Abstract:
This research aims at the historical study of Dance of Ruk-Ron and Sa-mer-kham-samut of Phra Ram and Phra Lak in khon performance in the aspect of the dance setting, the analytic studies of dance charateristics and the significance in stage performance of Ramakien in Chong Thanon scene. The dance is in the Thai Dance curriculum at the Dramatic Arts College, Bunditpatanasilpa which has been traditionaly handed down from ancient teachers and is a formal performance continuously played on stage by the office of music and Drama, Department of Fine Arts. With an additional dance on chariot, a work choreographed by Thanphuying Pheaw Sanidwongsenee. The studies are done by both documentary review and indepth interview with Mr. Phadetphat Phlapkrasong and Mr. Paitoon Khaemkhang, two experiened Thai stage performer. The studies have found that the dancers convey the story of invasion of monkey army led by Phra Ram to Longka, also an artistic work showing Thai dance skill from school of the Dramatic Arts College. As the dancer perform bodily movements according to drum melodies on the moving chariot, the chariot dance of Department of Fine Arts has very special characteristics. The Phra Ram performer stands with movement in the chariots pavillion. Numbers of the dancers require space arrangement in the chariot which has limitation in space, as a result the Phra Laks performer is set to kneel down through the performance. The bodily movement appears to have similar characteristics to Chert Chan dance, Klom dance, Mae bot yai mae bot lek and the males Plang cha and Pleng rew, as it uses major bodily movement in Khon. The compositions of the dances consist of the dramatic literature the stage, the costumes and the music