Apsara dances
When you visit various Angkorian temples you are bound to notice innumerable figures of apsara dancers presented on bas reliefs. According to the legend Apsaras emerged from the milk foam when gods were churning the ocean of milk to extract the nectar of immortality. They are considered to be the symbols of beauty, grace and charm.If you stay in Siem Reap for a couple of days I would recommend attending one of traditional apsara dance performances. We did it and were delighted, though we had hesitated before expecting it to be sort of a tourist trap. Yes, the dances are staged purely for commercial reasons, but in a professional way and they do reflect the long-lived tradition of Khmer dancing. The performers look like copies of apsaras from bas-reliefs: the jewellery and crowns, ornate costumes, bent knees and hand gestures all bring to mind the celestial dancers from the temples. Their...
