Dancing with Pride: How One Man Is Reclaiming Khmer Art

Dancing with Pride: How One Man Is Reclaiming Khmer Art

06/17/2025
Dancing with Pride: How One Man Is Reclaiming Khmer Art
Pride Cambodia Pride Cambodia
When Prumsodun Ok first stepped onto a stage, he wasn’t just dancing—he was rewriting history.

As Cambodia’s first openly gay classical dancer, he founded NATYARASA in 2015, gathering an all-male troupe to perform the ancient Khmer dance traditionally reserved for women.

Each movement is precise, elegant—and revolutionary. These dancers aren’t just preserving a 1,000-year-old tradition nearly lost to genocide. They’re giving it new meaning—starring queer love, identity, and strength.

Their art speaks quietly but powerfully. In a society where LGBTQ+ voices often go unheard, NATYARASA dances them loud and proud. And the world is watching.

From Phnom Penh to international stages, their message is clear: beauty belongs to everyone. Courage can look like grace. And love—expressed through motion—can change the way we see one another.

This isn't just about dance. It’s about reclaiming art, rewriting tradition, and moving forward with joy.




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