Neak Kru Charya Burt is grateful to continue to mentor young Cambodian American dancers and teachers who are now leaders in their respective communities. The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) has supported extensive training for Charya’s formal apprentices listed below through their Master/Apprenticeship Program. The dates in parentheses signify the training period covered by the ACTA grants.

Moragaut Souet Samounn (2026-2027)

Moragaut Souet Samounn began training with Neak Kru Charya in 2024. She has performed numerous times with Neak Kru Charya including in Robam Dongvaay at  Cambodia Day in Union Square, San Francisco, Celestial Flowers as part of ChoreoFest at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, The Rebirth of Apsara: Beyond Genocide in Oakland and Stockton, California. Moragaut presently runs her own dance group, Khmer Amathak Dance Group in Oakland, California. Currently Moragaut is in a one-to-one training with Neak Kru Charya Burt as part of The Apprenticeship Program, sponsored by ACTA, with generous funding from the Endowment for the Arts, the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and ArtPlace San Joaquin Valley:  https://actaonline.org/profile/charya-cheam-burt/

Victoria Ung (2020-2021)

Victoria Ung has performed with Neak Kru Charya Burt numerous times including in Robam Heavenly Garden and Robam Dongvaay at Cambodia Day in Union Square, San Francisco. Currently, she is a dancer at Modern Apsara Company based in Long Beach, CA. 

2. Ryan Boun (2016-2017)

Ryan is a UC Berkley graduate who has been a student of Charya’s for nearly 10 years. He performed in the world premiere of The Rebirth of Apsara and now is now lead teacher for the Cambodian Cultural Dance Group of San Jose.

Reaksmey (Mea) Lath (2011-2012)

Mea is a San Diego State University graduate who has been Charya’s student for over 15 years.  Charya has invited her on many occasions to perform professionally with her at venues such as The San Francisco Opera House, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival. She performed in the world premiere of The Rebirth of Apsara in 2024. For many years she was managing director of Khmer Arts Academy in Long Beach, CA. Currently, Mea teaches and runs her own dance troupe, Modern Apsara Company, based in Long Beach, California.

Prumsodun Ok (2006-2007)

Prum is a multi-disciplinary artist who recently performed with Charya at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. A Dance/USA and Ted Talk Fellow, Prum runs his own dance company in Cambodia – the world’s first established all gay Cambodian dance troupe.

Samuen Hin (2001-2002)

Charya’s first apprentice, Sam still loves Cambodian dance and occasionally performs at local events in Santa Rosa, California.