Document Type
Interview
Publication Date
4-3-2024
Keywords
community building, healing through art, cultural preservation, creative adaptation, storytelling, traditional repertory
Abstract
This interview with Ryan Tia Boun was conducted by Sukanya Chakrabarti as part of the Mosaic Atlas project. Ryan Tia Boun, a Cambodian-American artist and educator, explores his work preserving and teaching traditional Cambodian dance. Boun emphasizes the role of dance in fostering cultural identity, community, and resilience within the Cambodian diaspora. He discusses the evolution of these dance forms from Cambodia's post-independence nation-building to their transformation in refugee camps during the Khmer Rouge genocide and their preservation in the United States. Boun highlights challenges in balancing tradition and innovation, addressing socio-economic dynamics among students, and ensuring accessibility. Committed to cultural heritage, Boun’s teaching provides a foundation for students to connect with Khmer culture while navigating questions of tradition, modernity, and diasporic identity. As part of the Mosaic Atlas project, Mosaic Staff and Volunteers, SJSU students and faculty from the Anthropology and Film, Theater, and Dance Departments interviewed people who support and produce art throughout the Bay Area.
Recommended Citation
Ryan Boun and Sukanya Chakrabarti. "Mosaic Atlas: Interview with Ryan Boun" Mosaic Atlas Interviews (2024).
Transcript
Network
Santa Clara County
Participant Website
https://www.facebook.com/cambodianculturaldancetroupe/
Address
Santa Clara County
Neighborhood
Santa Clara County
