Cambodian ‘fairy dancer’ wins hearts for rejecting film fame to promote country’s culture on global stage
- She masters intricate moves of nation’s mesmerising hand-gesture dance
- Says Cambodia must conserve culture, teach the young value of tradition
A Cambodian classical dancer and influencer has shunned the glitzy world of acting and beauty contests to captivate international audiences with performances of the country’s traditional Apsara dance.
Sokea Kimleang, who is also known as Kon Ant, was born in the country’s capital, Phnom Penh, and grew up learning the traditional dance. She has spent her adult life promoting Khmer culture.
The Apsara originated in the country’s royal courts and is enjoyed for its exquisitely costumed dancers who incorporate mesmerising hand movements into the routines.
Meaning water nymph or celestial spirit, the Aspara’s 1,500 hand and finger gestures and the dancers’ intricate, slow, and elegant moves, are said to represent goddesses floating in clouds, descending from Heaven.
Kimleang, 24, underwent a decade of rigorous training to master her art.
She graduated from Cambodia’s Secondary School of Fine Art, where she learned the traditional Khmer dance, before completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at the National University of Management.
