In 1906, King Sisowath toured France accompanied by his royal dance troupe. The
Cambodian ballet dancers captivated French audiences with their hypnotic movements
and beauty. Their elegance and grace inspired sculptor Auguste Rodin to create his
famous Danseuse Cambodgienne sketches. Rodin was so moved by the dancers that at
their departure he lamented: "What an emptiness they left for me! I thought they had
taken away the beauty of the world."
