Khánh Thi's style of 'going big'

Exactly 25 years after laying the foundation for dancesport in Vietnam, and 20 years since dancesport was organized with its own regional competitions, 'dancesport queen' Khanh Thi has finally achieved her lifelong dream of hosting an international dancesport competition right on home soil.

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

The wonderful home of Khanh Thi and Phan Hien

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

I spent 7 billion VND of my own money.

As of June 25th (the registration deadline), the competition had received participation from 37 countries and territories, with nearly 4,500 registrations, over 3,000 athletes, and more than 100 international judges. This is considered the largest-scale competitive dance event in Southeast Asia to date.

"Previously, WDSF had never agreed to allow any Southeast Asian country to host a regional, let alone continental, competition. This time, Vietnam has been given a great responsibility. In Asia, Vietnam is second only to China in hosting two prestigious competitions simultaneously. This shows that Vietnamese dancesport is gradually gaining a more prominent position on the world dancesport map," Khanh Thi excitedly stated.

As usual, personal funds remain almost the only solution for the person "carrying the burden of the whole community" to enter the game. "At the last minute, nearly 70% of sponsors unexpectedly 'changed their minds' because many businesses were facing difficulties. That means I will have to spend more than 7 billion VND myself, along with some smaller sponsorships, to be able to manage such a large tournament…," Khanh Thi shared.

"HEY , STOP IT, I'M EXHAUSTED!"

In a conversation with a Thanh Nien reporter before the competition began, the "queen of dancesport" repeatedly mentioned the phrase "love for the profession." This love for the profession has been like a divine calling for the past 25 years, ever since her early days traveling to France to study under a master and then returning to Vietnam with Chi Anh to lay the foundation for Vietnamese dancesport in both the North and South.

"We received almost no government support, and the investment was incredibly expensive. Many times I had to exclaim, 'Maybe we should stop, I'm exhausted!', but Khanh Thi's answer was always, 'No, we can't, we've already started!'" Dancesport champion Phan Hien recounted about his dance partner, life partner, and coach who has been by his side for 16 years, contributing to Vietnam's dancesport collection of enviable medals: 4 SEA Games gold medals, 2 Asian Indoor Games gold medals, and 2 World Championship gold medals…

Coach Khanh Thi (center) with Phan Hien and Thu Huong, the leading dancesport couple in Vietnam in terms of award collection.

Photo: Provided by the interviewee

Instinctively, Khanh Thi says she tends to support underprivileged talents. "Instead of being considered a noble sport as it should be, dancesport in Vietnam is seen as a poor man's sport. A salary of 7 million VND for a national team athlete is only enough to buy one or two mediocre competition dresses (Phan Hien and Thu Huong's international competition outfits cost tens of millions of VND), let alone 'compete internationally'. This time, Vietnam has over 100 athletes participating, including eight national champion pairs who will compete in the Southeast Asian and Asian championships. Without a major competition like this in Vietnam, that aspiration would remain just a dream for many athletes. Through our influence, Hien and I want to help them turn that dream into reality, and above all, help dancesport gain more recognition and a place on the international stage, while we are still young and energetic…," the passionate female coach said.

CALCIUM DEFICIENCY, EXCESS ENERGY

To make ends meet in the long run, behind the glory and even after marrying into a wealthy family, the "Queen of Dancesport" of Vietnam and mother of three has spent countless nights diligently livestreaming to sell shoes, creams, handbags, and more. Khanh Thi says that what she learned from her chosen profession is the importance of quick thinking and shrewdness. "In an international competition, each event usually has 60-70 pairs competing side-by-side, sometimes even hundreds; each stage typically holds about 20 pairs. In 90 seconds, each pair might only have a few seconds to make an impression on the judges. Dancesport has truly taught me how to find the right moment to seize an opportunity," she said.

The perfect duo: Khanh Thi and Phan Hien

Photo: Provided by the interviewee

"Queen of dancesport" Khanh Thi

International judge Khanh Thi will judge the competition in Germany, June 2025.

Photo: Provided by the subject

For almost 15 years, Khanh Thi has left the competition floor to focus on her role as a coach, and in recent years, she has become one of the rare dancesport coaches in Vietnam to be recognized as an international judge. After 25 years of dedication to her profession and 10 years as a mother of three children, Thi says the chronic illness she is living with is arthritis due to calcium deficiency.

Energy is something… that's always in excess. "Watching Hien compete, it's hard to imagine that he almost daily complains of fatigue when his wife forces him to train, always feeling like he's 'breaking free' after long, confined days within four walls because he's a speed enthusiast. Despite that, we both agree that: If we ever have to leave the racetrack, we must leave with a sense of fulfillment, without regrets," Khanh Thi asserted.

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