Trod Dance

 Background

• Trod is a long-standing Khmer traditional dance inherited from the indigenous people of Somrae, who lived in the territory of Sovannphum [Golden Country] ever since it had been untouched by Indian civilization. To date, there are a small number of Somrae people living in the northern Tonle Sap Lake near the former Siem Reap capital city.

• Since the early Angkor era, Trod Dance has been wide spread and popular across the country.
• Trod is performed only over Khmer New Year; however, it is also performed in rain rituals 
•  
• when the country faces droughts.                                                                                                 

 Purposes 

• In the past, the people of Somrae performed this dance for the King in Khmer New Year celebration for bliss.As time went by, Trod Dance was performed for blessing of the general people during  the New Year Festival.

• The word 'Trod' stems from Sanskrit meaning to "separate" or "cut-foo", and signifies transformation from an old year to a new year. The word "Trod" is associated with a royal celebration of "Treus Sankranta" (bringing luck and prosperity to the king) until today.

 Performance 
 

• Performers: usually Trod is composed of a small or big group of dancers depending on people's preference and the number of available dancers. Performers are divided into two groups, male and female. A man, who wraps cotton scarf decorated with leaves around his head, wears banana leaves around their waists and breech-cloth, acts as hunter. Those who wearing antlers act as deer and Tonsoang [Java banteng-cow]. The female group also includes two lead dancers who dress in Sampot Chong Kben, wearing make-up, colorful clothes and crowns on their heads with hands holding the peacock tails. The difference between the main and the secondary characters is that the secondary characters wear Robai [a kind of headband]

• Musical instruments and performance tools: It is noticed that there are different lyrics of Trod Song depending on groups of people, villages and districts.       

  
Orders of Performance
 

• Per-performance: Dancers and musicians, Trod performers, gather together before   Kroeung     Peaklika [offerings]. The main and secondary characters sit in a queue before the deity site. The Buddhist priest sites between musicians on the left-row and those holding Kangcha, Chong Krong poles and fishing rods on the right row. After the candles and incense sticks are ignited, and Sla Thor Bay Srey is prepared, the priest orders all to bow down three times before the deity site. After that, everyone sits still and join their hands together to pray. The priest chants: May I invited you, our Master, to have the food we pray for you. Grandmothers, grandfathers and parents, please forgive us if we have done something wrong and help make our wishes come true. 

• After that, the priest starts to give Pae [offerings] to the spirits, and then takes out the red strings soaked in a bowl of water to be tied on the Trod performers' wrists. The priest then puts the mask on the hunter's face and the antlers on the head of the deer performers, and then walks out of the site. All rises together, and the main character sings:
  "I would like to give salute to the Buddhist trinity; May the virture of the Buddhist trinity bring success and hapiness", All repeats "Happiness".

• After the offerings ritual finishes, Trod performers start to dance.