The Study of Dance Stances and the Gesture Used in Performing the Rum Si Nuan Okworachet Dance Costume for the Development of Thai Dance Skills to Link with the Health of the Elderly: Standard Rak Dance Club Folk Dance of Chachoengsao Municipality

Abstract

This research article had aimed to: 1) examine the dance stances and gestures used in the traditional “Sinuan OrkWorachet” dance performance; and 2) analyze the dance stances and gestures of the “Sinuan OrkWorachet” dance performance suitable for the elderly. The key informants of this study were elderly members of the Rak Ramwong Standard and Folk Dance Club of Chachoengsao Municipality, use qualitative research and data were collected through in-depth interviews. The research findings are presented through descriptive analysis, supplemented by summary tables and systematic photographic illustrations.The research findings revealed that: 1) Regarding the “Sinuan Ork Worachet” dance, the original performance movements are characterized by a refined and systematic structure according to Thai classical dance traditions, and the gestures and dance terminologies are mostly choreographed to correspond directly with the literal meaning of the lyrics to communicate universal meanings within Thai culture, such as foot-pressing and front-lifting footwork in the traditional entrance routine, the use of a shirt-touching gesture at the mouth level paired with a forward left step for the lyric “Sinuan,” and the crossing of hands over the chest for the lyric “love,” with this traditional form clearly possessing distinct advantages in its gracefulness and reflection of aesthetic beauty. 2) Concerning the analysis of the movements and gestures, the traditional structure of the upper body is beautiful and contains movements that help practice concentration, mindfulness, and memory through changing dance stances according to the melodies, but the traditional standard structure of the lower body is highly complex and requires high musculoskeletal strength because several movements necessitate rapid foot-shuffling, quick foot-sliding, front-lifting, and back-flicking footwork, which place heavy stress on the knee and hip joints, exceeding the physiological capacity of the elderly and creating risks of losing balance and encountering accidents while dancing; however, after the modification, only 21 safe and non-complex core dance movements were retained by reducing rhythmic complexity and adapting the footwork to ensure safety.