Anthropology Lecture: Symbols of the Nation

Symbols of the Nation: The Sweat and Sacrifice of Classical Dancers in Cambodia’s Tourism Industry

Adorned with gold-colored bracelets, necklaces, and crowns and dressed in patterned silk skirts, elaborately sequined shawls, and form-fitting silk tops that emphasize the elegant curves of their hyperextended bodies, Cambodian Classical dancers step onto stages to present their cultural heritage for tourists around the world. Find out what it really means to be the symbol of a nation! This talk addresses the economic and social issues these performers face as they become the essence of what it means to be Khmer.

Dr. Tuchman-Rosta has been teaching with us for the more than five years and has recently completed her Doctorate, successfully defending her dissertation entitled: "Embodied Experience: How Large-Scale Processes Are Embedded in the Lives of Cambodia's Classical Dance Practitioners" at the Department of Anthropology, UC Riverside.