Field study

• Siem Reap Art School of Cambodia

Zhang Jing, deputy director of the CRIHAP, gave a present to Ouk Sothea, principal of Siem Reap Art School of Cambodia



Students from the school gave a performance

Siem Reap Art School of Cambodia was built by the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and Italy Children Care Center in 2000, with an aim to ensure Cambodian children’s rights to learn about their culture and cultivate future art talents. With many students, the school now offers traditional Cambodian courses such as classical dance, folk dance and traditional song. The students are selected from villages according to a certain criteria, with ages ranging from 10-13. During their four years at the art school, they also keep up with their studies in public school. The teachers are also carefully chosen and many of them are famous dancers in Cambodia.

The classical dance troupe The Royal Ballet of Cambodia is one of the oldest and most sacred dances groups in Cambodia. It dates back to the first through the sixth centuries. In 2003, it was proclaimed as one of the "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.

The folk dance is various dancing forms closely associated with the traditional rituals of different Cambodian ethnic groups.

Pinpeat music originates from the sixth century. It is used in the dancing performances and religious rites and played on instruments that include the roneat, drums, sralai, khloy and chhing.

Mask making was started in the Khmer Angkor Dynasty, using materials such as paper, lay and resin, and is divided into three categories: monkey, giant and human.