Unesco has listed Thai khon as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage agreed to officially list Thailand’s khon masked dance drama as intangible cultural heritage on Thursday.

khon is a dance drama genre from Thailand. khon has been performed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It is traditionally performed solely in the royal court by men in masks accompanied by narrators and a traditional pipit ensemble. A variation of this genre with female performers is called khon phu ying.
Mr Vira credited the success to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s contribution to preserve and improve the art. “She ordered a remake of costumes and ornaments, as well as makeup, stage, format, light and sound, turning it into a royal khon performance,” he said.
Anucha Teerakanond of Thammasat University said there were three intangible cultural heritage lists. The longer one is the representative list which Thai khon has been added. Another one is the list in need of urgent safeguarding by communities and countries. The other one is the good practice list.

“Cambodia‘s Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet is on the urgent list while Thai khon is on the representative list,” he explained.
To celebrate, Thailand‘s Cultural Ministry will start holding khon-related activities until the end of next year. They include live performances, animation films, exhibitions, children books, features and digital database. Contributors to the art will also be celebrated.
Thailand started applying for listings of intangible cultural heritage after the country ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on June 10, 2016. For next year, the ministry plans to apply for the listings of nuad Thai (Thai traditional massage) and Nora, a southern traditional dance.

Credit to: https://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/art/1584642/unesco-lists-khon-as-cultural-heritage. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Bangkok Post Public Company Limited. All rights reserved.

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Boracay Latin Dance Festival 2018, from 22 to 25 February 2018. Four days of fun on one of the world’s best islands!

Check http://boracaylatindancefestival.com
+ Parties Every Night
+ Weekend Workshops
+ Bootcamps
+ Jack & Jill Competitions
+ Plus All Kinds of Fun and Games

OFFICIAL HOTEL – COAST Boracay 
For reservations, call +632 576.4555 or email reservations@coastboracay.com. Anyone staying at Coast may purchase Full Passes for USD$125. Most but not all events will be held at Coast. http://coastboracay.com/ AND http://boracaylatindancefestival.com/hotels/official/

FESTIVAL TRAVEL GUIDE
To make it easier and more exciting to travel to Boracay (than it already is!) and access to Boracay Latin Dance Festival 2018 look up http://boracaylatindancefestival.com/travelguide/

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The BaliSpirit Festival embodies the core mantra of Balinese Hinduism – Tri Hita Karana – to live in harmony with our spiritual, social, and natural environments.

BaliSpirit Festival in full swing

Through the traditions of yoga, dance, healing and world music, the BaliSpirit Festival attracts over 7000 people from all over the world every year. The 5-day, 7-night Festival offers you a wide range of events to choose from between 8am – 11pm each day over 1 week, from April 2 – 8, 2018.

BaliSpirit Festival 2018

On offer are: interactive workshops & seminars, a lively community market & healing center, a children’s activity zone, yoga classes and vibrant night time programs of live Bhakti music concerts, ecstatic dance and DJs, set among the picturesque rice-fields of Ubud, Bali.

BaliSpirit Festival

Explore BaliSpirit Festival 2018 line-up on http://www.balispiritfestival.com – please note that everything is subject to change and they are still adding more presenters so check back regularly for updates.

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One of the amazing performances at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2016, right at the foothill of Mount Santubong in the Malaysian Borneo, was the one by Malaysians Unique Arts Academy – UAA.

Unique Arts Academy

Unique Arts Academy is a performing arts academy founded in 1994 in Peninsular Malaysia and recognised by the Ministry of Culture & Arts Malaysia. The group is made up of borderless Malaysian citizens proud of their Indian origins who perform music and dance of the South Indian communities in Malaysia. They bring rich art to their country on stage and at their studios in Negeri Sembilan and Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Selangor, in peninsular Malaysia.

Unique Arts Academy offers a variety of courses both in classical dance and in world renowned South Indian classical dance, Bharatha Naattiyam. Besides this, Unique Arts Academy also offers other Malaysian dance forms and musical classes like Contemporary dance, Singing, Traditional dancing – Asli, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese and various East Malaysian ethnic dances, Hand drums and more.

One of the many Indian traditional percussions

Their motto is “Brighten all Ages” as their academy accepts students for all range of ages, and their aspiration is to share the traditional art form and culture to the world in order to preserve it for the next generations, as well of course to produce world-recognised artists or icons.

During the years, Unique Arts Academy have repeatedly performed on various stages in shows, temples, concerts, government events and International festivals such as International Folklore Festival, World Harvest Festival and a few other prestigious shows for the Ministry of culture and Arts Malaysia. Unique Arts Academy gained a lot of recognitions and fame when they won the 1st prize in the drum competition organized by Ministry of Youth in 2015.

Dancing to the beat of drums

Unique Arts Academy also joined up to form South Indian Folk Drums band, an Indian folk band that plays various Indian traditional percussions such as the Thappu bass drum, the Kottu, the Chimta, the Urumi with its energetic and vibrant sound, the hand percussions Ganjira and Udukku, as well as traditional bells and harmonium. These produce captivating drum beats, that Unique Arts Academy mixes with the sound of U-bass, bass guitar and keyboard for that additional kick and flavour for the ensemble and for the audience. These booming sounds also provide distinct musical phrases and  rhythms, which folk dancers use to give form to their dances. Some of the dancers also act as musicians, dancing to the rhythm of their instrument. In the past, drums were used as a communication mechanism to convey messages to people, and still today, these performances are held at every local festivals and other celebrations of villages of Tamil Nadu, South India.

THESE ARE SOME OF THEIR DANCES

Bharatha Naattiyam: It is the most popular of the Indian classical dance forms in South India, and the most ancient of all the classical Indian dance styles in the entire India.

Semi-classical dances are easy and can be fun and fluid

Semi Classical: The steps and moves of semi-classical dance are not as complex or intricate as pure classical forms. However, the authenticity of the Indian dance form is preserved and students are able to grasp these lighter semi-classical dances easily. Semi-classical dances are fun and fluid

Contemporary Dance: This is a dance performance genre that developed during the mid twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world.

Modern Dance: It encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and routines. It is not unusual for dancers to invent new steps for their routines, instead of following a structured code of technique, as in ballet.

Cheering the crowd with their seemingly endless energy

Back to the Rainforest World Music Festival, Unique Arts Academy captivating performance rocked the Jungle Stage on the first of the three evenings, mesmerising the crown with drum beats and the  intricate steps of the dancers.

Unique Arts Academy can be followed on www.uniquearts.org and can be seen on Facebook and Youtube: Unique Arts Academy

Contact them at admin@uniquearts.org

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1drum.org and the crowd at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2014

It was at the Rainforest World Music Festival (one of the 25 best International Festivals) where I discovered 1Drum.org and their innovative drum circle. A drum circle is a celebration of life, community, and  music-making in the moment. Participants sit in a circle while playing drums and hand percussion, and join  in creating  a group rhythm. The circle is moderated by a facilitator who guides the group in rhythms and rhythm-based activities. The community drum circle make you feel joyful and energized, and it is an opportunity to enjoy a group activity with friends and neighbours. It is a family-friendly event and open to all ages. No previous musical or drumming experience is necessary. It’s all about fun!

1drum.org logo

From samba to drum-line to eco-music to african to 1Malaysia drum groups, 1Drum.org and friends are able to mesmerize crowds and get everyone into the groove of the beat!

1Drum.org provides audiences with an interactive drumming experience that you will be talking about for a very long time. Whether you are looking for a drum circle, percussion performance or drum training, 1Drum.org is there for you.

Lots of fun with 1drum.org

Join 1Drum.org for a wonderful celebration of rhythm and spontaneous percussive beats; where everyone, young and old are invited to participate in a musical experience that is second to none. They provide drums of all shapes and sizes to create beats that will rock the jungle! 1Drum Circle is a great way to meet like-minded people and an opportunity to reconnect with your inner rhythm.

How to create a group rhythm

This is your stage. Lets sing and dance, drum and chant to celebrate life thru music at the 2016 Rainforest World Music Festival. 1Drum.org promotes wellness, self-expression, stress reduction, and fun, it is an activity for all ages and professions, it is for kids and adults with or without musical background. Bring along your music instruments, dancing shoes, poi toys or your voice and join 1Drum.org!

For gallery pics and info, browse www.1Drum.org

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Following 2014 exciting dance performances and colourful costumes by the Dayaks Dancers from Borneo, in 2015 Bali Spirit Festival  hosted a Borneo tent. It was there that I met David Metcalf, a masterclass photographer and author of the book “Looking for Borneo”, exhibiting 250 spectacular colour photos of Borneo. David is passionate about the Dayak people and has spent years exploring the outer reaches of one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes on the planet. He introduced me to a group of Dayak dancers directly from the jungles of Kalimantan: the Spirit of the Hornbill dance academy, 19 Dayak dancers flown in directly from the jungles of Kalimantan, Borneo.

Spirit of the Hornbill dancers

Spirit of the Hornbill perform Dayak dance and music, and have prepared a workshop that is part of a program in tour to lift the Dayak cultural traditions through dance. I learned that the academy had been formed just over one year before by Siti Habibah from the Dayak Ngaju tribe, Central Kalimantan. They teach young children from the age of seven years about Dayak dance and culture and perform in regional competitions. In 2014 they represented Central Kalimantan against many dance groups from around Indonesia in Semerang, and the older members of the group have performed in Jakarta on two occasions and at the Bali Writers festival.

Spirit of the Hornbill musicians

The spirit of the Hornbills dance academy was about to enter a new stage. The team of dance teachers will be heading out to the villages in Central Kalimantan to provide teaching to the Dayak children who currently receive no dance teaching at all. The idea is to give those kids some hope and to preserve their culture through dance. Borneo’s forests and culture is fast disappearing. One way to raise awareness is through cultural expression and dance, and communicating to people the importance of developing this art form.

Siti, leader of Spirit of the Hornbill

Siti, the leader of the dance studio, is a very talented dancer and teacher and needs support to take her studio from its humble beginnings to the next level. They do not have any musical equipment so the children mostly aged between 6 and 12 have to dance to a CD. When they perform they have to hire a traditional musical instrument if they can afford it. Siti started her studio by saving for many months to raise the $500 required to pay for the rent on the studio for the following 12 months.

Spirit of the Hornbill dancer

The objective is to buy the musical instrument they need, then dance uniforms, and other Dayak accessories to demonstrate and express their culture. You can read about Siti in David’s website: http://www.davidmetcalfphotography.com/siti-dayak-dancer/ . David’s objective is to help Siti achieve her dream, raise awareness about Dayak culture and pass on this aspect of Dayak culture to the younger generation, encouraging more young Dayaks to dance. If you wish to help, you can support Siti through Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/Sitis-Dream 

Spirit of the Hornbill dance academy performance at the Bali Spirit Festival was great; they designed a special dance for the opening night, and were the chosen band to close the festival.

You can watch them on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlFFZaFaMlc 

Read about David Metcalf movie, Long Sa’an, raising awareness about the plight of the forests and wildlife.

For great adventures in the Indonesian Kalimantan, check Central Borneo Guide by Yun, Siri’s sister. 

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My days in Phnom Penh were busy enough and the activities undertaken quite varied: historical places, a cooking class, a couple of hotel reviews, a treatment at a spa and more. I was determined to miss out on the attractions heavy on Cambodia’s brutal history, which give little impression of the country’s rich heritage. What I needed to complete this adventure was… art. And art I found in the form of a leaflet at the hotel desk that read “Phnom Penh’s top ranked cultural performance”. That was it, I thought: I searched for their website, found it and emailed the booking department asking for a ticket to see the play “Children of Bassac” by Cambodian Living Arts. I was lucky to be in town on a Friday, the only day this play is on at the National Museum, and it was also the first representation of the season.

THE LOCATION

The group presentation

The location and stage of the show were simple but stunning, an open air concept that added to the feeling and aura of the performances. The moon was shining brightly when I reached the stage following a lantern-lit path. The small and magic outdoor amphitheater in the grounds of the National Museum was the immediate highlight of the show to come. I accommodated myself in the first row and took advantage for a chat with Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) communications manager, whom informed me that the audience numbers, formed predominantly by tourists, have been growing from year to year. So how did people mainly get to know about these shows, I wondered? Like me, some see the advertising on tuk-tuks or from street press, others are approached by enthusiastic young people out the front of the museum itself. Marketing has been an important part of Cambodian Living Arts success, and it is a meaningful success: in the absence of a national opera company, the only job opportunities open for young traditional arts performers is right here!

CAMBODIAN LIVING ART

One of the dances

Initiatives like Children of Bassac are sponsored by non-profit organization Cambodian Living Arts, an organization dedicated to the transformation of Cambodia through the arts. Cambodian Living Arts productions cover folk and classical dance, village rituals and harvest celebrations. Each performance showcases a wide range of traditional performing arts.

It is so important that these art forms are being preserved and saved for posterity through the employment of over 120 performers, most coming from financially difficult suburbs of the city. These young artists are being taught by surviving master artists who are willing to pass on their skills to young students, skills including Apsara dancing, difficult-to-master musical instruments, costume crafting and choreography. These emerging artists are being empowered through their development and through a viable income achieved after years of studying to perfect their crafts. What a great and noble cause.

THE DANCES

Great choreographic dances

If I had thought Children of Bassac was all about Apsara dancing, I was to be proven wrong: the spellbinding performance offered the audience the chance to discover the diversity of Cambodian culture and traditional arts through a combination of traditional dances from different eras and ethnic groups. The young artists wore brightly coloured outfits and made us travel through a variety of dances by the regions, celebrating the history of Cambodia.

Each dance lasted no more than 10 minutes and displayed technical, playful and folk-style skills. The artists employed graceful dancing, enchanting music and plenty of energy, a dynamic performance that captured the whole audience. The distinguished show included dances based upon the Ramayana Indian myth interpreted through Cambodian lore, like the much-loved monkey dance, as well as Cambodian folk tales: a buffalo blessing from the Phnong tribe of Ratanakiri, a lively fishing dance in which fish are not the only catch, the Cambodian scarf kroma dance, and finally a captivating and well-expected Apsara dance. There was a screen onto where a projector gave brief explanation on the types and meanings of the dances performed, including some subtitles in English during the theater. The highlight was indeed the amazingly coloured costumes and most importantly the skilled dancers.

THE EMERGING ARTISTS

Great young emerging artists

I must admit I totally fell in love with the gracefulness of the professional dancers, so passionate and entertaining that you could tell the audience had a great time watching them dance, act, sing and play instruments on stage. These talented and enthusiastic young performers take years of practice to perform such technical yet compelling dances that drew the audience in and wrap them up in their show with perfectly placed movements that require an enviable amount of strength and grace.
In each of the performers I saw such a passion about their work, and such a talent as actors, actresses, dancers and musicians displayed an excellent standard of professionalism. The quality of the performances and of the dancers’ beauty, sheer strength and physical control were a perfect match to the gorgeous costumes made with traditional brocaded and silk fabrics. I felt so heavily engrossed in the show that at some point my eyes teared up a little.

MY IMPRESSIONS

I have been to cultural shows in other countries in the past, but this felt like a genuine experience. I was so glad to be in Phnom Penh on the right evening and to be invited to this amazing evening of entertainment. Just over one hour of show makes it for the perfect evening, recommended to anyone who is looking for a high quality traditional dance. If you are after a real cultural experience while in Phnom Penh, do not hesitate to go to one of Cambodian Living Arts shows at the National Museum.

The 80 minute performances are of great value at $15 at the door, offering a gorgeous snippet of the history and myth of Cambodia. Tickets can be purchased online through bookings@cambodianlivingarts.org Your patronage goes directly back into the program, which provides well-paid work for over 100 artists, as well as covering production costs. Your participation enhances Cambodian Living Arts mission to transform and revitalize Cambodia through creative expressions.

The final comments by Cambodian Living Arts

If you are on a budget and think this price is steep for your wallet, be aware that Cambodian Living Arts has a number of experiences that fit a backpackers budget, like an Observation Tour – starting at $5 – which allows you to see artists rehearse and train. Email bookings@cambodianlivingarts.org for more information and details.

Don’t miss the opportunity to give them your support when you are in Phnom Penh. Cambodian Living Arts are doing a great job and it is lovely to see that culture is being targeted once more as something worth protecting and nurturing. Best wishes to the whole team and keep up the fantastic job!

Cambodian Living Arts

St.13 corner of St.178 – National Museum, Phnom Penh, Cambodia +855 17998570

BOOKINGS: events@cambodianlivingarts.org  bookings@cambodianlivingarts.org

WEBSITE: www.cambodianlivingarts.org

VIDEOS: http://www.cambodianlivingarts.org/about-us/press-room/watch-listen/

COME ON TOUR WITH US

Join us for a unique adventure! Discover these fascinating places and let yourself be swept away by the beauty of the world with our travel branch FANTASIA ASIA – click on the following programs to know more:

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/offbeat-siem-reap-6-days-5-night/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/the-wonders-of-angkor-7days-6ights/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/angkor-heritage/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/siem-reap-battambang-phnom-penh-7-days-6-nights/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/siem-reap-phnom-penh-tour-6-days-5-nights/

Watch here for our VIDEO on Siem Reap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-SvjBjyWfc 

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It was during my first evening at the Damai Beach Resort that I had the chance to meet with Mohsen Sharifian and his troupe. Mohser and his extensive band were in the hotel hall at midnight, chatting and laughing in an

Mohsen Sharifian’s performance at RWMF 2013 in Kuching

undistinguished language. Their spokesperson was looking for the WiFi codes to connect their phones, and we started a very interested conversation. He told us of their country, Iran, of their millenary culture and their instruments, of the happy people from their province, of their wish to play music and dance, mimicking the gestures of farmers and fishermen in their dances. And of their goal: to preserve and promote the folklore music of their region inside and outside of Iran. We were so taken by their passion that we looked forward to joining in at their workshops and concert in the days to come. And we did!

MOSHER

Mohsen Sharifian’s workshop at RWMF 2013 in Kuching

Hailing from the southern Iranian province of Bushehr, Mohsen Sharifian is Iran’s most prestigious folklore musician and composer and heads the troupe Mohsen Sharifian and The Lian Band.

BUSHEHR

Bushehr is a southern city in Iran, capital city and administrative centre of the Bushehr province, that lies in a vast plain running along the coastal region on the Persian Gulf, 400km south of Tehran. Bushehr has a population of approximately 170,000 people and used to be the main seaport of the country. Its ancient history and culture are deep, and this reflects on the music played there, one of the most prominent music types that owes to the mix of various cultures and religious melodies that passed through the province during the years. Bushehr former name, Lian, is 3000 years old and it is the name chosen by Mohser for his band. It means ‘shining sun.’

CAREER

Born in Boushehr in 1976, Mohser holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social and Political Sciences in the field of research. Mohser started playing Bushehri folklore music with bagpipes in 1992 and founded the musical group Lian in 1993, which marked the beginning of his professional research in the field of Iranian southern music. He has published several books and articles in newspapers and magazines over the years, with some of his work decorated and awarded prices. Mohser has spent the last 20 years immersing in and researching the musical traditions of his region, composing works inspired by his musical researches and collection of songs and dance-tunes. He is a virtuoso performer on the two ancient, emblematic instruments of the Persian Gulf, the Ney-Anban – a bagpipe – and the Ney-Jufti – a double-pipe reed flute. Mohser has received seven awards for solo performances of Ney-Anban. Mohsen Sharifian and The Lian Band perform in international music festivals and give musical workshops around the world.

INSTRUMENTS

Music is a hereditary thing in Mohser family, passed from generation to generation. He started playing seriously the Ney-Anban and the Ney-Jufti at the age of 14 and added more unusual instruments to his music with the  establishment of The Lian Band ensemble.

A suggestive image of Mohsen Sharifian playing his instrument in Kuching

The Nay-Anban is a type of bagpipe popular in Bushehr. Nay-Anban literally means ‘bag-pipe’, and can refer to a type of drone-less double-chantered bagpipes played in Southern Iran similar to the Bahrain Jirba played by ethnic Iranians in the Persian Gulf Islands.

The Nay-Jofti  is an Iranian double-pipe reed flute that figures prominently in Middel Eastern music. It has been played continuously for 4,500–5,000 years, making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use. The Nay-Jofti consists of a piece of hollow cane or reef with five or six finger holes and one thumb hole, and its pitch varies depending on the region and the finger arrangement.

MUSIC

Boushehri music is the amalgamation of centuries of social, cultural and religious influences, a combination of forces of a footprint of African, Indian and Arab music and songs. It is a music that is present in the daily lives of Bushehr people, influenced by cultures and family life, and representing the life of people from fishing villages.

Most of The Lian Band folk and world fusion music songs are composed by Mohsen, who during these years has performed looking for interaction and dialogue with different music cultures. In various attempts to explore opportunities to collaborate with other breedings, bagpipes and a range of percussions are interspersed between cheerful hip-swaying dancers in traditional costumes, and mixed with flamenco, Indian and modern international music, absorbing other influences and resulting in a colourful musical journey that highlights The Lian Band ensemble role as representatives for their traditional music.

THE BAND

Mohsen Sharifian’s performance at RWMF 2013 in Kuching

Since forming in 1993 during their student years and starting their activities under the supervision of Mohsen Sharifian, members of The Lian Band have been producing folk Bushehri music and have released nine albums. The group is currently regarded as one of Iran’s most prestigious folklore musical bands and, along with performances in different parts of Iran, they have played Boushehr music in various parts of the world such as Womex in Greece, Sweden, Belarus, Malaysia, Bulgaria, at the Olympics in Beijings, Russia, at the World Cup in Germany, Singapore, Turkey, Bahrein, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Shanghai, and in a few states of the USA.

The Lian Band line up of artists is: Hadi Manoochehri (dancer), Hamid Akbari (tempo, kakhen), Hossein Sangsar (dammam), Mahmoud Bardaknia (dammam, dayere), Mohsen Sharifian (ney-anban, ney-jofti), Morteza Palizdan (zarb, timpo), Roohollah Safavi (vocals).

AT THE FESTIVAL

The Lian Band dynamic performance at the Rainforest World Music Festival final night drew loud rounds of applauses. They played an incredible array of instruments, driving rhythms that were enhanced by chanting vocals, dances and Mohsen Sharifian’s impressive centre-stage solos on his bagpipes and flutes. Mohsen was an intense force of nature, squeezing traditional melodies and complex tunes with amazing energy that urged the audience to clap and dance.

CHALLENGES

Mohsen Sharifian’s performance at RWMF 2013 in Kuching

We need to remember that for groups in Iran, playing traditional music and bagpipes is still facing a degree of opposition. Performing in public and the use of women musicians are not allowed in the country as they are regarded as humiliating by many in their highly religious society. This has been slightly improving in recent years, and Mohsen performances are now regarded as honorable by some, hence allowing The Lian Band to perform their music and art, and to spread a message of joy and peace to the world through their international concerts.

IN THE MEDIA

The Lian Band official website was nominated in the 5th Iranian Web Festival in three categories (best main page, best visual design and best personal website), winning the best main page. Visit http://www.lianmusic.com

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pikVGgRAp24

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/m.sharifian.lm

At the Womex: http://www.womex.com/virtual/mohsen_sharifian_lian_band%20/mohsen_sharifian_the

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The Rainforest World Music Festival this year has put up a plentiful schedule of musicians, with an impressively jam-packed schedule that included exhibitions, cultural shows and lots of performances. It has sadly come to an end, and when we sit and talk about the event, there were a lot of musical treats in store, but one of the most exhilarating performances was indeed the one by South Korean ensemble group Palsandae.

THE ENSEMBLE

Palsandae is acrobatic art performed by a dance troupe of 16 members. The troupe features Korean traditional music, acrobatics, dances and shamanic prayer songs, and their performances are rooted in a tradition of traveling music and dance troupes. This year was apparently the first time they manage to bring all of its members onto an international stage. Palsandae charismatic and shamanic male leader Kim Woon Tae, one of few in a group of near-all women, grew up traveling with a troupe and has a jazz background.

THE MEANING

Palsandae reproduces the traditional ‘sandae’ stage, which displays the essence of traditional Korean music and dance, and ‘pal’ means ‘eight’ or ‘whole’ in Korean when added to a name.

THE MUSIC

Palsandae breathtaking performances carry elements of improvisation and wild music that is at times very loud, ecstatic and steeped in spirituality. Their genre is a traditio

nal farmers’ music called ‘nongak’, a deliciously cacophony played by double-headed janggo drums, clattering hand-held kkwaenggwari gongs, sogo hand drums, and the braying piri, a small bamboo oboe. Palsandae has a wide range of repertoire including shamanic prayer songs – ‘pansori’ – traditional storytelling songs, improvisational ‘shinawi’ ensemble music, and ‘pangut’, the highlight of its program featuring Master Kim Woon Tae’s Chaesang Sogo Dance.

THE DANCES

Palsandae is a show of weave acrobatics and dances with performers wearing traditional clothes and Chaesang hats with ribboned whirly gigs, a stunning extravaganza that they brought onto the main stage as in a circus performance. Leader Kim is most well-known for his Chaesang Sogo Dance, a dance that is quite popular.

THE FOUNDATIONS

The foundation of Palsandae’s mesmerizing performance is shamanism, but elements of the many other religions in Korea are brought in as an addition to the set of farmers’ music ably directed by Kim Woon Tae.

TRADITIONS

People familiar with Korea culture should recognize this iconic dance that has become a genre of traditional Korean dance. Palsandae are proud of their culture and carry down the tradition of Korea’s last nomadic ‘nongak’ troupe – literally meaning farmers’ music, Honam Yeoseong Nongak Dan (meaning Honam region’s female nongak troupe).

ON STAGE

Members of Palsandae walked down from the west area of the main stage and, quite in contact with the audience, performed a ritual to cleanse the concert space. During the fascinating act and the visually stunning stage of ‘pangut’, each performer played a percussion instrument while whirling and spinning ribbons on their ‘chaesang’ hats, expressing the continuous flow of life. A fascinating performance that dazzled the audience. There was a lot of improvisation, with dances adapted to the energy of the space in which it happened, and with costume changes made on stage for a programme that Kim created especially for the Rainforest World Music Festival and that will never be repeated.

EMOTIONS

Palsandae dazzled audiences with their energy level and an uplifting blend of traditional and party music, dazzling display of costumes, twirling dancers, and ritualistic chanting. The essence of the group is connecting with nature, people, the community and the environment, the perfect themes at the Rainforest World Music Festival. For us Palsandae was a new and mysterious thing that we treasure dearly thanks to good memories and great pictures and videos.

FACTSHEET

In the period of Joseon Dynasty, ‘sandae’ referred to the stage held at the palace for the most important figures at the time: the King and foreign ambassadors. Upon their arrival to the palace, the kingdom’s most talented performers put out a spectacular ‘sandae’. ‘Nongak’ old styles of farm and street music used to be predominated by male performers, among both professionals and amateurs, as in many other cultures most drummers are male. However a handful of professional female groups emerged and made great commercial successes during that time in agricultural Korea. Female ‘pungmul’ ensembles would roll into a town, set up a tent and present their circus-like shows.

Director of Palsandae, Master Kim Woon Tae, started travelling with his father’s troupe Honam Yeoseong Nongak Dan at the age of seven, and soon became a child star. He then toured the world as a member of Little Angels and later with the famed Kim Duk Soo Samulnori group. Under Kim’s direction, Palsandae preserves and develops ‘honam udo’ region’s ‘pangut’, usually performed by eleven to thirteen members, with each performer playing a percussion instrument in ensemble while running, whirling and spinning ribbons on their ‘chaesang’ hats, and while the players keep on running in a circle.

The Palsandae troupe is today supported by South Korean government funding, namely the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism of Korea and the Federation of Gyeonggi Cultural Center, and the more they perform internationally, the more recognition they are getting in their own country.

Palsandae on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palsandae

Palsandae on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeC-nUnxJLg

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Experience something that will change your world!

“The Bali Spirit Festival is a spiritually-charged event that celebrates the synergy of global cultural collaboration through wellness and the arts, yoga, dance and music, with a passionate and enthusiastic global audience. In addition to providing an inspiring space for personal transformation and sacred celebration, the Festival emphasizes giving back to the local community through creative, educational, and environmental outreach initiatives.”

I was simply taken by these words about a fantastic annual event in its sixth year, a festival that attracts top yoga and dance instructors, healers, musicians and several thousand guests, all in spectacular Ubud, Bali’s cultural and arts capital. And guess what: I, editor at large, was right there! I had heard so much about this incredible event in previous years, with its high quality and diversity of daytime workshops, world music concerts, holistic healing sessions and eco-friendly vendors that make it one-of-a-kind event in Asia.

And so there I was, getting up early in the morning, joining the festival for the 8am classes, starting off with Thai Chi and moving on to Sound Therapy with Bio Crystals, to Masala Bhangra Dance, to a Shiatzu or Watzu class, to a Capoeira session (!) and finally on the last day to a liberating Sunday Dance that closed one of the most fantastic and rejuvenating weeks of my life. And what to say about the evening concerts? In a location within Ubud with the stage set by an ancient temple entrance and the whole garden set amongst sacred trees, over four groups from different countries and with different music genre played and sang each night to the hundreds of people present, and each evening was a coronation of the daily practices at the festival.

Yoga is a great mind/body health maintenance system that can be practiced daily or sporadically by people of all ages and physical condition. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Bear in mind that though I have practiced Yoga in the past, I am not a Yogi, nor do I consider myself an expert or an enthusiastic fan of holistic and spiritual practices. But I do guarantee you that after the 5 days at the Bali Spirit Festival, I was younger, healthier and had so many fresh propositions in mind for my life that I could not believe the energy that I was giving off from every pore. This festival has provided me with an inspiring space for personal transformation and sacred celebration, a space I did not know I had within me. I simply tried to attend to as many classes as possible, and to follow my intuition looking for inspiration and mingling with each class, with each student. It worked, plus I met so many other like-minded people who let themselves be swept away in the rush of positive energy, and in utter enjoyment. Such a great communal energy gathered up in a marvelous place.

I also discovered that Bali Spirit Festival gives back to the local Balinese community through creative and meaningful outreach initiatives. Well done for that! Truly embodying the spirit of Bali, this internationally recognized annual event provides a platform of inspiration and change while drawing thousands of people from around the world. I will certainly attend again next year, and I hope you will do too! PS: I now have to find out how to maintain the mindful flow and inspiration now the festival is over…

www.balispiritfestival.com

WHAT TO ENJOY THERE

– Over 100 workshops n Yoga, Dance, Music, Healing and Lifestyle. – Sample modalities of yoga include: Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Laughter, Power, Anusara, Silat, Capoeira, Poi and Qi Gong – Dance styles draw from: Mandala, Javanese, Balinese, Indian and West African traditions – Music workshops feature the Djembe, Didjerdu, Kirtan and voice – Healing and treatments available range from: Energy Channeling, Sound Therapy, Dreamwork, Watsu, and Crystal healing – Daytime Dharma Fair and Night Market: Up to 40 stalls and booths featuring locally made products, food and services, and a traditional performance stage space – We Love Family Day! Hari Cinta Keluarga:  The last day of the Festival is by far the most popular and is dedicated to children and families – Featuring multilingual and free programming, welcoming the Balinese community to join in the festivities.

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