Status and Roles of Ballerinas in the Royal Court of Ayutthaya

Abstract

This article aimed to study the status and roles of ballerinas in the royal court of Ayutthaya. The data were collected via a variety of historical documents, namely, enactments, archives, chronicles, as well as fiction – including literary works in the Ayutthaya period, contemporary literature, and those in the coincident period. The results indicated that a ballerina was one of the positions in the royal court of Ayutthaya. It is assumed that those who could perform such duties were deliberately selected from women with political and economic roles in the society, which might have implications for creating political stability and contributing to forming the clearer image of hypothetical deity. In addition to a regular duty to dance on schedule, these ballerinas had to perform in various royal ceremonies of the royal court. On some occasions, they were required to perform in conjunction with other types of performances, such as performing with a grand shadow play, called “Nang Rabam,” in the Royal Lantern Floating Ceremony. Besides, they had specific duties, such as dancing in the Royal Cremation Ceremony and for the celebration of sacred things. In the late Ayutthaya period, ballerinas might be responsible for practicing and performing in plays, as found in several documents as well as the appearance of the plays “Inao Lek” and “Inao Yai.” Therefore, it can be said that apart from the function to create entertainment, ballerinas were also part of the ritual and administrative policy movement of the Thai elite in one era.