Highland dancers: Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) Festival by Viet Nam Circus Arts and Vaudeville Secondary School won the gold prize at the 4th International Circus Festival. — Photo dantri.com.vn

HA NOI (VNS)— The fourth International Circus Festival has wrapped up in Ha Noi with four gold and six silver prizes presented to troupes from Viet Nam, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine and the US.

Gold prizes went to Balance (a US troupe), Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) Festival by Viet Nam Circus Arts and Vaudeville Secondary School, Foot Juggling (Russia) and Balance (Mongolia).

Of the six silver prizes, Vietnamese troupes brought home five and the other was awarded to Ukraine's Rope Skill.

Each of the 31 shows was performed twice and had their marks added together for the final scores.

According to the head of the Viet Nam Circus Federation and jury member Vu Ngoan Hop, the festival had attracted a record number of troupes and performers.

Local media reported that the audience almost filled two-thirds of Ha Noi's Central Circus each night from November 15-21, creating a festive atmosphere.

Each troupe tried to show their unique qualities, but many performed very similar routines, reported Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

The head of the HCM City Circus Troupe, Ho Van Thanh, said the festival would have been much more enticing if the performances were more diversified.

"Through this festival, we not only learnt skills from our foreign colleagues, but also their styles and ideas. For example, when Ukrainian artists performed Playing with Hoops, the technique was not particularly sophisticated, but they knew how to work the stage with each move and eye contact," Thanh said. — VNS