The audience, which was primarily made up of youngsters, has watched in amazement during the Nhat Ky Khong Gian (Diary of the Space) performance recently held at the French Culture Centre, L'Espace in Ha Noi.
The young observers were visibly moved by the performance by five Vietnamese contemporary dancers. The performance's success and the positive reviews that accompanied the conclusion of the show illustrates that young people in the country have become more interested in modern art.
Nguyen Anh Duc, one of the performers in the show, is the leader of the contemporary dancing group +84 and has spent time studying with foreign choreographers. Duc talks to Culture Vulture about Nhat Ky Khong Gian and contemporary dance in Viet Nam.
Why did you choose to become a professional dancer?
I used to work with a foreign dance group while I was studying in France. But the opportunity to participate in contemporary dance began when I worked at several workshops with Mrs Burkino's dancing group at the Hue Festival in 2000. Burkino came to the country to work with teachers and students from the Viet Nam Dance College, and I was one of the dancers who participated in her seven-year project. It was at that moment that I decided to pursue a dance career.
Could you tell me more about Nhat Ky Khong Gian?
First, the aim of the show is to give dancers an opportunity to exchange experiences and practise their dancing skills. In my opinion, there is nothing more important to a contemporary dancer than practising. In other subjects like fine arts and literature, you can practise anywhere you want, but with contemporary dance it's completely different. Dancing requires space and this is very necessary for a professional dancer who wants to create something original.
Second, the show will help bring audiences and dancers closer. This will help the audience to form a simple definition of contemporary dance. In Nhat Ky Khong Gian, artists need to be able to dance well, while also being observant. In Viet Nam, contemporary dance is new and unpopular, so there is a shortage of teachers who have experience with the art. Therefore, the artist has to study and practise alone. However, performers need to study and base their dances around the art's defined principles. If a dancer strays to far away from these principals, then they will not be able to mesh well with other dance groups.
Third, I want the audience to understand and feel the freedom of art without borders. The stage design utilises a combination of sound and lights, and we never use the same design twice.
Can you talk more about the content of the show?
Nhat Ky Khong Gian does not have a specific narrative. The only thing we want to convey to the audience is the will of an artist, who strives to be free and creative. For me, modern art is about going beyond borders, but it is congruent with certain principles as well.
What are the difficulties you had to deal with while you have tried to popularise contemporary dance in Viet Nam? Do you think that you are the pioneer of this nascent art?
This is the first time we have ever performed in Viet Nam, so certainly there are a lot of difficulties we have had to cope with, including how to design the stage, how to choreograph the dance, and even how to arrange our group during the performance. I would not dare to say that I am the pioneer who brought modern art to Viet Nam. I only hope that the audience will accept contemporary dance as a part of life and gradually learn to enjoy it.
Could you talk about your future plans?
Well, at the moment, I am looking for sponsors for our next project. I really hope we can perform in a larger space than the one at L'Espace. If my group could have a stable place to practise, I believe we would be able to perform every year. — VNS