International Dance Day
29th April 2006
- 2006 International Dance Day Message: Also available in in FRENCH (original text),and in bilingual English- French PDF brochure format
- Background - International Dance Day - 29th April
- Authors of the International Dance Day Message 1982 -2006
- International Dance Committee of the ITI
You are invited to use the International Dance Day texts and to circulate them. When you do so, please include the following mention, and, if you display the material on Internet, we ask you to add a link to the ITI Internet site : http://iti.unesco.org2006 International Dance Day Message
By His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia
Dancing requires neither pen nor paintbrush.
Only one instrument is necessary, the human body.
Every motion is imbued with dance. To move is to dance.
Dance exacts the utmost dedication of body, mind, and soul. Only the truly committed can pursue this demanding path. Such ascetic discipline molds the character as well as the body, and the rewards of such devotion are a hundred-fold. No freedom can approach that obtained by the mastery of the spirit over the body.
To us Khmers, dance in its most elaborate form is a means to draw us closer to the gods. Thus, dance becomes prayer. It becomes an indispensable ritual for the world to move forward, transcending us to the divine and
raising us to supernatural heights.
On International Dance Day, may the dancers of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia intercede for us all. As we dance, may we strengthen everywhere the noble practice of tolerance, so crucial to all of humanity in this year of 2006.
In 1982 the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute, UNESCO, created International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on the 29th April.The date commemorates the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727 - 1810), the creator of modern ballet.
Every year a message from a well-known dance personality is circulated throughout the world. The intention of International Dance Day and the Message is to bring all Dance together on this occasion, to celebrate this art form and revel in its universality, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and bring people together in peace and friendship with a common language - DANCE.
The International Dance Committee of ITI is collaborating with World Dance Alliance for the celebration of International Dance Day.
.Biography of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia
Born on Thursday May 14, 1953, in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), His Majesty King Norodom
Sihamoni is the son of His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, King-Father of Cambodia, and of Her Majesty Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk of Cambodia.
1959-1962 Primary school at the Norodom School and then at the Descartes High School in Phnom Penh (Cambodia).
1962-1970 Primary and secondary school at Prague’s high school (Czechoslovakia).
1967-1971 Dance, music and theatre courses at the National Conservatory of Prague.
1970 High school degree - Prague (“very good” marks).
1971 First prize course of classical dance of the National Conservatory of Prague.
1971-1975 University studies, Musical Art Academy of Prague.
1975 Master degree, Musical Art Academy of Prague.
1975 Thesis on “The Conception and Management of Art Schools in Cambodia.”
1975-1976 University Studies of Cinematography in the D.P.R. of Korea.
1981-2000 Professor of classical dance and artistic pedagogy at the Marius Petipa Conservatory, the Gabriel Faure Conservatory and the W.A. Mozart Conservatory of
the City of Paris.
1984-1988 President of the Khmer Dance Association in France and General Manager and Artistic Director of the Ballet Group “Deva”.
1988-1993 General Manager and Artistic Director of the Royal Khmer Cinematographic Corporation “Khemara Pictures”. H.M. Norodom Sihamoni, directed two
creations (ballet-films) : 1/- "Dream"; 2/- "The Four Elements".
1992-1993 Chosen unanimously by the members of the Supreme National Council of Cambodia to be Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the United Nations.
1993-2004 Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the UNESCO.
2004 Member of the High Council of French-speaking countries (francophonie).
17 october 2003 Appointed High Privy Counselor to his Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk.
14 october 2004 Elected unanimously by the members of the Throne Council as King of Cambodia, to succeed his august father who decided to retire.
- 1982: Henrik NEUBAUER
- 1983: No message issued
- 1984: Yuri GRIGOROVITCH
- 1985: Robert JOFFREY
- 1986: Chetna JALAN
- 1987: Dance Committee Board
- 1988: Robin HOWARD
- 1989: Doris LAINE
- 1990: Merce CUNNINGHAM
- 1991: Hans VAN MANEN
- 1992: Germaine ACOGNY
- 1993: Maguy MARIN
- 1994: Dai AILIAN
- 1995: Murray LOUIS
- 1996: Maïa PLISSETSKAÏA
- 1997: Maurice BEJART
- 1998: Kazuo OHNO
- 1999: Mahmoud REDA
- 2000: Alicia ALONSO, Jirí KYLIÁN, Cyrielle LESUEUR
- 2001: William FORSYTHE
- 2002: Katherine DUNHAM
- 2003: Mats EK
- 2004: Stephen PAGE
- 2005: Miyako YOSHIDA
- 2006: His Majesty King Norodom
SIHAMONI of Cambodia
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