'Play big' style Khanh Thi

For the first time in history, the World Dancesport Federation (WDSF) has awarded Vietnam the right to host both the Southeast Asian Championship and the Asian Championship under the name Vietnam Dancesport Festival 2025. The continental tournament will take place from July 9 to 13 at the Military Zone 7 Gymnasium, Ho Chi Minh City, organized by the Vietnam Gymnastics Federation in collaboration with Khanh Thi - KTA King The Art.

'Chơi lớn' kiểu Khánh Thi- Ảnh 1. — The wonderful home of Khanh Thi and Phan Hien

SELF -PLANNING 7 BILLION VND

As of June 25 (registration closing date), the tournament has received participation from 37 countries and territories, with nearly 4,500 registrations, more than 3,000 athletes and more than 100 international referees. This is considered the largest dance sport event in Southeast Asia to date.

"Previously, WDSF has never agreed to allow any Southeast Asian country to host a regional tournament, let alone a continental one. This time, Vietnam has been given a great responsibility. In Asia, Vietnam is second only to China in winning the right to host two prestigious tournaments at the same time. That shows that Vietnamese dancesport is gradually gaining a more prestigious position on the world dancesport map," Khanh Thi excitedly said.

As usual, pocket money is still almost the only problem for the "prisoner and general" to enter the game. "At the last minute, nearly 70% of the sponsors suddenly "turned around" because many businesses were facing difficulties. That means I will have to spend more than 7 billion VND myself, along with some small sponsors to be able to handle such a big tournament...", Khanh Thi shared.

" STOP IT, I'M SO EXHAUSTED"

In a conversation with Thanh Nien reporters before the opening ceremony, the "dancesport queen" repeatedly mentioned the word "love for the job". Loving the job has been a "heavenly punishment" for the past 25 years, since the early days of traveling to France to study with a master and then returning home with Chi Anh to lay the first bricks for Vietnamese dancesport in both the North and South.

"We have almost no support from the government, the investment is too expensive. Many times I have to say: "Let's stop, I'm too exhausted!", but Khanh Thi's answer is always: "No, it's too late!"", dancesport champion Phan Hien said about his dance partner, life partner and coach who has been with him for the past 16 years to contribute to Vietnamese dancesport a dream collection of medals: 4 SEA Games gold medals, 2 Asian Indoor Games gold medals, 2 World Championship gold medals...

'Chơi lớn' kiểu Khánh Thi- Ảnh 3. — Coach Khanh Thi (middle) with Phan Hien - Thu Huong, the leading couple in Vietnamese dancesport in terms of award collection

As an instinct, Khanh Thi said she tends to support talents who have not had the opportunity to shine. "Instead of being considered a noble sport as it is, dancesport in Vietnam is considered a poor sport. The salary of 7 million VND for a national team athlete is only enough to buy 1-2 cheap competition dresses (the international competition costumes of Phan Hien - Thu Huong are up to tens of millions of VND), let alone "bringing the bell to strike in foreign lands". This time, Vietnam has more than 100 athletes participating, including 8 pairs of national-level masters who will compete in the Southeast Asian and Asian tournaments. If there is no big tournament like this in Vietnam, that desire for many athletes will forever remain just a dream. With our influence, Hien and I want to help them make that dream come true, and above all, help dancesport gain more voice and a foothold in the international arena, while we are still young and energetic...", the female coach confided.

CALCIUM DEFICIENCY, ENERGY EXCESS

To make a long journey, behind the glory and even after becoming a daughter-in-law of a wealthy family, the Vietnamese "dancesport queen" and mother of 3 children has spent many nights diligently... livestreaming to sell each pair of shoes, ice cream boxes, handbags... Khanh Thi said, what she learned from the sport she pursues is sensitivity and cleverness. "In an international tournament, each competition usually has 60 - 70 couples competing, sometimes up to several hundred couples; each arena usually contains about 20 couples. In 90 seconds, each couple may only have a few seconds to impress the judges. Dancesport has really taught me how to find the right landing point every time I need to approach an opportunity," she said.

'Chơi lớn' kiểu Khánh Thi- Ảnh 4. — "The perfect pair" Khanh Thi - Phan Hien

'Chơi lớn' kiểu Khánh Thi- Ảnh 5. — "Dancesport Queen" Khanh Thi

'Chơi lớn' kiểu Khánh Thi- Ảnh 6. — International referee Khanh Thi judges in Germany, June 2025

It has been nearly 15 years since Khanh Thi left the competition stage to focus on her role as a coach and in recent years has become a rare dancesport coach in Vietnam to be recognized as an international referee. After 25 years of dedication to her profession and 10 years of being a mother of 3 children, Thi said the chronic disease she is living with is arthritis due to calcium deficiency.

Only energy is something… always in excess. "Watching Hien compete, it's hard to imagine that Hien almost always complains of being tired when his wife forces him to practice, and always has the mentality of "breaking out of the cage" after long days of being confined within four walls because he is inherently a speed freak. However, we still agree with each other: If there comes a time when we have to leave the track, we must leave with a complete feeling, without regret," Khanh Thi affirmed.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/choi-lon-kieu-khanh-thi-185250630163556915.htm