Dancing the qeej

Ger Xiong plays the qeej as he spins, jumps, and even stands on his head.

This acrobatic type of performance, called dhiam qeej tawg qeej is most associated with New Year festivals. Other qeej performance types, like funeral songs, communicate words through a melody. In this performance, Ger plays a repeated rhythmic and melodic pattern to match his movements. Notice that he doesn't stop playing, even while standing on his head. Sometimes players compete in contests of skill and endurance. This leads to exciting performances that can include spins, jumps, and flying somersaults.