Loi Kratong Dance

• Loi Krathong (Thai ลอยกระทง, Loy Krathong) is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and certain parts of Laos and the Shan State of Myanmar.

The name Loi Krathong  comes from the tradition of making buoyant decorations which are then floated on a river. This  festival is a Thai tradition which has been conducted for a long time ago.

A simple but graceful  dance has been created, based on the Thai circle dance called Rumwong performed to the Loi Krathong song.

History

In the past, the Loi Krathong  was called as Chong Pa Rieng. A floating lantern of royal ceremony. It is a Brahman festival to worship Gods- Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. 

When  the Thai adopted Buddhism, they adapted this ceremony to honor the Buddha’s cremated bone- the original Buddha at the second heaven ruler. They floated lantern to worship the footprint of the Buddha on Nammathanati River beach in India.

Floating  the krathong along the river was created by Nang Noppamas; the most favorite concubines of the Sukhothai king. 

She made krathong as lotus-shaped. The king of Sukhothai floated it along the river. 

Dance Properties:

●Nationality – Thai

●Dance Culture – Festival

●Place of Origin – Thailand (North)

●Dance Classification – Rumwong (circle dance)/Festival

●Music – Loi Krathong song

●Time Signature – 2/4 or 4/4

●Props - krathong

                                                   krathong

●Mood – jovial or cheerful

●Stance - erect

●Performers – typically couple/mixed

●Formation – typically circle

Costumes

●Any Thai costume (chut Thai)  typical of the region in Thailand represented:

                  

●North

●Northeast (Isan)

●Central 

●Southern

Wai

• ●The Thai greeting referred to as the wai consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion.

Finger Positions

                                                        Cheap - tips of the index finger and thumb touch; other fingers are apart and held stiff.

                                      Quong - all four fingers held together and stiffly; thumb held stiff and apart from the fingers

Dance Steps (note: R means right; L - means left ; swd - sideward)

●Dainty walks/steps

●Step Cross (step R (L) in place or swd R (L) ; cross L (R) in front of R (L

●Four step turn  R L)

Choreograph Sequence

●The movements of this dance is based on the Rumwong

Entrance

●8M - Carrying the krathong on the L; arms in 2^nd position, 16 steps to formation, Girl (G )followed by Boy (B)

          ●Fig 1 Music A

●2M – Step cross R and L

●2M – 4 step turn R

●4M – Repeat starting L and turning L

●8M – 16 steps B and G moving in circle

●Fig 2 Music B

●8M – Hold krathong with both hands close to chest and make 12 steps fwd; bend trunk to place krathong on floor, then wai 

●Fig 3 Music A

●16M – moving in circle CCW, move both arms  swd R (2M); move arms swd L (2M) ; repeat ; 32 steps, G follow

●Fig 4 Music B

●8M – same arms movements, B and G moving in circle

Girl followed by Boy

●Fig 5 Music A Instrumental

●2M – facing audience, step cross R and L

●2M – 4 step turn R

●4M – Repeat to L

●8M - repeat

●Fig 6 Music B Instrumental

●8M – facing audience, 16 steps; bring arms  swd R, slightly raised than in the preceding figure

●Fig 7 Music A

●16M – Repeat Fig. 5 

●Fig 8 Music B

●8M – 12 steps move fwd to get krathong

●2M – 4 step turn R; do the wai

🎯Answer this questions after dancing...

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