THAI DANCE |
Waewdao Sirisook is a dancer and choreographer from Northern Thailand’s Lanna region with a Dance MFA from UCLA, where she has taught Thai Dance since 2006. As a professional traditional and contemporary dancer, Waewdao’s choreography focuses on expressing the diversity of the authentic traditional Lanna arts and culture. Her intention is to maintain the original root of her region and bring it to diverse audiences. Waewdao has also participated in the non-profit organization, LA Thai Kids, providing traditional Thai dance lessons to the Los Angeles Thai community. This introduction to the Dance of Thailand offers participants an opportunity to approach and expand their dance technique through new methods as well as to experience Southeast Asian arts and cultural history, which relate to the dance. To study Thai dance is not only to study movement in practice but also to study the various cultures of different ethnic groups in Thailand. This unique class utilizes Northern Thai dance philosophy, approaching dance technique very openly and allowing for a great deal of improvisation. Dances are not taught in a strict “right or wrong” style but with the aim of expressing personal interpretation and paying respect to the spirit of dance. |
