Khon

Khon ( Thai: โขน ) is a Thai dance in which the dancers wear masks. The dance is based on the classic drama Ramakien, which originates from the Indian culture and was adapted in Thailand.

The Khon is the rituellste form of classical Thai dance. Four groups occur here in succession or together: men, women, monkeys and demons. The story is about the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Originally Khon was danced exclusively at court. Because of the large number of performers and the elaborate masks that are necessary, the dance never was very well received in the daily lives of people. The Thai prime minister later Kukrit Pramoj, who was himself a Khon dancer at a young age, formed the group Khon Thammasat to save the dance style from oblivion.

In Cambodia, a variant of Khon is played as Lakhon khol, in the 19th century, an adapted version of the Burmese court at Ava has been introduced.