01823nas a2200145   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002100002400043245012400067856014600191300001200337490000700349520130100356022002001657                                       d1 aCelia Tuchman-Rosta00aFrom Ritual Form to Tourist Attraction: Negotiating the Transformation of Classical Cambodian Dance in a Changing World  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84907885213&doi=10.1353%2fatj.2014.0033&partnerID=40&md5=196105fa50d11e2f876f4cf438839208  a524-5440 v313 aAccording to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage website, classical Cambodian dance is a sacred practice that embodies the spiritual essence of the country s values and traditions. This article asks, What happens when the sacred becomes the profane, the normal, the everyday? It explores how the sacred classical dance form of the past evolved into the entertainment genre it is today. Focusing on the dinner-dance show phenomenon, the author investigates negotiations that are taking place between the preservation and development of the arts in Siem Reap after decades of civil war decimated the artist population. The tourist shows both provide some economic stability for dancers and strip away some sacred aspects of the art form. The article gives insight into how a ritualistic performing art form adapts to changing environments while maintaining social relevance.Celia Tuchman-Rosta is a PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Riverside. Her dissertation investigates how tourism and globalization impact the embodied experiences of performing artists in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Her work is supported by the Center for Khmer Studies, Fulbright HE, a Chancellors Distinguished Fellowship Award, and a Graduate Division Fee Fellowship (UCR).  a07425457 (ISSN)