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| The acrobatic performance by artists Thu Huong and Thanh Tuan. (Photo provided by the artists) |
These are some of the memorable moments from the wedding of Meritorious Artist Thu Huong and Meritorious Artist Thanh Tuan - the "golden couple" currently working at the Vietnam Circus Federation.
This young couple has been involved in the circus for over 20 years. Although her grandfather is People's Artist Bui Dac Su - former Director of the Vietnam Cheo Theatre, Thu Huong (born in 1993) was guided by her family to study circus arts from the age of 11. Meanwhile, Thanh Tuan (born in 1990) was accepted into circus school at the age of 13.
Although Tuan only studied with Huong for one year, he didn't officially get to know her until she was in her final year. Captivated by her beauty and talent, Tuan decided to pursue Huong. After seven years of dating, they officially tied the knot in 2019.
Thu Huong jokingly says she's the last elephant rider of the Vietnam Circus Federation, because after her wedding, with the policy of gradually replacing wild animals with domesticated ones, elephants no longer appear in the Federation's performance list.
Thu Huong and Thanh Tuan have achieved many memorable milestones in their careers: winning a gold medal at the 2014 International Circus Festival (Italy) with the work "Quan Ho Swing"; a gold medal at the 2016 International Circus Festival (Hue) with the work "Romeo and Juliet"; gold medals for best male/female actors at the 2016 International Experimental Theatre Festival ( Hanoi ) with the work "IONAH"; and gold medals for best male/female actors at the 2019 International Experimental Theatre Festival (Hanoi) with the work "Hanoi of Dreams"...
In particular, in mid-2025, with their performance "Duo Love" at the International Circus Festival in Kazakhstan, the artistic duo continued to bring glory to Vietnamese circus by winning the gold medal. Their spectacular performance and world-class technique earned continuous applause from the international judges, especially in scenes where the two artists bite each other while suspended in mid-air like a romantic kiss, or when artist Thu Huong hangs upside down with one leg suspended from a wire, using her hair to support artist Thanh Tuan who is suspended below with his teeth, both spinning multiple times at a height of tens of meters above the ground without safety ropes. These are difficult movements that very few artists in the world can perform.
This very performance further enriched the duo's collection of awards, earning them a silver medal at the "Circus Without Borders" Festival in Russia in September 2025. They became the youngest Vietnamese circus artists to be awarded the title of Meritorious Artist in 2024.
Behind the glitz and glamour of the stage and their proud achievements lie countless times both of them have suffered injuries. Along with bruises, sprains, and ligament strains – the recurring pains that have become all too familiar – Thu Huong remembers most vividly the time she fractured the metatarsal bone in her right foot during training, just three months before the 2016 International Circus Festival. The actress cried her eyes out when the doctor told her she might not be able to continue her career. But determined not to give up, she worked hard to recover and train. And the gold medal at that year's competition was a well-deserved victory for her unwavering will and resilience.
For Thanh Tuan, he also can't forget the time he fell from a height of about 6 meters, resulting in a fractured heel bone in 2010. After that accident, his parents didn't want him to pursue a career in circus arts anymore, but he remained steadfast in his chosen path.
The couple shared that the more opportunities they had to compete and gain experience in international "artistic arenas," the more they realized they couldn't stop and be content with what they had. That's why, with each competition, they always strived to develop their movements and increase the difficulty of their performance, from using only hands and feet to connect in the air, to hanging and supporting each other entirely with their teeth and hair; from one person acting as the pivot and the other as the spinner, to both spinning high in the air... Upgrading each movement required months, even a year, of practice.
Thu Huong recounted that to practice the hair-hanging technique, she had to soak her hair completely before braiding it tightly and securing it on top of her head, creating a point of support for her male co-star's entire body below. The greater the pressure on her hair, the more excruciating the pain. When she first started practicing, her scalp frequently swelled and bruised, making it impossible to repeat the movement every day. The actress tried to space out the repetitions to allow her scalp time to recover, then gradually increased the duration from 1 second, 2 seconds, to 1 minute, 2 minutes…; training her hair and body to get used to the pain.
Similarly, with the act of clenching their teeth to hang suspended, artist Thanh Tuan had to endure a long period of intense pain in both his teeth and jaw, even a sharp pain that reached his brain, making it impossible to eat or drink. However, these pains never deterred them. Because, as Thanh Tuan shared: “The further we go, the more we see that the world of circus is constantly developing and evolving, and we cannot just stand still. Moreover, when competing internationally, we are not only competing for ourselves, but also for our country's flag, so both of us always strive to train hard to bring the best we have to offer.”
Having been together for nearly 15 years, reaping the rewards of their careers and lives, Thu Huong and Thanh Tuan always feel fortunate to have married someone in the same profession. They understand, empathize with, and share the difficulties of their unique circus work without needing to speak. Furthermore, Thu Huong confided, "performing at heights requires a sense of safety when hanging, rigging, and performing stunts. Having a partner who is also your spouse increases that sense of security and trust even more."
Give your all to your profession, and your profession will never let you down.
The artistic couple also expressed gratitude for the support and companionship of their family and friends. In particular, they always speak of People's Artist Tong Toan Thang – Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation – with utmost respect. He was not only their direct trainer, mentor, and choreographer, but also their guide, inspiring passion and helping them stay steadfast on their chosen path. Now, having confidently pursued their profession and earned a living from it, they deeply understand his advice: "Give your all to your profession, and your profession will never let you down."
According to Nhan Dan newspaper
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202602/cap-doi-vang-lang-xiec-9752101/
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