When you approach the Khum Khantoke dinner show at the Lanna Cultural center you are greeted by several female musicians and artists carving fruit and arranging flowers. There are several shows at once in different pavillions. The shows are similar, but slightly different (according to our host, anyway).
We went to one of the largest pavillions--in a graceful Thai style but much larger than any traditional building we've seen here. We were led inside to small, low tables. You could sit on the floor in traditional style or you could stick your legs into the depression under the table.
You had to take your shoes off before entering, like with a traditional Thai house or temple. There was a large stage at one end of the hall with an ornate relief mural that depicts numerous traditional Thai themes. Performers were on stage playing traditional Northern Thai music.
Dinner was served on a large tray with several smaller dishes, representing traditional Northern Thai food (though I don't know whether or not they were mellowed for tourists). Everything was quite delicious, and there were fried bananas as a palate cleanser. If you finished off any particular dish, you could request more from the wandering servers.
(Ellen adds: Because I am certified-- or certifiable!-- as being obsessed with food, I will tell you what the above consists of. In the center is a dip made of mild green chiles with fresh vegetables for dipping. Starting from the lower left and going clockwise are: fried chicken, pork rinds-- a Northern specialty, sauteed vegetables, fried rice noodles, and a Chiang Mai dry curry with pork-- the same one I learned to make in my cooking class!)
The opening dance was similar to another we had seen previously at the Night Bazaar. A processional moved towards the stage with paired dancers and then a man and a woman, and finally what appeared to be offerings of some kind. I don't know what the significance behind this dance was, but it seems quite ritual in nature and I wonder if it isn't a traditional opening ceremony of some kind.
Dances apparently came from various different cultures of Northern Thailand. I have no idea of the antiquity of any of them, and very little to compare them to, yet. These peacock dancers were quite entertaining, however.
These umbrella dancers were also fun to watch, though I couldn't help but have thoughts of Miss Saigon going through my head. Can't quite say why--just an association that must be back there somewhere.
These drummers were highly active. Much like Taiko drumming, the beats reverberated throughout the hall. They were also extremely energetic, and they danced as they played.
Khon is another form of traditional dance, although it is hardly relegated to NOrthern Thailand. This was a scene we had watched before in Bangkok--it is from the Ramakien (or Ramayana) where Hanuman, the Monkey King, attempts to woo the Queen of the Mermaids. You see, Hanuman has been attempting to build a causeway to the city of Lanka, where the immortal demon king Totsakan has captured the wife of Hanuman's liege, King Rama. As Hanuman commands his monkeys to throw rocks into the sea to build the causeway, however, the rocks mysteriously disappear. Hanuman discovers that the Mermaid Queen, who is a daughter of Totsakan, is having her mermaids and the creatures of the sea carry away the rocks. Hanuman decides to woo the Mermaid Queen and convince her to let him build the causeway. It is an extremely active scene, though I believe the Bangkok theater felt more rehearsed and professional. Still, it was a lot of fun and probably a good thing for all of the tourists gathered round.
Next, there was a dance that seemed very similar to English country dance in the overall movements, with different couples dressed to represent different hilltribe people.
A sword dance followed. There was a lot of twirling going on--it was hard for me to pick out if there were martial implications in it or not (though the announcer claimed it was based on traditional swordsmanship). At one point the dancer danced while balancing all the swords in a precarious position. Unfortunately he did drop a sword twice, which visibly affected him. Some of the feats he performed for the crowd seemed more like gimmicks, to my mind, but I don't know enough about traditional Thai martial arts yet.
The last dance of the evening was a fusion of traditional and modern music and dance. Eventually, the progressed into a circle dance, inviting members of the audience to participate.
The circle dance is definitely part of a tradition--the tradition of bringing up audience members to embarrass them in front of their friends. Of course, this is much easier if said audience member is a ham to begin with. The moves were fairly simple as long as your fingers are double-jointed. I have no idea how they get their fingers to actually bend backwards like that. It's just not natural.
After the evening is over, you head outside, where you can have your picture taken with some of the dancers, or participate in traditional Thai rituals (for a small fee).
(Ellen adds: The above guys are dressed for the Khon dance-drama: Phra Ram, or Rama, is to the left of me, and Phra Lak, Rama's brother, is on the right. Rama is evidently the role model for the strong but sensitive Thai guy. Lak, or Lakshaman, is Rama's right-hand man, an appropriate role for him as he was apparently Rama's throne in a previous life!)
We let off one of the traditional (paper) balloons, which are a part of an annual balloon festival every year in Chiang Mai.
That's all for now--more still to come.
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