On May 20, 2025, the Royal Thai Consulate-General in New York, in collaboration with the Thai Theatre Foundation, partnered with the Ailey Extension to host a free Thai Dance “Fawn Leb” (traditional Thai fingernail dance) Workshop for the general public in New York City. The class was taught by Ms. Waewdao Sirisook, recipient of the 2024 Silpathorn Award in Performing Arts.

 

     Ms. Sirisook introduced participants to the proper postures and gestures of traditional Thai dance, the cultural customs that form the foundation of Thai performing arts, as well as the traditional attire, including how to wear Lanna pha sin (tube sarong) and the bronze nails extension used in the dance. The workshop was both educational and entertaining, drawing in participants of various backgrounds—both Thai and non-Thai residents of New York City. Many attendees already had a love for Thai arts and culture, while others, with prior training in contemporary dance, were eager to expand their knowledge of Thai performance traditions.

 

     This event was part of the Royal Thai Consulate-General’s project on promoting Thai culture in the United States, carried out in collaboration with the Thai Theatre Foundation. The aim was to present the beauty of Thai performing arts to a wider international audience through an interactive workshop that offered New Yorkers the chance to learn and practice firsthand. The program received strong support from Ailey Extension, a leading contemporary dance institution in New York that values dance traditions rooted in diverse cultures.

 

     During the preparatory phase, Consul General Somjai Taphaopong, along with Consul Athikom Daengpun, and Keng S. Meateanuwat, Co-Executive Director of the Thai Theatre Foundation, met with Ms. Lisa Johnson-Willingham, Director of the Ailey Extension. Both parties expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration and agreed to explore further opportunities to promote Thai performing arts and inspire New York-based artists to incorporate the elegance of Thai culture into their creative work in the future.

 

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