Cambodian also have traditional ballet and this is completely different from International Ballet. We use the term “Royal Ballet” to name many kinds of Cambodian Classic dances.

The International Ballet is different, they walk in a strange way if you know what I mean. Since so far, I know Cambodian King Norodom Sihamony is a former Ballet dancer. Beside the king I hardly count another name.

But now, it’s the time for SOKVANNARA (SY) SAR.

“Dancing Across Borde” is a documentary film that has made a lot of attention to me. Sy was born in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He learned to dance Royal Ballet in Wat Bo and performed some dances at the various places in Siem Reap.

Anne Bass has a long history of involvement in the arts and Cambodia. She has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committees of the Fort Worth Ballet where she founded the company’s ballet school, New York City Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. She is also on the board of the American Friends of the Paris Opera Ballet.

She saw performance of Sy on the stage. Later on she invite Sy to come to New York to learn to dance the Ballet.

This documentary film captured the journey of a young country-side Cambodian to the American Ballet School. The time Sy arrived in New York, he was 16 years old. He was too old to learn the Ballet.

I missed the screening that took sometime in Cambodia, too busy to catch any events at that time but this film is on my list to be watch now.

Find out more about the film: Dancing Across Border