Troddi: Khmer Village Dance Chasing Spirits for a Prosperous New Year

Imagine a Khmer village buzzing with excitement at the heart of Chaul Chnam Thmei, the traditional Cambodian New Year. Laughter erupts, drums resound, and suddenly, a colorful troupe bursts forth: it’s the Troddi dance, a folkloric spectacle that drives away the evil spirits of the past year to invite prosperity into the new one.

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Performed mainly during this spring festival, but also at major festivals or even ancestral rites to invoke rain during prolonged droughts, Troddi embodies the vibrant soul of the Khmer people. No one knows exactly when or where this dance originated, but a fascinating hypothesis links it to ancient village beliefs. When a wild animal entered the village—a symbol of bad luck—the inhabitants would gather to perfume it with fragrances and paint it with pigments, beseeching it to return the stolen good fortune. From this ritual practice, Troddi was born, where dancers embody animals like the red deer, buffalo, or peacock, allowing themselves to be “sprinkled” and “painted” by the crowd. Thus protected, the villagers believed they could ward off any real danger. This tradition has endured as an annual performance, a fusion of collective joy and protective magic (based on INALCO ethnographies and oral accounts compiled by UNESCO).

Ethnic Origins: A Legacy of the Samre from the “Land of Gold”

Other documentary sources go further back, attributing Troddi’s roots to the Samre, an indigenous ethnic group living alongside the Khmers in the ancient land of Sovannaphum—the mythical “Land of Gold”—before the arrival of Indian influence in the 1st century. In the pre-Angkorian era, this dance would have emerged as an agrarian ritual, linking humans and nature in pre-Hindu harmony. Today, a handful of Samre survive north of Tonle Sap Lake, preserving this living heritage.

Over the centuries, Troddi has blended into the Khmer cultural treasure trove, gaining popularity. In the past, it was performed every New Year before kings and royal families, wishing them health and prosperity. It’s no surprise it remains iconic in Siem Reap and around Angkor, the ancient capital built from the 9th to 13th centuries.

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The Dancers: A Fantastic Bestiary in Action

The number of dancers varies with the scale of the celebration—often around fifteen, but usually up to 16. At the heart of the troupe: four main soloists, including two women and two men. One plays the deer, embodying the malevolent forces to be appeased; another is the Dangdol, bearer of ritual instruments; four Kanhche frolic as mischievous clowns, spreading laughter; two giants and two monsters stand guard, menacing yet benevolent; two drummers set the rhythm, while a hunter and other figures complete this mythical bestiary.

Dressed in vibrant costumes—horns for the deer, grinning masks for the monsters—they dance to frenzied music of drums and flutes, miming hunts, pursuits, and exorcisms. The crowd participates actively, throwing colored powders and scented water, turning the spectacle into a collective communion. In 2026, as Cambodia celebrates its New Year with fervor despite climate challenges, Troddi reminds us of the importance of these rites for community resilience.