Today we’d like to introduce you to Mea Lath and Khannia Ok.
Mea and Khannia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
MEA: Dance has been a crucial part of my life since I was twelve years old. Dancing is a way for me to be connected to my Cambodian roots. Growing up in America, you tend to assimilate to the culture and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t lose my heritage.
Since I was young, I grew up watching Cambodian classical dance performances at many celebrations and events. I’ve always admired the dancers and their beautiful costumes. As a young girl, I wanted to be a princess like the dancers. I was too shy and embarrassed to ask my mother to enroll me in classes. In 2002, I finally had the courage to tell my mom that I wanted to learn how to dance. I enrolled what was then “The Arts of Apsara” where my teacher “Neak Kru” Sophiline Cheam Shapiro was teaching. A week later, my teacher and her husband announced that they were leaving to start their own group, Khmer Arts Academy. There are three main roles that could be learned, female, male, and giant/demon. I started learning the female role for the first two years. After that, my teacher trained me as a male character which is the role I’m specialized in today. Ironically, I didn’t become a princess but instead a prince.
In 2008, I had to stop dancing and moved to San Diego for college. It felt like a major part of my life was missing. I tried to dance on my own, but it just wasn’t the same. This art is very hands on and I didn’t have a proper teacher to train me. In 2011, I was blessed with two great opportunities. I became an apprentice to another Master dancer in Northern California, who also happens to my teacher’s sister; and I was asked to become an instructor at Khmer Arts Academy. For next 3 years, I drove to from San Diego to Long Beach every weekend to teach until I graduated from San Diego State University.
Today, I have the responsibility as Managing Director and run the organization with my partner and Associate Artistic Director, Khannia. Without dance, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I owe so much to dance and everyone who has worked so hard to make Khmer Arts Academy what it is today.
Khannia: I started dancing at the age of eight. My eldest sister was introduced to the community program by one of our neighbors living in the same apartment complex. So, my mom took my sister and me down to the center and we got to sample one of the classes. Initially, I was amazed by how many young boys and girls were involved in the program. During this time, the title of the org. was Arts of Apsara dance troupe, ran by Master Teacher Sophiline Cheam Shapiro. The program offered a number of Cambodian arts including classical dance, folk dance, and music classes. These classes were taught by master artists, to each their own expertise; which was an amazing honor and privilege to experience as a Cambodian-American second gen. When I realized that I was learning the traditional dance of my heritage I became hooked. I was excited and proud to have found a way to learn of my parent’s motherland and lineage.
I am the youngest of nine children, born in the states. So, at a young age, I knew how important this was for me. Not because of the friends or community so much at the time, but rather because I was an American-born child with a language barrier hindering the relationship between my parents and I. It was difficult to communicate in the home at times. So, my eight-year-old self-was ecstatic to immerse and indulge in dance, song, and music. I really believed through dance my parental bond will be enhanced stronger. I believed and made efforts, always to learn my native tongue; taking reading and writing classes at the temples during early childhood and later 4 years as an elective course in high school.
However, my parents couldn’t understand my intentions as they ended up not wanting my sister and me to be dancers. They felt it was a distraction from my studies and was a field of no progress or room for secure growth. I can understand this as their history runs deep in struggling to find stability. Unfortunately, the result is a reaction to the backlash of the Khmer Rouge experience.
Forward on, my sister and I rebelled against my parents by continuing to dance. Our older brother Prumsodun Ok played a key role in giving us sisters the opportunity to expose ourselves to our heritage. He would walk us for miles just to get to class. The dance was important to the three of us, the only three who were born in the states. We would walk ourselves or walk each other to classes early Saturday mornings and Friday evenings without permission from our parents. It was nice.
In short, at 24 years old now, 16 years as a dancer. I fought to dance, I fought for dance, and I still do. As the Associate Artistic Director of the Khmer Arts Academy alongside my partner, Managing Director Mea Lath, we propel the exposure, the sharing, the educating, and the experience of Cambodian Arts and Heritage through our passion for dance and the resilience it represents.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
MEA: It was not always a smooth road especially when I went away to college. I tried to continue dancing in San Diego first with another group and then just by myself. My mother was not supportive of me wanting to continue to dance because she wanted me to focus on my studies. Of course, I didn’t listen and continued to do so anyway. The first year that I became an instructor was rough majorly because I didn’t have a reliable car, so I had to ask literally everyone I knew to either borrow their car or if they could drop me off if they were heading north.
Assuming the role of Managing Director has been the biggest challenge. As an instructor, I didn’t have to worry about too much; I just had to teach and prep for any performances. Now, I am responsible for and know so much more, I feel a lot of pressure to make sure that our organization continues. As a non-profit and especially for an art the is less popular, funding is a constant struggle. One of my goals is to figure out how to bring in consistent income.
Khannia: As I stated in the previous response, the struggles I experienced was a battle of approval from my parents. I later had trouble within the home, where it was difficult for me to get to rehearsals. I’ve also had many fall outs with dance as I would become too frustrated with my own expectations. I never struggled too much when it came to learning choreography or molding my body, however, dance is more than learning to move your limbs. Dance is about self-discipline and I believe that is where my internal struggle lies, is through dance finding and molding myself into the woman I can be proud of. As a teenager and a young adult, I battled between “right” and “wrong” but it really grew me into becoming self-aware which is probably one of the many precious gifts I received as a human.
Earning the title of “Associate Artistic Director” is one of the greatest honour, however, I feel as if I haven’t fully earned the title yet. My biggest challenge is proving to myself I am worthy and credible, I guess you can say I need to put a little more faith in myself and own it. I’ve always been a student teacher before I became and instructor and later I received my title. It all happened so fast and sometimes I still don’t believe it. But my biggest challenge lies in shaping myself to become a great teacher, mentor, and guide for the young girls and boys I teach. As a teacher, I want to inspire to aspire.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Khmer Arts Academy – what should we know?
Khmer Arts is a public benefit organization dedicated to fostering the vitality of Cambodian arts and heritage. Our workshops serve approximately fifty apprentice dancers through year-round classical dance training. The curriculum includes the basic movements and traditional repertory of classical dance as well as Artistic Director Sophiline Cheam Shapiro’s original dances. Through our numerous activities, we seek to create a continuum of recruitment, training, research, outreach, creation, performance, developing accomplished artists, and informing diverse audiences.
What is Cambodian/Khmer classical dance?
More than 1,000 years old, the art of Khmer classical dance was developed as a prayer in movement for the deliverance of rain, fertility, and prosperity. Dancers served as bridges between heaven and earth as well as entertainers for the royalty and noble families of Angkor. Drawing upon a serpentine gestural vocabulary akin to a stylized mime, Khmer classical dancers perform short dances known as robam and dramatic works known as roeung. Transforming themselves into gods and goddesses, demons and animals with the use of dazzling costumes, the dancers enact universally relevant stories in which goddesses defeat aggressive demons, princes test the virtue of their lovers, and so much more.
Throughout its history, the art form has inspired the likes of French sculptor Rodin, modern dance pioneers Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, iconic pop artist Andy Warhol, and American musical choreographer Jerome Robbins. From 1975 to 1979, the tradition was nearly destroyed when 80 to 90 percent of Khmer classical dance artists perished during a genocide initiated by the Khmer Rouge. Surviving artists in Cambodia and the diaspora immediately worked to revive their venerable legacy, with its survival a testament to the resilience of art, beauty, and knowledge in the enduring shadows of loss and trauma. Today, Khmer classical dance is practiced in many communities throughout the world and remains a unique and potent contribution to the shared fabric of our human heritage.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
MEA: There are so many who deserve credit! Khmer Arts would not be here today if it wasn’t for the endless hard work of our Executive Director, John Shapiro and Artistic Director Neak Kru Sophiline and the support and funding from the community and officials and various foundations who have awarded us with grants.
Also, I have been very fortunate enough to have trained with so many talented master dancers and teachers. Their passion and work motivate and inspire to become a better dancer and teacher.
Khannia: Mea couldn’t have said it better! I would also like to include Serey Tep (previous managing director) and my brother Prumsodun Ok for always bringing me back to dance and giving me the opportunities to expose myself to art! If it weren’t for them and the experiences they shared with me, I would not be where I am today or who I am. The students and parents of Khmer Arts also have my heart and my thanks for their support and faith in me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 375 Redondo Avenue, Suite 156
Long Beach, CA 90814 - Website: khmerarts.org
- Phone: (562) 472-0090
- Email: info@khmerarts.org
- Instagram: @khmerarts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KhmerArtsAcademy
- Twitter: @khmerarts
Image Credit:
Sin Photography
Mark Peou
Ethan You
Sot Kiep
Khen Chek
Kristina Sam
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