THE INFLUENCE OF LOPBURI ARTS ON THE INVENTION OF PRANGSAMYOD DANCE

Abstract

This research aimed to study the influence of Lopburi arts on Prangsamyod Dance. The scope of this study focused on the application of Lopburi arts to the invention of choreography, costumes, accessories, melody, lyrics, and the use of musical instruments in “Prang Sam Yod Dance”. The data were collected through the study of documents relating to Lopburi arts history, the historical evidences of Lopburi arts found in Lopburi, and in-depth interviews with the local musicians, dancers and scholars. The research findings revealed that: (1) The melody used in “Prangsamyod Dance” was influenced by the song “Khamainpaobaimai” with the authentic Khmer music beat. The lyrics were written and based on the ancient scripts as found at Lopburi ancient shrines built during 15^th-16^th centuries. The musical instruments used to play in this song were those culturally shared and used in Southeast Asia. (2) The invention of costumes, accessories, hairstyles and choreography in “Prangsamyod Dance” was also influenced by Lopburi arts, particularly from the documents and artifacts displayed at Lopburi National Museum.