CONTEMPORARY TONE DANCE REFLECTING THE IDENTITY OF WOMEN CHAIYAPHUM PROVINCE

Abstract

          The objectives of the research article were 1) to study the history and development of Thailand’s Northeastern Tone Dance and 2) to recreate the contemporary Tone Dance that reflects the identity of Chaiyaphum women through qualitative research and recreational research. The sample groups were five experts in Thai Tone Dance and ten performers. The instruments used were document sector and field studies. The data was collected using two methods: observation and interview. The results were presented using descriptive analysis.

          The research findings were as follows: 1. The art of Tone Dance was first disseminated to the Northeast of Thailand by a group of Laotian merchants who fled from the war in Vientiane, Laos, and resided in Saraburi Province. They later received the culture of Tone Dance from Bangkok and spread it to Nakhon Ratchasima in 1917. Then, people of Nakhon Ratchasima brought Tone Dance to Chaiyaphum.  2. The recreated contemporary Tone Dance adopted the drumming styles and cheerful music which represent identities of local people. The background beat was derived from the traditional drumming rhythm. The process of recreating the performance included 1) concept, 2) scope, 3) format, 4) artificial dance design, 5) artificial dance creation, 6) finishing up, and 7) presentation. The recreation of contemporary Tone Dance that reflects the identity of Chaiyaphum women was based on the knowledge framework of Isan dance prototypes.