Between Earth & Sky - Staging a Khmer Swan Lake - Angkor Dance Troupe & Director Q&A (AUDIO)

Audio recording of the audience Q&A that followed a screening of Between Earth & Sky: Staging a Khmer Swan Lake, recorded November 7, 2026 at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center Theater in Lowell, MA.

The documentary follows the Angkor Dance Troupe's nearly two-year journey to retell Swan Lake through Cambodian classical dance. In this conversation, the film's director, the troupe's dancers, executive director Bora Chiemruom, and master teacher Neakru Phousita Huy (speaking in Khmer, with interpretation) talk about:

  • Choreographing the work with master teachers at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh
  • Scoring Tchaikovsky's themes for Cambodian instruments
  • The fear of stepping outside tradition, and the 20 packed performances at Merrimack Repertory Theatre that followed
  • Virginia Prak dancing Prince Siegfried in 18 shows while caring for her mother in the hospital
  • Kana Desens stepping into her first-ever solo role
  • Passing Neakru's knowledge to the next generation, and plans to tour the production across the U.S.

Chapters
  00:00 What it means to be part of a Khmer Swan Lake
  04:56 Neakru Phousita Huy on a long-held dream (with interpretation)
  09:46 Blending Khmer classical dance with the Swan Lake story
  11:52 Western music on Cambodian instruments
  14:49 Audience Q&A: Boston Ballet and inspiration
  16:46 Learning to act: expression on stage
  18:33 Virginia Prak on dancing Prince Siegfried in 18 shows
  23:37 Back-to-back shows and women in the prince's role
  27:16 Performing while caring for a sick mother
  29:41 A tribute to Neakru
  34:49 Passing the gestures to the next generation
  37:41 New weekly classes at Angkor Dance Troupe
  40:52 Dancers on growing into new roles
  44:33 Hundreds of students to come
  46:56 Audience reflections and thanks

Recorded by 978 Live: local events, live music and culture in Lowell, MA.