ประวัติและผลงานนาฎยประดิษฐ์ของครูลมุล ยมะคุปต์ : กรณีศึกษาระบำพม่า-มอญ / วัชนี เมษะมาน = Biography and choreography of Lamul Yamakup : a case study of Pama-Mon dance / Watchanee Measamarn
Aims at looking at the biography, works, ideas, and choreograph of Lamul Yamakup, with Pama-Mon dance as case study. The study involves the review of academic documents, interviews with the qualified people, and my own experience and knowledge gained directly from Lamul Yamakup over the period of 30 years. Lamul Yamakup (1905-1982) was born in Nan province. At the age of five, her father brought her to SuanKularp Palace to learn the art of Thai classical dance. There, she acquired the knowledge and skills of lakorn nok, lakorn nai, and lakorn puntang plays. Later, she moved to Petchaboon Palace and learnt about the art of masque or lakorn dukdamban. She left Petchaboon Palace and married Sangat Yamakup and taught the art of lakorn or Thai plays at Queen Dararatsamee's Palace in Chiangmai where she learnt about the Lanna and Burmese performing art. Lamul led a troop of lakorn performers to Pratabong in Cambodia for one year, during which she had learnt a few things about Khmer music and performing art. Later, she became a civil servant, working as teacher in the Division of Performing Art of the Find Art Department, as well as taking responsibility of the jobs assigned by her supervisor. Her works during 1934-1982 amount to over 50 which can be categorized into six groups namely: 1.Dances based on the patterns of Thai performing art; 2. Dances which combine both Thai and non-Thai patterns; 3. Dances imitating choreography from archeological carvings; 4. Dances accompanied by musical instrument; 5.Dances in which performers close and open the palms of their hands (rabum gum-bae); and 6. Dances imitating animals' movements. I find that her works can be divided into two styles: conservative, and innovative. Pama-Mon dance which is the case study for this thesis is a combination of Burmese and Mon choreography. I find that Lamul Yamakup might have got her idea from the following sources: 1. The Mon choreography of the Mon in Thailand, 2. The Mon choreography in Lakorn puntang, 3. The Burmese choreography in lakorn puntang; and 4. The choreography of Fon Man Mui Chiangta of the north. Pama-Mon dance is a dance performed in the Kra Tam Sat act in Rajatiraj play which was performed in 1953 with all performers being female. The performers are divided into two groups: the Pama and the Mon. The performance itself is divided into 4 acts which are 1. The Pama dance accompanied by Rue Pama music; 2. The Mon dance to the song Mon Yad Lae; 3. The Pama and Mon dance together; and 4. The Pama and Mon return backstage with Rue Mon music. At present the Pama-Mon dance still preserves its original choreography and is a part of the course syllabus of the Performing Art College of the Department of Fine Art. In the case study of Pama-Mon dance, I find that Lamul Yamakup was successful in combining the choreography of two foreign nations and made them blend together perfectly despite their great differences. Her idea is useful to the dance choreography in the later era. And as Lamul Yamakup's works in the field of performing art are diverse and in great number, more indepth studies should be done on them.
