In 2009, Twenty two students and four teachers from Ieng Sithul’s music and dance class were invited to perform in the UK at to the World Music, Art, and Dance festival, and in Scotland at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Their show, "Children of the Khmer." was met with an avalanche of praise from attendees and press.
“One of the most beautiful shows of the Edinburgh Fringe” lauded the BBC news. The Guardian included it among a short list of critics’ favorites. “The country's ancient arts and legendary tales are revived in an irresistibly engaging production by these highly disciplined, enthusiastic teenagers,” hailed another reviewer.
To see a complete listing of reviews, videos, and photos from the tour, please visit: www.cambodianlivingarts.co.uk.
Most of the students had never left Cambodia before, and none had worked at the rigorous pace the festival demanded. They performed daily for 24 days, often rehearsing in the morning and busking (doing street performances) in the afternoon for additional promotion before the evening openings. One student described their feelings afterward: “Something changed for those of us who went. We’re all a little more driven, we work harder. It used to be that after I finished my classes I would just hang out with friends; now I practice.”
The video below closed each show. It is a deeply touching window into the life of one of the students who participated in this amazing production:
Check out reviews of their folk music and dance performance in the the BBC, The List, and the Independent, among many others.
Click on the first image on the left below for a slideshow of scenes from the Festival.
