The dance-dramas of Laos were originally only performed for the royal court. Having their origins in
Cambodia, the dance-dramas and musical accompaniment are all very similar to those of
Khmer classical dance. According to Lao legends surrounding the first ruler of
Lan Xang, it is said that in addition to a large army of Khmer soldiers, King Fa Ngum was accompanied by numerous female dancers from the court of
Angkor. The Lao royal dance is called
Fone Nang Keo (, ) in honour of Queen Keo Kengnya (also known as Queen Keo Lot Fa), a
Khmer princess from
Angkor and wife of King
Fa Ngum. She is credited for bringing both
Buddhism and
Khmer culture, including the royal dance, to the imperial capital of
Luang Prabang. During times of peace, her entourage would practice a dance derived from the
Khmer royal ballet. A dance representation would only be held for special occasions. Since then, the dance has been closely preserved and cherished by the people of
Luang Prabang. It is reported that the dance has retained its traditional style exceptionally well, without undergoing any modifications until present-day. Until 1957, the population of the village of
Ban Phanom, located north of
Luang Prabang, provided young girls to perform the
Fone Nang Keo. The dance masters came from this village which was under the direct ownership of the King, its people serving as tributaries. In exchange, they were exempt from government taxes and received food from the royal palace. The
Fone Nang Keo was once the exclusive property of the King, accompanying the life of the
Lang Xang Hom Kao dynasty. Over time, it has evolved into a sacred ritual to honour and invoke protection from the gods and protective spirits of the Laotian folklore. To pay homage to these entities, the King traditionally presented a performance of the
Fone Nang Keo during the
Lao New Year (Phimai). At the same time, the creation of the country as "
The Kingdom of the Million Elephants" was commemorated. The dance was not taught in dance schools but rather passed down by dance masters of the royal palace, who ensured the prosperity of both the
Fone Nang Keo and Ramayana dances. The costumes and accessories of the dancers are extremely precious and only reserved for official performances. A ceremony is held to venerate the guardian spirits before and after each dance. The officiant, accompanied by flowers, candles, and offerings, expresses gratitude and seeks protection from the spirits and dance masters who oversee the dancers' performance and their mastery of the dance gestures. Nowadays, a representation of
Fone Nang Keo is held once every year in the
Royal Palace of Luang Prabang for the
Lao New Year. A second representation is held in the following days for the general public on the main market square. It was rapidly adapted into a verse format akin to the Buddhist Jataka tales. The Lao version bears only a loose resemblance to the original Ramayana. In the Lao adaptation, Ravana (referred to as Raphanasuan) plays a more prominent role than the main heroes, Rama or Phra Lam. Towards the end of the epic, the magical monkey Hanuman assumes a human form. As often seen in the process of localising literary works, Phra Lak Phra Ram is given a distinct Lao flavor by placing it within the Lao setting. For instance, the Phra Lak Phra Lam places
Ram's birth in the
Mekong valley. According to the Laotian tradition,
Ravana was born in
Cambodia, and the monumental battle took place along the banks of the Mekong. Other scenes come from legends, historical epics such as
Sin Xay, stories from local or Hindu mythology, or adaptations of stories from surrounding nations. Lao classical dance has two main forms, khone and lakhone. Each is accompanied by Lao classical music.
Khon (ໂຂນ ) is the most stylised of the
Lao dance-dramas, with troupes of male and female dancers in elaborate costumes and masks performing very graceful movements demonstrating their great flexibility, and very common dance-drama form for the Phra Lak Phra Ram. Each dancer plays a character in the drama, although most of the narration comes from a singing
chorus to the side. Lakhone (ລະຄອນ ) dances are usually only performed by females, but male lakhone dancers are not unknown. Instead of each dancer portraying an individual character, such as the
Khon dance-dramas, the dancers mimic the scene and events together. There is more variety of dance-dramas performed in the Lakhon tradition. The music of Phra Lak Phra Lam is performed by an orchestra known as Pinphat in its original
Khmer form. Musicians undergo extensive oral training for several months to ensure they have a precise understanding of each piece, regardless of its length, and the variations it entails. Many musicians are skilled in playing multiple instruments within the ensemble. Currently, there is an aid program aimed at transcribing these pieces to preserve this musical tradition for future generations. Although lacking in dance,
nang taloung or shadow puppets (ໜັງຕະລຸງ ) are an important part of Lao theatrical traditions. An adaptation of the traditional Malay
wayang shadow puppets, but there are numerous puppeteers instead of one puppet master. Shadow puppet plays are based on similar themes and stories as the other classical dramas, but can be accompanied by either classical music or
morlam instrumentation. ==Lam lao==