Lamvong: Lao traditional dance

Lamvong dance

Honoured guests are requested to join in the lamvong samakhy dance so as to make them enjoy and feel at home in Laos.

Foreign guests always feel at home when they dance the Lamvong, and most often the Lao staples of sticky rice and grilled chicken accompanied by spicy green papaya salad and fish sauce will also be on offer.

Lao hosts typically entertain foreigners by inviting them to join in the fon lam vong lao (traditional dance or national folk dance) while serving up some of the country’s most popular dishes.

On any occasion, whether large or small, including festivals, invited guests will join their Lao friends in dancing the lamvong lao and eating traditional dishes.

When visiting Laos, dancing the lamvong lao and eating some real Lao food is a must, otherwise you won’t really have been to Laos at all!

At first, novices might find the lamvong difficult but after being shown the way by a charming Lao partner, you will soon get used to the gracious hand and foot movements that make this dance so appealing. It is without doubt the slow and delicate gestures that give the lamvong its special charm.

Head of Research Management at the Performing Arts Division of the Department of Performing Arts, Ms Nouth Phouthavongsa, said the moves involved are in fact very easy to pick up. There are several types of dance in Laos, and each community has its own traditional songs and styles of dance.

Ms Nouth recalled a time when Laos didn’t have modern musical instruments. In those days, people in rural areas lit a fire as the focal point of a social gathering. The fire was a source of light and village folk fashioned instruments from bamboo. After eating, men and women would dance around the fire together to entertain themselves.

Their movements reflected the rhythm of the music, and their feet and hands were guided by the cadences produced by the simple instruments.

“The lamvong developed many centuries ago and we call it the lamvong because men and women danced in a circle to the music of folk songs (lam),” Ms Lamvong: Lao traditional dance Nouth explained.

She described the customs surrounding the lamvong, which have their roots in days long past.

A man invites a woman to dance by placing the palms of his hands together in a sign of respect (also the traditional form of greeting, known as a nop).

He may also place a garland of flowers around his intended partner’s neck.

Before they begin the dance, the man and woman both nop to each other as a sign of respect.

When the dance is over, the man escorts the woman back to the place where she was seated previously and tells her “khop chai” (thank you).

As time has passed, some of these customs have changed.

If a dance takes place during an important event or at a festival, it is acceptable for women to invite guests to dance. It is tradition for guests and hosts to take to the floor for the first dance.

The Lao refer to the dance as the fon lamvong samakkhy. The general meaning is that guests and hosts dance together to get to know one another better, which in Laos is almost certainly the case.

This dance envelops you in friendship and guests cannot fail to be impressed with the warmth and camaraderie that will inevitably follow.

In fact, the national folk dance in Laos is the “Lamvong”.

Lao ethnics living in Thailand also dance the lamvong and people in Cambodia also dance the Lamvong dance.

Most people believe the lamvong dance originated in ancient Laos a very long time ago.

The lamvong is basically a circle dance in which people move continuously round in a large circle, starting from right to left, gracefully moving their arms and legs and bending their fingers to the music, but never touching one another. You move your hands in opposite directions, one to the left and one to the right and also move your legs in time to the rhythm.

Lao people, young and old, also like to dance the lamvong during celebrations such as Lao New Year “Pi Mai Lao”.

The lamvong is typically performed to mor lam (traditional) or country music, although in Lao nightclubs however, Western forms of dance tend to predominate.

If you are having a Lao engagement or wedding ceremony though, the bride and groom will be required to dance the lamvong together and then they will dance with guests. If a lamvong is not performed then it’s definitely not a traditional Lao engagement or wedding but a westernised ceremony.

Men and women don’t have to wear the traditional Lao costume when they dance the lamvong together at a general party, but women who attend a formal occasion such as a wedding have to wear the traditional “sinh mai” dress.

Lao girls often wear the traditional Lao dress in daily life, but it is not common for Lao guys to wear a traditional Lao outfit unless they are getting married.

When dancing the lamvong, you can’t just play any music for it. It’s a slow traditional dance so traditional classic Lao music must accompany the dance. The sound of the Khaen a traditional Lao musical instrument, which is usually described as a mouth organ made from hollow cane, is also suitable for the lamvong dance.

The lamvong is really enjoyable to dance and handy to learn because if you plan to marry a traditional Lao woman in the future, or you want to get involved within the Lao community, then it’s something that you will need to know how to do.

The lamvong is a famous dance and greatly enjoyed during parties, weddings, festivals and other local celebrations in Laos.

Lamvong is a very easy dance that doesn’t require any special skills and it’s great fun so don’t be shy. If you spend more time on the sidelines than on the dance floor at Lao parties and celebrations then you’re definately missing out.

Guests are requested to participate in the lamvong dance so as to make them enjoy and feel at home when they are in Laos.

The hosts will request the guests to dance by inviting them onto the stage or floor and showing them how to dance.

So come on and join in, it’s time to get down and dance the lamvong while in Laos.

Source: Lao Press Centre

Tags: Laos Travel