BYU Ballroom Dance Company performs for Thai, Cambodian royalty during Southeast Asia tour

The BYU Ballroom Dance Company recently performed in three Southeast Asia countries, including for King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida of Thailand and also Preah Reach Botrei Samdech Norodom Arunrasmy, a Cambodian princess, reported the Church’s Hong Kong Newsroom, Thailand Newsroom and Cambodia Newsroom.

The tour April 29 to May 14 included performances in Bangkok, Thailand, April 29-May 1; Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 5 and May 7; Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam, on May 9 and May 12; and Phitsanulok, Thailand, on May 14.

The company’s Southeast Asia tour included one devotional, three service projects, six outreach workshops and nine shows that reached nearly 8,000 people, reported the Hong Kong Newsroom.

Thailand

The king and queen of Thailand attended the BYU ballroom dance concert April 30 in the Aksra Theatre as part of the “East Meets West: Celebrating His Majesty the King’s Jubilee,” in honor of his 72nd year.

A BYU dancer, 21-year-old Darby Jo Hart, said: “Developing my dancing for years, I didn’t ever realize that would give me an opportunity to dance for the king of Thailand. ... We work to develop things; then we’re given opportunities that we never could have anticipated.”

Dancers from the Rajini and Rajinibon schools performed traditional Thai dances to open the program. The BYU, Rajini and Rajinibon dancers all took a photo with the king and queen.

The 600 attendees included Elder Kelly R. Johnson, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Church’s Asia Area presidency; Steve Hafen, BYU’s administration vice president; and their spouses, joining the greeting party comprising Pridiyathorn Devakula, event advisory committee chairman; Bhichit Rattakul, organizing committee and BYU alumnus; and event chairperson, Benchapa Krairiksh. Brigham Young University is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sathit Kaivalvatana, the Church’s local public affairs director, said: “The opportunity for BYU to perform before the king is not only a cultural honor but also a meaningful moment for the Church. This significant milestone reflects the Church’s ongoing efforts to build bridges through culture and service, opening doors for deeper community engagement and understanding.”

The event was a collaboration with the Princess Bichitrchirabha Devakul Foundation, BYU and the Church. Event proceeds were donated to the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage, which provides educational assistance for underprivileged children.

During the dance company’s five days in Bangkok, the dancers also had a visit to the Church’s Bangkok Thailand Temple; an interview with the Thai Public Broadcasting Service; three more public performances, including one to benefit the Thai Red Cross; and several workshops. The dance workshops included ones at the Children’s Village, a residential care home for children ages 3 to 18; with students from International School Bangkok; and with a visiting Singapore Church group.

This is the fifth time the dance company has performed in Thailand.

Curt Holman, the BYU Ballroom Dance Company’s artistic director, and several dancers’ parents participated in the 1985 tour as students. The company’s most recent visit was in 2011 and included a performance for Princess Soamsawali.

Woraphat Anaworayan, a company alumnus of four decades and Holman’s friend, traveled seven hours to see the performance on May 1.

“Coming here to support them, to see the best show ever, it was worth the time that I came all the way,” he said. “This is one of the best things that happened in Thailand, and I hope that people get to know the Church.”

Cambodia and Vietnam

The performances of “Rhythm” in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh were the first times the BYU Ballroom Dance Company has performed in the country, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.

Several members of the royal family, including Norodom Arunrasmy, who is a princess and diplomat, and government, community and business leaders attended the performance May 7 in Koh Pich Theater in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Government leaders who attended included Chay Borin, minister of cult and religion; Phoeurng Sackona, minister of culture and fine arts; and Ing Kantha Phavi, minister of women’s affairs.

“The dances were both elegant and full of energy,” said Elder Bun Huoch Eng, an Area Seventy in Cambodia of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We are grateful for these student dancers who traveled all this way to share their talents with the people of Cambodia, and we sincerely hope they will return.”

The 90-minute performance provided a showcase of standard ballroom and Latin dances, including waltz, tango, quickstep, cha-cha and samba.

The show opened with performances from dancers of the Princess Buppha Devi Dance School and the Cambodian Dancesport Federation. The day before, the three groups had dinner and a workshop, where each group taught the others about its style of dances.

While in Cambodia, the dancers from BYU gave lessons to more than 200 teenagers at Zion International School of Phnom Penh. In Siem Reap, they ministered through dance to more than 200 members and friends of the Church in a meetinghouse.

BYU ballroom dancer Caroline Money, 20, a communication studies major, said: “I’m so glad that we could minister to people in this part of the world through our dance talents. It brings extra meaning and purpose to our performances, when we are not only here to entertain but also build bridges between diverse communities.”

In Vietnam, the BYU Ballroom Dance Company performed in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, where it entertained about 1,400 audience members. Many dignitaries and their families came to watch.

“I was so touched by their performance,” said Jonathan Thang from Ho Chi Minh City. “My wife cried the whole time, and she said she could feel the effort of the dancers.”

In both countries, the dancers saw cultural sites, including the Angkor Wat near Siem Reap and the Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, and in Vietnam, Halong Bay and Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Being able to see some of these historical sites with my own eyes is a fascinating experience,” said Michael Morgan, 24, an economics and political science major with a passion for history. “The lessons from my textbooks are coming to life, and I’m embracing every minute of it.”