Ram muay
รำมวย
Ritual dance before a muay thai fight that follows wai kru. The movements differ by camp and teacher.
Quick Facts
Term typeEtiquette and ceremony
LanguageThai
Formphrase
Pronunciation[rahm moo-eye]
Alternative Namesfighting dance
Readings and romanizations
RTGS (Thai)ram muai
Word breakdown
รำramdance, to dance
มวยmuaifight, boxing
Definition
Ram muay (รำมวย) means “fighting dance”. The fighter performs it after wai kru, before the first round. Slow stylized movements, such as imitating an archer or a warrior, help the fighter concentrate, stretch and show grace. The choreography is passed on in the camp and by the teacher, and experts can tell from it where the fighter comes from. At the end of the dance the fighter returns to the corner and the trainer removes the mongkhon from the fighter's head.