Ban Rak Thai provides intensive courses for foreigners who interested in learning Thai dance and Thai instrument. The courses are suitable for both foreigners who have just a short period of time in Chiang Mai, and foreigners who live in Chiang Mai. In addition, we provide courses for children too. The courses include Thai dance from every region of Thailand; for example, Rabum, Rum, Forn, which are easy to learn.
If foreigners study at Ban Rak Thai, they will be impressed by our friendly instructors who are more than welcome to help you. Moreover, Thai dance is fun to learn. It can be another way to exercise. More importantly, they will learn a lot about Thai culture from studying Thai dance and Thai instrument. Finally, after foreigners who studied at Ban Rak Thai, they can use their knowledge that they learned from Ban Rak Thai to teach others who interested in learning Thai culture, or even adapt it with their culture.
The Thai Dance is a graceful and interpretative performance. It has played an indispensable part of Thai life from historical times to the present day. Thai dance is closely intertwined with the beliefs, traditions and customs of Thailand and is therefore important to the lives of the people. It has been kept alive through royal patronage in a continuous line of succession through the Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods.
Thai dance may be divided into two major styles: folk dance ('rabam phun muang') and classical dance ('natasin'). Each of the four regions of Thailand has its own folk dances that are usually associated with agricultural and social activities, such as rice planting, harvesting, festivals, and religious celebrations. Basically, northern dances are elegant and graceful while those of the South and Northeast are more active and fun-filled, but still retain the fundamental grace of Thai dance in general. Central and eastern dances are clearly linked to the agrarian lifestyles of the people.
From the basic movements of folk dances, Thai classical dance further refined the elaborate hand gestures, arm and leg movements that are able to captivate audiences to this day.
NORTHERN
Traditional northern dance, called 'fon', is impressive for its slow and graceful movements of the hands, arms and legs. The performance is usually accompanied by an ensemble of the 'kong' (gong), 'glong' (drum) and 'chap' (cymbals). It strongly resembles Burmese, Tibetan, and southern Chinese styles of music.
Typically, this northern dance would be performed during official ceremonies to welcome visiting dignitaries. 'Fon' dance is performed by large groups of colorfully costumed female dancers, each executing identical movements. During the day, the dancers wear long bronze or paper fingernails, while at night candles are used instead.
It wasn't until the nineteenth century that the northern dances were developed as dramatic forms. The Chiang Mai princess, Phra Ratchachaya Dararatsami, a consort of King Chulalongkorn, wrote a dramatic plot for a dance-drama in the northern style after seeing stage plays in Bangkok. Since then, many northern-style dances have been adapted for the stage.
Northeastern
The northeastern dance, called 'soeng', is somewhat faster in step and tempo than most traditional Thai movements. Hand and leg movements remain simple with the addition of hip shaking and swaying in a rather sensual manner. The major musical instruments accompanying this traditional dance include the reed organ (kaen), drum, and gong. Sometimes a kind of wooden xylophone, called the 'ponglang' is used.
Traditionally, northeastern dance and music reflect the agrarian society of the region. People dance to entertain themselves during the harvest season. There are several types of 'soeng' but all reflect the fun-loving nature and the colorful lifestyle of the northeastern people. Examples are the 'soeng kratip' (dance with northern food box) and the 'soeng sawing' (dance with a dip net for fishing). Moh lam-moh kaen, performed by a couple of singers and a musician, is a popular northeastern song. It can be heard wherever northeastern people live, in all regions of the country and even overseas.
'Moh lam' refers to the singer, whose art developed from funeral recitals in the olden days. 'Moh kaen' is a player of the reed pipe or 'kaen'. A duet of one 'moh lam' and one 'moh kaen' can draw crowds all night long.
Central
The folk dances of central and eastern Thailand are perhaps the mosturefined in the country. Traditional dances in the central plains relate to thecustoms, beliefs and occupations of the people. Examples of specific dances would be the 'ram srinuan' (lady dressing up) and the 'ram chern kwan' (boosting morale).
Thailand's most popular folk dance, called the 'ram wong', originated in the central region during World War II. At that time, western ball-room dancing was sweeping aside the traditional Thai dances. Afraid of losing part of the national culture, the then Premier Phibunsongkhram introduced the 'ram wong' as a modern Thai dance. Since then, the 'ram wong' has become the standard Thai dance and it's still taught as a compulsory subject for children at the primary and secondary level. The 'ram wong' has ten songs with specific movement patterns, the dancers moving in a circle. The song lyrics refer to the goodness of The culture and the ability and daring of Thai warriors.
Southern
Among the traditional folk dance of each region of Thailand, southern dance is probably the fastest, with arms and legs moving swiftly in time to the fast rhythms of southern music.
Southern dance is more heavily influenced by Indian and Ceylonese 'Kandyan' styles than the other regions. The local dance style is called 'ram sat', usually accompanied by an ensemble of 'pi' (oboe), a pair of 'glong tuk' (drums), a 'mong' (gong), 'ching' (small cymbals), a pair of 'thap' or 'thon' (single-faced drums), and 'krap' (bamboo stick castanets). Patterns of movement draw on birds and animals for inspiration. Dancers who perform very well have often been taught the art since they were children. The dancers usually attach long, curved bronze fingernails to emphasize the graceful, sometimes staccato, movements.
The other popular dance in southern Thailand is called 'nora chatri', a dance-drama of the south, and the later 'lakorn chatri', which includes ritualistic dance performed at the beginning of the 'wai khru' ceremony to pay homage to the gods and teachers. The dancers' costumes are very elaborate and festooned with stringed beading.
Tags: about thai dance
Fon leb is North dance of Thailand. Danser alway have long nail form matiral. Music of this song is slowly and nice. This dance is very popular. They have this dance with all of the specail time. If you go to Chianmai you must to see this dances.
Thai Dance
The Thai Dance is a graceful and interpretative performance. It has played an indispensable part of Thai life from historical times to the present day. Thai dance is closely intertwined with the beliefs, traditions and customs of Thailand and is therefore important to the lives of the people. It has been kept alive through royal patronage in a continuous line of succession through the Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods.
Thai dance may be divided into two major styles: folk dance ('rabam phun muang') and classical dance ('natasin'). Each of the four regions of Thailand has its own folk dances that are usually associated with agricultural and social activities, such as rice planting, harvesting, festivals, and religious celebrations. Basically, northern dances are elegant and graceful while those of the South and Northeast are more active and fun-filled, but still retain the fundamental grace of Thai dance in general. Central and eastern dances are clearly linked to the agrarian lifestyles of the people.
From the basic movements of folk dances, Thai classical dance further refined the elaborate hand gestures, arm and leg movements that are able to captivate audiences to this day.
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