes it possible for us to continue to offer these traditional Cambodian art, dance and music classes to our students without charge, providing our students, who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, exposure to Cambodia’s ancient culture and rich artistic heritage as well as a safe place to gather and socialize.

 We are deeply grateful to you all for your generous support. We hope that our next project update will include photos or a video of Robam Trot.  Mark is on his way to Cambodia on Sunday.

Barbara & Mark Rosasco