Final answer:
Cambodian court dance, known as Apsara Dance, is intertwined with Cambodia's culture and does not aim to conceal theatrical elements as seen in Western theatre. It openly celebrates its performative aspects. Elements like puppetry and jurori relate to Japanese theatre, separate from Cambodian culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cambodian court dance, also known as Apsara Dance, is a classical dance form from Cambodia that is deeply intertwined with the country's history and culture. This dance is characterized by its graceful hand gestures and elaborate costumes, which are often adorned with gilded headdresses and silken tunics. Cambodian court dance is a performative expression of Khmer cultural identity and serves as a medium for conveying stories and legends from Cambodian mythology and history. It is often performed during official ceremonies and religious rituals, signifying the connection between the divine and the royal court.
What Cambodian court dance does not signify is the concealment of theatrical elements, as it does not pursue the illusionistic principles that Western theatre often embodies. In Western theatre, staging, lighting, and other technical aspects are frequently designed to hide the mechanics of the production to create a more immersive experience for the audience. Cambodian court dance, by contrast, openly displays its performative aspects, celebrating the visual and auditory components as integral parts of the cultural expression.
Given the references provided, it is important to clarify that while Cambodian court dance has its unique qualities, elements such as puppetry performed on the main stage (hombutai) and jurori chanted to music relate more to Japanese theatre practices, and the mention of a Balinese dance drama and a film about the !Kung Bushmen dance are related to other distinct cultural performances, which are separate and have different significations from Cambodian court dance.