Enter the Show

This is the morning we meet the high school students. We have selected students from the top two high schools in the city who are fluent in English and have an interest in learning about the arts. Over 50% of the population of Cambodia is under 21. Most don't have access to arts. I had asked a group of students what Khmer arts they have been exposed to and one said her mother took her to some shows and another had gone to museums but the rest had cited television as their only access.

The central event of our project is two performances of Khmer arts. The performance will tell a story in various disciplines all woven together to fully use the breadth of Cambodian artists. It will include traditional Khmer, fusion, modern and hip-hop dance with master musical accompaniment.

This will be arts performed by Cambodians for Cambodians from various backgrounds. The arrangements for the show have been worked on since 2007 by Zoe and Hok. The students will attend workshops to explore leadership skills and participate in the promotion of the show.

It has been a struggle for the project leaders to find ways to include the team and students in a meaningful way that allows them to feel real ownership in the program. A huge amount of work and thought has gone into the preparations which leaves little room for people joining for just two weeks. It will be a challenge for the project leaders to open it up and make space for others. I have a lot of confidence in the team already to come up with creative ways to leave their mark.