Jungle Theater and Theater Mu are honored to have the Wattanak Dance Troupe perform the Robam Jun Por, also known as the Dance of Blessing, to begin the opening night of Cambodian Rock Band. (See the updated performance photos at the bottom of the blog!)

The Robam Jun Por is traditionally performed at the beginning of a ceremony to greet, bless, and offer good wishes to the audience. The dancers hold golden chalices, inside of which are flower blossoms that symbolize blessings from the gods. As the dancers pluck the blossoms from the chalices and gently toss them toward the audience, this gesture symbolizes the blessings of the gods falling upon the audience.

The dance on Jun 11 will be performed as a solo by Gabriella Sour. Gabriella is a classical Cambodian dancer under the instruction of Saroeun Nob and Garrett Sour, who are disciples of the master teacher, Neak Kru Yousedy Peov. Gabriella currently serves as a principal dancer within Wattanak Dance Troupe and teaches the troupe's beginner students. Throughout the years, Gabriella has performed across the state of Minnesota and Massachusetts and hopes to perform internationally.

Wattanak Dance Troupe (WDT) itself was established in 2000 by Sodanny Eir and Yousedy Peov and is currently under the instruction of disciples, Saroeun Nob and Garrett Sour. WDT is a non-profit organization that focuses on Classical and Folk dance styles of the Cambodian repertoire. WDT seeks to bridge generations of Cambodian-Americans to their cultural heritage through the art of dance and storytelling, while also showcasing the rich and ancient culture of Cambodia to communities throughout the States. WDT is devoted to preserving and passing down the knowledge of Cambodian performing arts to the next generation.

Descriptions and bios provided by Garrett Sour, one of Wattanak’s principal dancers. Performance photos by Carly Caputa (1-4) and Wesley Mouri (5-7).