TED Community » Prumsodun Ok

About Me

Prumsodun Ok is guided by love. He works to positively transform our world through his practice as an artist, teacher, storyteller, speaker, and idea generator. His interdisciplinary performances contemplate René Daumal’s expression of “the avant-garde in antiquity,” mining the tradition of Khmer classical dance to explore the intersection of contemporary social issues with new possibilities for performance.

Prum has presented his original works at venues such as REDCAT (NOW Festival 2012, Studio 2010 & 2009), Highways, KUNST-STOFF arts/fest, CounterPULSE and Pieter among others. His writings have been published by the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), Salon.com, LA Stage Times, In Dance Magazine and featured by the California Dance Network. Among many honors, Prum is a TED Fellow, a Master Artist in ACTA's Apprenticeship Program, an Association of Performing Arts Presenters Artist Fellow, a Durfee recipient, and was a mentee to Oguri through the Choreographers in Mentorship Exchange Grant. Currently, he is associate artistic director of Khmer Arts and serves on the board of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

In February 2013, Prum published his first book, Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso. Retelling the traditional tale of the same name, the book is a cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary exploration of the Khmer classical dance tradition, the passage of knowledge and leadership within artistic lineages, and the contemporary struggles of the women of our world. Prum's projects in progress include a movement-driven "musical" to be performed in Khmer dance ritual and the Sala Center for Art and Culture. To be based in central Long Beach—the poorest but most culturally dynamic area of the city—Sala will provide a platform for traditional performing artists to inspire young people, nurture healthy communities, and redefine the landscape of art and culture.

Last, and most certainly not least, Prum is forever thankful to the many teachers and mentors who have graced his life: dancers Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, Penh Yom, Oguri, and Maisa Duke; vanguard composer Charles Boone; filmmakers Ernie Gehr, Brook Hinton, Jeanne Liotta, and George Kuchar; opera director Peter Sellars; and scholars David Gere and Anurima Banerji.