Romvong

Romvong (Khmer: រាំវង់, also romanized as Rom Vong or Roam Vong), Lamvong (Lao: ລຳວົງ - lám wóŋ) or Ramwong (Thai: รำวง; RTGS: ram wong; Tai Lue: ᩃ᪁ ᩴᩅ ᩫ ᩬ; Tai Khun: ᨽ᩠ᨿᨦᨴᩱ᩠ᨿᩃᩨᩢ; pronounced [rām.wōŋ]; Shan: လမ်းဝူင်), Rambung (Malay: رمبوڠ), Vietnamese: lăm-vông) is a type of Southeast Asian dance where both females and males dance in a circle. It is a popular folk-dance in Xishuangbanna (China), Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand. It is a slow round dance continuously moving in a circular manner, and incorporates graceful hand movements and simple footwork. Both men and women participate in the same circle.

The circular dance style is claimed as a traditional dance in the four countries of the region where it is often part of traditional festivities, popular celebrations and modern parties. In addition to the dominant Khmer, Lao, Malay and Thai cultures, romvong is also common among many other groups indigenous to Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, for example, Ramvong dance is also found among ethnic groups including the Phnong, Krung, Tampuan and Brao people.^[1]