Traditional folk music, invariably associated with either dancing, or a drama, is most commonly referred to as Lam, which is the same term for various dances. Sometimes, it is called Maw Lam, where Maw is the word for doctor, or expert, and should more correctly apply to a singer of Lam. The oldest and most well-known dance is the Lam Vong, the Circle Dance. However, Lam continues to evolve, and modern forms are the current fashion. Lam Salavan is a style that has appeared in the last decade (hear sample below). Most commercial artists now use at least some electric instruments, most often a keyboard set up to sound like a 1960s Farfisa-style organ; electric guitars are also common. Other western instruments are also becoming popular, such as the saxophone and the drum kit. Ethnic Laotians in Thailand have developed an internationally-best selling form called maw lam sing.
Traditional Lao music can be divided into classical and folk forms. The classical form is closely related to that of the Siamese, from which it borrows. Classical dance is also called court dance because it was performed for the royal family of Laos, and can be compared to Western classical ballet in that the dancers act out classical stories from famous Lao legends, as well as the Ramayana epic (brought by the Khmers from India). Classical performances often involve hundreds of dancers with elaborate costumes and stage settings