The Dan Do group and the musicians chat with the audience after the GOm show in Ho Chi Minh City on the evening of July 19th - Photo: MI LY
Since 2009, a group of circus artists met and found common ground during the "My Village" circus tour across Europe. Over four years of performing, they were exposed to many wonderful and unique aspects of multinational art forms, and nurtured the dream of bringing Vietnamese indigenous culture to the modern stage.
After 15 years, their latest achievement is GOm show - musical instruments made from bamboo, clay, pottery, and water; performances that captivate audiences with their unique music , sound, and simple yet culturally rich stage design.
From My Village to GOm Show
The Dan Do group, comprising Dinh Anh Tuan (director, cinematographer), Nguyen Duc Minh (author, artistic director), Nguyen Quang Su (creative director and performance space curator), along with a group of young artists, brought the GOm show from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The concert received resounding applause from the audience on several occasions.
The unique sounds from the large jar drum – the largest instrument in the program – to the zither, the rotating lute, the clay pot lute, the earthenware gong, and the lang drum truly surprised the audience with the pristine vibrations of Vietnamese indigenous materials and culture.
The artists of GOm show enthusiastically interacted with the audience in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: MI LY
For the clay drum, the group of artists utilized motorcycle inner tubes, a very inexpensive material, to make the rubber parts of the drum. During the performance, the audience heard artist Nguyen Quang Su play an impromptu piece on the clay drum.
Ceramics – the main material of the GOm show – are not only a material for making musical instruments but also a bridge connecting people and nature, just as the group of authors envisioned.
Artist Dinh Anh Tuan shared with the audience about the journey of the Dan Do group: "Bamboo and earth have bound us brothers together, holding hands and walking to where we are today."
It wasn't just difficult, it was very difficult. Because what we did didn't yield immediate results. Family, relatives, friends... they thought we were abnormal, just focused on work, investing money whenever we had it.
An invisible thread has helped us brothers share all the joys and sorrows for 15 years. We want to share with the young people here the spirit of conduct in work, the relationship between ourselves and nature, and values. That's more than just a program. It's a spirit we want to take GOm with."
Trailer for GOm show
It will be held regularly in Hanoi, and in the future in Ho Chi Minh City.
Responding to audience interest in the artwork, artist Nguyen Duc Minh explained that the artists worked very seriously, from meeting artisans during field trips to inviting them to work in Hanoi. They once undertook a project to invite 50 artisans from all over the country to work in Hanoi for a year.
The Dan Do group passes on their love of local culture to young artists - Photo: MI LY
The Dan Do group was fortunate to meet young artists who were passionate about indigenous music and traditional culture. They brought a fresh perspective and youthful energy to the program, spontaneously creating during rehearsals, which artist Nguyen Duc Minh then compiled and systematized into complete chapters and works.
At the end of the show, the young artists were excited and emotional as they shared how connected they were by music.
They were originally musicians trained in music schools and books, but at the GOm show they discovered completely different ways of playing music, with instruments not taught in school.
To create a sense of connection on stage through their performances, the artists also connect in real life.
On stage, their talents blend together, taking the audience on a "time travel" journey through songs like " Returning," "That Time," "Downstream," "Finding Hani," "Penetrating the Earth," "The Water," "Transformation," and "GO...m."
It's a seamless, uninterrupted journey, requiring no verbal guidance, yet the audience still feels the story being told through the music.
Bringing the GOm show to Ho Chi Minh City took the artists and crew nine months of preparation. The group of artists announced that the GOm show – like My Village – will have regular performances at a small theater in the center of Hanoi, two to three times a week, from now until the beginning of next year.
After a period of stable operation in Hanoi, the team will bring the show to Ho Chi Minh City for regular performances, but the plan will be announced later.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/15-nam-tu-lang-toi-den-gom-show-nhom-dan-do-nuoi-uoc-mo-van-hoa-ban-dia-viet-20250720064700943.htm
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