KROM SELEPAK AKPIWAD, A SPRINGBOARD FOR EMERGING PERFORMERS

Four members of the Krom Selepak Akpiwad (Artistic Development Club) were selected during a contemporary dance workshop to take part in the professional dance company Bamboo Stretch Project, run by Bob Ruijzendaal and Nick Coffill. Chan Nha, Khun Sreynuch, Kong Soengva and Soun Sreynith, along with the other dancers, will perform from October 14, 2012, to February 16, 2013, in a series of locations in Siem Reap, including a private garden, a major five-star hotel, a local commune and an Angkorian temple still serving as a monastery. The troupe will offer contemporary dance performances based on Cambodian traditional repertoire.

The Krom Selepak Akpiwad (Artistic Development Club) was collaboratively created, as part of the Association for Young Artists (AYA) project, by Cambodian Living Arts (CLA), CIAI (Centro Italiano Aiuti all’Infanzia) and the School of Arts in Siem Reap, with the aim to provide services for those graduates of the school who want to develop their capacity to become professional artists. Activities vary from field trips to visit other arts organizations throughout Cambodia, to artistic exchange workshops on developing their own performances, and training on legal and contractual rights.

CLA is very happy with this new partnership, which offers some of the most remarkable arts students the opportunity to start a career in the arts.