【亚洲·柬埔寨】柬埔寨皇家舞剧 Royal ballet of Cambodia（2008年）

“柬埔寨皇家芭蕾舞团（Royal Ballet of Cambodia，又称高棉古典舞）以其优雅的手势和令人惊叹的服装而闻名，一千多年来一直与高棉宫廷密切相关。表演传统上会伴随皇家仪式和庆典，如加冕礼、婚礼、葬礼或高棉节日。这艺术形式在20世纪70年代险些被湮灭，为许多柬埔寨人所珍视。

舞蹈中充满了神圣和象征性的角色，体现了优雅、尊重和灵性的传统价值观。它的剧目延续了与高棉人起源有关的传说。因此，柬埔寨人长期以来一直将这一传统视为高棉文化的象征。经典剧目中有四种不同的角色类型：尼昂女人、尼昂男人、耶克巨人和斯瓦猴子。每个人都有独特的颜色、服装、化妆和面具。舞蹈演员们经过多年的强化训练才掌握了这些动作和姿势，它们唤起了人类的各种情感，从恐惧和愤怒到爱和欢乐。一支管弦乐队为舞蹈伴奏，一支女声合唱团对情节进行了连续的解说，突出了舞者们模仿的情绪，他们被认为是国王向诸神和祖先传达信息的使者。

在红色高棉的压迫统治下，皇家芭蕾舞团几乎不复存在，红色高棉几乎消灭了所有的舞蹈大师和音乐家。1979年波尔布特战败后，舞蹈团重新出现，古老剧目的表演重新开始。芭蕾舞团已经恢复了昔日的辉煌，但仍然面临着许多困难，例如缺乏资金和合适的表演空间，来自现代媒体的竞争，以及成为纯粹旅游景点的风险。"

2008年度列入人类非物质文化遗产名录。

来源：联合国教科文组织亚太地区非物质文化遗产国际培训中心

Renowned for its graceful hand gestures and stunning costumes, the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, also known as Khmer Classical Dance, has been closely associated with the Khmer court for over one thousand years. Performances would traditionally accompany royal ceremonies and observances such as coronations, marriages, funerals or Khmer holidays. This art form, which narrowly escaped annihilation in the 1970s, is cherished by many Cambodians.

Infused with a sacred and symbolic role, the dance embodies the traditional values of refinement, respect and spirituality. Its repertory perpetuates the legends associated with the origins of the Khmer people. Consequently, Cambodians have long esteemed this tradition as the emblem of Khmer culture. Four distinct character types exist in the classical repertory: Neang the woman, Neayrong the man, Yeak the giant, and Sva the monkey. Each possesses distinctive colours, costumes, makeup and masks.The gestures and poses, mastered by the dancers only after years of intensive training, evoke the gamut of human emotions, from fear and rage to love and joy. An orchestra accompanies the dance, and a female chorus provides a running commentary on the plot, highlighting the emotions mimed by the dancers, who were considered the kings’ messengers to the gods and to the ancestors.

The Royal Ballet practically ceased to exist under the repressive rule of the Khmer Rouge, who eliminated almost all master dancers and musicians. Immediately after Pol Pot’s defeat in 1979, dance troupes re-emerged and performances of the ancient repertory resumed. The ballet has regained much of its former splendour but still faces numerous difficulties, such as a lack of funding and suitable performance spaces, competition from modern media and the risk of becoming a mere tourist attraction.

Included in the list of human intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Source: UNESCO International Training Center for intangible cultural heritage in the Asia Pacific Region