This workshop is part of an ongoing Chakto project supported by Institut français du Cambodge to galvanize the cultural and creative industries in Cambodia. With a specific focus on writing, it aims at benefiting emerging Cambodian talents in four specific cultural sectors (cinema, books, dance and music), in partnership with Anti-Archive, Sipar, Cambodian Living Arts and Kongchak Pictures.
This initiative consists of two distinct workshops: Masterclass for the Senior Choreographers (February 11th – 16th, 2025) and Training for the Emerging Choreographers (March 21–23 and March 28–30, 2025). The primary goal of the Training for the Emerging Choreographers is to establish foundational knowledge in choreography writing and provide hand-on experiences to Cambodian junior choreographers through an intensive workshop. Selected participants will also receive a stipend in recognition of their time and commitment.
We are offering up to 12 places for emerging/junior choreographers to participate in 36 hours of rigorous training led by the renowned French contemporary dance mentor, Ms. Emmanuèle Phuon.
There are three key stages and timelines in this workshop:
Stage 1- Training Sessions: The selected participants will attend the training sessions scheduled for March 21–23 and March 28–30, 2025, focusing on fundamental knowledge in choreography writing. The sessions will include in-class activities, assigned readings, and videos for preparation both before and during the training. The training will be conducted in English, with Khmer translation provided.
Stage 2- Pitching Session: After completing the training, participants will have the chance to receive meaningful feedback on their choreographic work. On April 30, 2025, a panel of experts including regional ones will offer feedback as they engage with the participants’ pitching presentations. Based on this feedback, (up to) five emerging choreographers will be selected to receive a small grant to further develop their short choreographic works into work-in-progress artistic productions.
STAGE 3 – Public Performance: he choreographers
awarded the grant to produce a work-in-progress will present their work
publicly on October 03rd- 04th, 2025.
About the Participants
Chan Sopheap
My name is Chan Sopheap, a traditional choreographer and classical dance teacher at the Fine Arts High School. I have participated in many local and international performances, and I was a former Fine Arts High School student in 1997. I have been training for the subject of classical dance and technique, Toei Rong and her character for 9 years. Meanwhile, in 2005, during my internship, I was selected by my teacher to perform in Korea, Apsara Dance. Then, in 2006, I graduated with a master’s degree in art, and in 2007, I started joining the dance troupe at Khmer Arts in 2007. I also went to the United States to perform the work of Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, the Pamina Devi Dance in New York City.
After returning from the Netherlands in 2008, I went to India to perform in South East Asia. At the same time, I had the opportunity to participate in some of the scenes in a series of rivers in India and work with artists from other countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and India to create a script dance. In 2009, I was selected as a research assistant in Khmer arts and as a dancer at the same time. And I started working as a teacher at the Fine Arts High School for Classical Dance in 2020 until today 2025.
Chhun Baramey
Chhun Baramey, also known as Dolla, was born in 2001 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His journey in the arts began in 2009 when he studied at Sovanna Phum Khmer Association, specializing in Big Shadow Puppet Theater and Male Mask Dance.At the age of 15, he trained in circus arts and became a performer at The Culture Village. He later continued performing at Anachak Angkor Theater in Siem Reap. During this time, He began building relationships with various art institutions, including the Cambodian Circus Phare in Siem Reap. Under the mentorship of Mr. Huot Dara, Director of Entrepreneurship, he received informal training in managing tourism-related arts organizations.
Baramey has completed his general education and earned a scholarship to pursue higher studies at the Royal University of Fine Arts, majoring in Directing Skills under the Faculty of Choreographic Arts.
In 2022, he was invited by SilverBelle Dance Company’s founder, Ms. Chumvan Sodhachivy (Belle), to participate in the new choreography Dance Nitean: The Foolish Men. This contemporary performance, inspired by a Khmer folktale, featured Baramey alongside three other artists from different disciplines. Following this experience, he began studying contemporary dance and became a regular performer with SilverBelle, contributing to various projects. His latest contemporary dance performance, Black Water, was a duet with Belle and was showcased at the Institut Français du Cambodge.
Today, Baramey is also the co-founder of the Khmer Angkor Cultural Arts Training Club, a non-governmental school based in Siem Reap. The school provides free training in performing arts, music, visual arts, and Bokator to students, helping to preserve and promote Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage.
Dy Puthik
Puthik Dy is an emerging artist in Cambodia whose works and practices are predominantly centered on the art of the Khmer classical dance. Since 2016, he has been training and later working as a professional dancer and performer for Cambodia’s first gay dance company known as Prumsodun Ok & NATYARASA, founded and directed by a Khmer American immigrant artist. With the company, Puthik has traveled and performed in a plethora of national and international venues, such as in India and twice in Hong Kong with the recent Gay Game Competition 2023.
Previously, he has worked as a performer and actor, appearing in feature-length project called “Unexpected Songs” directed by Rota Suong and the recently premiered documentary called “Pol Pot Dancing,” a film by Enrique Sánchez Lansch. Currently, Puthik is developing his first debuting dance performance and producing a short documentary about the experience of gay dance in Cambodia. Simultaneously, he is participating in master classes with an award-winning choreographer, Sophiline Cheam Shapiro and his new dance company called, “Amoghapasa.”
Kim Socheat
My name is Kim Socheat, and I am a 32-year-old contemporary dancer who uses a wheelchair. I work at Epic Arts Cambodia, advocating for the arts for people with disabilities, of which I am one. I have resided in Kampot for nine years.
Encouraged by my friend, an artist at Epic Arts, I joined their dance program in 2014. Through the Inclusive Arts Course (IAC) at Epic Arts, I spent two years learning various art forms. I graduated in 2016 and began training with Epic Arts’ professional dance company.
In 2017, I showcased my dance skills on Cambodia’s Got Talent with a solo performance, marking a significant milestone in my career and allowing me to demonstrate my abilities to a national audience. I am passionate about altering the perception of people with disabilities in Cambodia.
In 2018, I was awarded a scholarship to enhance my skills and learn English, supported by an NGO in Phnom Penh (Cambodia Live Arts). Through my work with Epic Arts and as a solo artist, I have performed across Cambodia and internationally, including at community events, NGOs, schools, and hospitals, advocating for people with disabilities.
I have experience leading dance teams and conducting workshops to inspire youth. In 2024, I received a grant to choreograph my own performance about my story, culminating in a final show for the audience in November.
Pum Molyta
នាងខ្ញុំឈ្មោះ ពុំ ម៉ូលីតា គឺជានាដការបាំបុរាណ និង ជាគ្រូបង្រៀនរបាំបុរាណនៅ សាលាមធ្យមវិចិត្រសិល្បៈ។ កន្លងមកនាងខ្ញុំ ធ្លាប់បានចូលរូមការសម្តែង ទាំងក្នុងស្រុក និងក្រៅស្រុកជាច្រើនផងដែរ ហើយនាងខ្ញុំក៏ធ្លាប់ជាអតីត សិស្សសាលាមធ្យមវិចិត្រសិល្បៈក្នុងឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧។ នាងខ្ញុំបានហាត់រៀន បណ្តោះបណ្តាលលើមុខវិជ្ជារបាំបុរាណ និង បញ្ចេកទេស «តួនាង» អស់រយៈពេល ៩ឆ្នាំ។ ស្របពេលឆ្នាំ ២០០៣ ក្នុងកំឡុងពេលហាត់រៀននាងខ្ញុំត្រូវបានអ្នកគ្រូ ជ្រើសរើសអោយទៅសម្តែងនៅប្រទេសកូរ៉េ គឺរបាំទេពមនោរម្យ។ បន្ទាប់មកនៅ ឆ្នាំ ២០០៦នាងខ្ញុំបាន បញ្ចប់ថ្នាក់ស្នាតកបត្រសិល្បៈ ក៏ស្របពេលបញ្ចប់ក៏នាងខ្ញុំបានចាប់ផ្តើមចូលរួម ក្រុមការងារ ជាអ្នករបាំ នៅ Khmer Arts ហើយឆ្នាំ ២០០៧ នាងខ្ញុំក៏បានទៅសម្តែងនៅប្រទេសសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិចដែលជា ស្នាដៃរបស់អ្នកគ្រូ សុភីលីន ជាមសាភារ៉ូ គឺរបាំ ព្រះនាង Pamina Devi នៅក្នុងទីក្រុង ញ៉ូវយ៉ក ក្រោយមកទៀត ឆ្នាំ២០០៨ នាងខ្ញុំក៏បានទៅសម្តែងរបាំ រឿង ព្រះនាង ផាមីណាទេវីដូចគ្នានៅ ប្រទេស ហូឡង់ នៃទីក្រុង Amsterdam។
បន្ទាប់ពីត្រលប់ពី ប្រទេសហូឡង់នៅ ឆ្នាំ២០០៨ ស្របពេលនោះគ្នានាងខ្ញុំក៏បានទៅចូលរួមសម្តែងនៅ ប្រទេសអាមេរិច ដែលពេលនោះដែរនាងខ្ញុំ សម្តែងស្នាដៃថ្មី របាំ Spiral12 ដែលជាស្នាដៃរបស់អ្នកគ្រូ សុភីលីន ជាមសាភារ៉ូ។ នៅឆ្នាំ២០១០ នាងខ្ញុំបានទៅប្រទេស អាមេរិច សម្តែងស្នាដៃថ្មី របាំរឿង Life of Giant ។ហើយឆ្នាំ ២០១១ នាងខ្ញុំទៅប្រទេសអាមេរិច របាំ រឿង Life of Giant ម្តងទៀត។ ឆ្នាំ២០១២ ក៏បានចេញទៅសម្តែង ប្រទេសកូរ៉េ របាំ មុន្នីមេខលា។បន្ទាប់មក ឆ្នាំ២០១៣ នាងខ្ញុំបានទៅសម្តែងប្រទេស អាមេរិច ស្នាដៃថ្មី រឿង ទន្លេកោងមួយ។នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៤ នាងខ្ញុំ ក៏បានចេញទៅ ប្រទេសសឹង្ហបុរី សម្តែងរបាំ មុន្នីមេខលា។នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៥ នាងខ្ញុំទៅប្រទេស ម៉ាឡេស៊ី និងឥណ្ឌូណេស៊ីដើម្បីចូលរួមសិក្ខាសាលា។ ហើយនៅឆ្នាំ២០១៧ ក៏បានចូលរួមសម្តែងរឿង ស្នាដៃថ្មី របាំ ផ្កាស្លា នៅរោងមហោស្របចតុមុខ និង ខេត្តកំពត និងខេត្ត បាត់ដំបង។ស្របពេល ២០១៧ នាងខ្ញុំទៅសម្តែងនៅប្រទេស សឹង្ហបុរី ស្នាដៃ ទន្លេកោងមួយ ។ ហើយនាងខ្ញុំចាប់ផ្តើមធ្វើជាគ្រូនៅសាលាមធ្យមវិចិត្រសិល្បៈ ផ្នែករបាំបុរាណ នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៩ រហូតមកដល់សព្វថ្ងៃ ឆ្នាំ ២០២៥។
Rossika Rongthy
My name is Rossika Rongthy (rose) I’m still in hight school student in secondary school of fine art and a young contemporary artist I founded for Khmer classical dance I stay in a male role and I has been performed Khmer classical dance in many places in Cambodia and I when to China for exchange culture in Nanning since 2024 I had work with international and I start performing a contemporary dance since 2023 in numerous in Cambodia.
Sim Dollar
ខ្ញុំបាទ ស៊ឹម ដូឡា ជាគ្រូរបាំស្មគ្រ័ចិត្តម្នាក់ក្នុងសាលាបឋមសិក្សាយ៉ាម៉ាប៊ីកូ តាមរយៈបទពិសោធន៍ធ្វើការជាគ្រូរបាំម្នាក់នៅក្នុងអង្គការកុមារកំព្រានៅឯខេត្តកំពង់ស្ពឺ ពី ២០១០ – ២០១៣ រួចខ្ញុំក៍ឡើងមកបន្តការសិក្សាថ្នាក់បរិញ្ញាបត្រ័នៅឯរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ។ ក្នុងនោះផងដែរខ្ញុំបានចូលរួមជាមួយសកម្មភាពសិល្បៈជាច្រើនរបស់សាកលវិទ្យាល័យដែលខ្ញុំសិក្សាផ្ទាល់ នឹងក្នុងសហគមន៍ និងក្រុមសិល្បៈក្រៅពីសហគមន៍ផងដែរ។
នៅអំឡុងឆ្នាំ២០២៣ ខ្ញុំមានឱកាសជាថ្មីម្តងទៀតដើម្បីបង្កើតក្រុមសិល្បៈក្នុងរូបភាពជាគ្រូបង្រៀនរបាំស្មគ្រ័ចិត្តជួយដល់កុមារ នឹងសហគមន៍ដែលកំពុងតែជួបប្រទះកង្វះខាតអ្នកជំនាញក្នុងការបណ្តុះបណ្តាលក្នុងសហគមន៍ ។ បទពិសោធន៍ថ្មីមួយនេះជួយអោយខ្ញុំទទួលបានបទពិសោធន៍ថ្មីមួយទៀតរវាងកុមារ និងសិទ្ធក្នុងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ក្នុងសហគមន៍ដែលក្មេងៗកំពុងតែរស់នៅ ។
ខ្ញុំបានដាក់ឈ្មោះសម្រាប់ក្រុមសិល្បៈដោយផ្ទាល់ថា : ក្រុមសិល្បៈផល្លាស្លឹកទេស។
Soy Chanborey
Soy Chanborey (Borey) is a dance teacher of Secondary school of fine Arts and a contemporary artist and founded for Lakhaon Khaol Youth of Cambodia in 2016. Borey was started training dance Lakhaon Khaol(the Cambodian male mask dance) graduated BA of dance Choreography at The Royal University of Fine Arts in 2015, and graduated of Curatorial Fellowship in 2023, Cambodia.
He has performed and played large shadow Puppet with SovannaPhum Arts association and worked contemporary dance with many dances company in Cambodia. He has toured performance of Lights and Shadow in Europe and Bahrain about mixed Classical dance and theatre by The Cambodian Princess NORODOM BOPHA DEVI in 2014, He was a member of Amrita performing arts in 2015 and had performed and choreographed contemporary dance Plate form (young choreographers) with senior artist. The Pieces that he choreographed such as night battle, the life of street dance, Reality, Blood on Water, Contrast awarded in 2018 and just finished the Document Dance Video and Talk: A Woman lived in the White Building in Cambodia.
Borey had worked with international and performed contemporary dance in numerous countries in the world, Golden Age by German-Korean choreographer at Asian Culture Center (ACC) in Korea, 2016. Replay Dance/Edit in Japan and Dance competition for Contemporary Dance creation in Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa, 2017. One table Two chairs in Japan,2018. The Trojan Women Project by La MaMa Theatre in New York, 2019. Calling for Rain by Khvay Samnang Professional Photographer. In 2019, he worked with the international dance project call Trillionth I choreograph by Peter Chin of The Trible Crackling Winds dance company in Canada. He was a Cambodian Representative of Mekong Cultural Hub in ASIA and a Curatorial Fellowship in 2023.
Vong Vannak
Vannak Vong is a dedicated artist that his creative work includes designing, performing, drawing, choreography and teaching. He has been inspired by arts since his young age. He was a circus student at the secondary school of fine art in 1997. He spent 9 years for training circus which specialize in flexibility and aerial silk art. He graduated BA in Choreography of art at The Royal University of fine Art in 2010, at the same time he got involve in costume design. In 2012, Vannak got opportunity to work as an official circus teacher at the National Circus School of Cambodia that organize by Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. Follow this year, he has been participated with both costume designing and circus performance by joining local and international circus festival, workshop, exhibition and competition also. Vannak has worked with Amrita Performing Arts to design for Cambodian contemporary dancer and collaborated with international costume designer. In 2019, He got opportunity to take the master degree of Arts in Costume Design major at the Ohio University, USA. He graduated in 2021 and came back to Cambodia to share his experience to the new Cambodian generation about his skill. Now Vannak work as the professional circus instructor, choreographer, contemporary dancer at the secondary school of Fine Arts and also teaching the costume design course at Royal University of Fine Arts.
Yean Chhenghak
My name is Yean Chhenghak ,I am 25year old and I am a traditional dancer. I graduated from the Royal University of Fine Arts traditional dance directing skills. Today I am an independent artist. Sometimes I am an artist or a team member in a Siver Bell dance and Roof Dance.
In 2021, I received a scholarship to study at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh and also received a scholarship on the Cambodia living art.
In 2023, I participated in a performance at the SEA Games, a major performance that was the first time I participated in a performance with thousands of artists in Morodok Techo Stadium.
I have previously uploaded 2 works in2022, I installed a work under the theme Skor pingpeang ( ស្គរពីងពាំង) and in 2024 , I will installed a work under the theme tambeanh kroma sarsaichak (តម្បាញក្រម៉ាសរសៃចេក).
I have always been involved in Khmer arts such as traditional dance forms, lkhon khaol(ល្ខោន ខោល), and contemporary dance, as part of the team coordinating the visuals and as a costume designer.