Vietnam’s largest-ever mass performance of Xoe dancing – a folk genre
practiced by the country’s Thai ethnic group – took place to celebrated
the northwestern mountainous province of Yen Bai’s emergence as a
cultural destination.
With over 2,000 local
artisans and actors taking part in Nghia Lo town’s stadium on the
evening of September 29, a new record was set and the approval of a
major project to develop the town into a destination of culture and
tourism in the 2013 – 2020 period was marked in appropriate style.
Xoe dancing, a unique feature of Thai culture, plays a significant
role in the traditional dance canon of Vietnam . It depicts the
daily lives of the country’s Thai people and shows their wish for a
peaceful and prosperous life.
Xoe is an important
collective dance of the Thai people, especially in the northwestern
region. In total, Xoe comprises about 30 different dances.
The dance charms with its gentle and alluring rhythms. Dancers usually
form a circle around a festive flame and move to the sound of melodic
traditional music.
The dancers at the Nghia Lo
performance, dressed in the traditional costume of the Thai ethnic
minority, performed six core xoe dances while music was played by 50
traditional instrumentalists.
Three large LED
screens were placed in different positions to ensure everyone in the
huge audience could enjoy the performance.
Hoang Thi
Hanh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Nghia Lo town and head
of the Organisation Board said three experts on Thai culture who have
helped to popularise the six dances were invited to help arrange the
performance.
Various cultural, sports and tourism
activities have also been organised in the locality, including a buffalo
fighting festival.-VNA