Neang Kavich first started studying with Master Ieng Sithul’s folk dancing class at the age of 15. At the time, the class was located in the same Bassac slum community where he lives with his mother, brother, and two sisters. He has now been performing and dancing with this class for over five years. During this time, Kavich has shown himself to be one of Master Ieng Sithul’s most dedicated and diligent students.
Since he joined Cambodian Living Arts, he was able to finish his high school studies, and even began studying computer science at a local private university and learning English. At the same time, he rehearses nearly every day with his folk dancing class, working with other older students to teach younger students. He also performs for local ceremonies, weddings, and other events.
In 2008, Kavich began a year-long internship with Studio CLA, Cambodian Living Arts audiovisual recording studio, in addition to his folk dance classes and schoolwork. There, he began learning to use computers and equipment to record and edit songs and video. He also gained insight and experience into some of the diverse management and creative tasks involved in recording and producing a CD or a short TV documentary.
His passion for these processes grew, and in 2009, thanks to a CLA scholarship, he began a 4 year program in film production at Limkokwing University in Phnom Penh. With a full course load occupying his week days, He is still attending CLA classes on Sat and Sun all day, and hopes to be able to volunteer at Studio CLA during summer vacation. After graduating, he wants to help other Cambodian people pursue their dreams in the arts.
In the summer of 2008, Kavich left Asia for the first time and traveled with the WOMAD tour to the UK. He continued on to Scotland where he performed with other students from Ieng Sithul’s dance class at the prestigious Edinburg Fringe Festival. The students worked hard during their month long tour, and Kavich says that this made a strong impression on all of them. “Something changed for those of us who went. We’re all a little more driven, we work harder. It used to be that after I finished my work I would just hang out with friends; now I practice.”
