Sophiline cheam shapiro biography of william

Interview by Barry Bergey and Josephine Reed for the NEA
Edited by Don Ball

NEA: I would like to begin by asking about your response when you found out that you received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship?

Sophiline Shapiro: I was speechless.

I was really speechless.

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I was so honored. I thought that the time had come earlier than I expected, because I know that I’m probably one of the youngest persons to receive this award. And it’s a high honor for me. It confirmed that hard work will pay off in the end with recognition.

NEA: Could you describe classical Cambodian dance for us?

Sophiline Shapiro: Cambodian classical dance is a stylized dance that is more than 1,000 years old now, and it's derived from the tradition of Hinduism.

Sophiline cheam shapiro biography of william

During the period of Angkor, Cambodian classical dance was developed and performed as part of a temple ritual. And so the dance movements, it's very stylized. It's derived from nature, from real life. [It is with the] hand gestures that the dan