For the past seven years I’ve been the volunteer photographer for the Angkor Dance Troupe, a traditional Cambodian dance ensemble in Lowell Massachusetts . This gallery documents the classical and folk dances that they perform, as well as the teaching, rehearsing, and costuming that goes on behind the scenes.

These pages are a arough outline for what is to come. I’ll soon be reorganizing the galleries into the following categories:  classical dance forms, folk dance forms, rehearsing/costuming/behind the scenes, recent performances, and a small gallery that will change about every two weeks and will focus on a specific theme, such as a dancer, teacher/staff member, dance, or a past performance. I’ll also be adding more information about the dances, more of the dancers' names and other details as I continue to research and work with the troupe on expanding this site. The old gallery slideshow that has been on-line for two years is still here, and will be kept as an archive. I do not get paid or reinbursed for my photography or website work and hosting/maintaing this large site is costly - so if you enjoy this stie please consider helping out by buying a card or print by clicking here.

This website while primarily focusing on the Angkor Dance Troupe, also features some photographs of the Cambodian Royal University of Fine Art’s dancers when they toured the US in 2001 and 2005, and Lowell ’s Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association dance troupe. 

The Angkor Dance Troupe was formed in 1986 by Cambodian refugees of the Khmer Rouge genocide.  When they resettled in Lowell Massachusetts they brought a passion to carry on their cherished traditions – to practice and perform, to teach others, and to see the art forms preserved for future generations of all cultures.  Their dance performances provide a poignant reminder of the beauty and spirituality of Cambodian culture, as well as helping provide a sense of home and community in a new homeland.

The Angkor Dance Troupe is nationally recognized as one of the most accomplished Cambodian traditional arts ensembles performing in the U.S. today. Angkor is directed by world-renowned master teachers and performs an average of 40 times annually for combined audiences of more than 25,000 people. Angkor operates a year round program of free dance rehearsals for students of all ages. The troupe has more than 70 dancers, ranging in age from five to adult.

A central component of Angkor's mission is to provide positive cultural and recreational opportunities for Lowell ’s youth.  Youth typically stay with the troupe for at least 4 to 5 years, many even longer.  In 1999, the troupe’s work with youth was honored at the White House with the prestigious “Coming Up Taller” award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.  Their after-school and summer programs provide in-depth, high quality arts training and leadership development opportunities for inner-city youth. 

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A slideshow collection of my photographs of the Lowell Water Festival - the largest event of its kind outside SE Asia.

A great source of information, especially if you are planning a tirp to Cambodia. The site is full of photography, it is frequently updated and there is a large forum/message board for seeking advice and getting recent news.

A documentary about the lives of three Cambodian-American teenagers in Lowell, Massachusetts. It has been screened at film festivals around the world to great acclaim and it features footage of the Angkor Dance Troupe and dance in Cambodia. It is showing on Public Television stations nationwide in May 2006.

The website for the 2001 US tour of Cambodia's Royal University of Fine Arts dancers and musicians. Besides some photographs and information about the tour, there are scholarly articles about Cambodian dance and a list of resources and links.

The Troupe gives performances up to 40 times a year. They tour mainly in New England, but they have been to New York, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. You can book the troupe to perform at your event or institution by emailing Tim Thou.

Cambodia4Kids is an educational resource organization for teachers, parents and children. The site includes Beth Kanter's interesting blog, which is frequently updated and has news about both Cambodia and Cambodian-American communities throughout the US.

An internet bookstore with a large selection of hard-to-find books about Cambodia as well as videos of Cambodian dance.

News, information and a very large active forum (27,000+ members) with frequent posts about Cambodian dance and other arts. Khmerlife is similar and also worth checking out. And All About Asians is a good source for Asian dance links.

Celestial Dancers on American Soil - Cambodian Dancers by Deborah Jowitt, DANCE MAGAZINE, January 1996.

A Determined Survivor Revives Classical Dance by John Spragens, Jr., January 1989

The Near Extiction of Classical Cambodian Dance by Rashaan Meneses, UCLA International Institute, May 2004

Cambodian Dance:  Grace and Tragedy by Irene Borger, New York Times, October 7th, 1990.

Healing a War Torn Culture: A New Generation of Cambodian Dancers Revives Old Tales in Music and Movement by Suzanne Charle, San Francisco Chronicle, September 2, 2001.