Thailand: An 1896 photograph of two classical Siamese dancers in Udon Thani, now located in...

Siamese dance is an elegant art form refined over centuries and supported by regal patronage. The Thais reputedly first acquired a dance troupe when, in 1431 CE, they conquered the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor and took as part of their booty an entire corps de ballet - dancers whose performances had once been seen as a symbolic link between nature, earth and the realm of the gods. The two major forms of Thai classical dance drama are 'khon' and 'lakon nai'. In the beginning, both were exclusively court entertainments and it was not until much later that a popular style of dance theater, 'Likay', evolved as a diversion for the common folk who had no access to royal performances.