Gentle Dance Style: Creation of the Isan Dance Identity of the Kalasin College of Dramatic Arts

Abstract

This article is part of the research on Identity appearing in the creative works of the Kalasin College of Dramatic Arts. The main objective is to study the Identity that appears in Isaan dance from the Kalasin College of Dramatic Arts. The qualitative research process uses research tools such as interviews and observation forms. There were key informants: five dance experts, five dance creators, and five performers. Then, data was collected and recorded according to the aims of the research to be presented as descriptive research.

The research result found that one of the dance identities of Kalasin College of Dramatic Arts is the gentle dance style with refined and elaborate dance groove widely called “fon wan” (sweet dance), which derived from the pure Issan dance style with flexible pattern to be arranged and formatted based on royal court dance style containing more refined, elaborate, and prominent style within the dance. Consequently, it became the integrative knowledge from folk and royal wisdom of the local cultures to be a multicultural dance reflecting the unique Identity of the Issan dance under the production of Kalasin College of Dramatic Arts.