The Bat Dat dance team maintains regular practice to preserve the village's heritage.
Do Nhu Y, an 8th grader at An Khe Secondary School, is a member of the village's Bat Dat dance team. She is also the granddaughter of artist Nguyen Thi Nhan - who has been directly responsible for passing on the unique dance to the next generation for many years, so Do Nhu Y always wants to practice and become a typical "nucleus" to promote this dance. Nhu Y said: Since I was a child, I have followed my grandmother to the temple to watch Bat Dat dance, watching her teach the girls and sisters to perform. What I like most about this dance is that there are many flexible dance classes with names such as: hoa hoi, bat mon, quay to, octagon, bo don, vu tien, xoc oc... Each dance class follows different lyrics and meanings. In addition, when becoming a member of the dance team, the children are trusted by the village to take care of their costumes and props. The costumes in Bat Dat dance include hats with 3 pink lotus petals embroidered with sparkling glitter, with three lights on top, called hat Kieu; The dance dress is a four-panel dress with a red or pink yếm and a colored belt depending on the age of the dancer. Như Ý feels very honored and proud that in the Long Khe Temple Festival in 2025, it is the second time she has the honor to perform on stage, spreading the beauty of ancient dance to local people and tourists from all over.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhan, Bat Dat dancer, shared: I learned about Bat Dat dance thanks to the elders of the village. After a period of time when the performance of this dance was interrupted and at risk of being lost, with the support and encouragement of the village, I was determined to rebuild the movement, encouraging women to practice in each family. Gradually, over the past 20 years, the village has formed two dance teams, one for middle-aged women and one for students. Usually, before each village festival, the practice activities of both teams take place continuously for many months. While the women's dance team rarely changes its members every year, the youth dance team trains a new generation every 2-3 years because the children go to school or work far from home... Whether they return to join the village dance team or not, the years of dancing Bat Dat under the careful guidance of the village elders will be beautiful memories, helping the children become closer, more attached and cherish their feelings for their homeland.
According to artist Nguyen Thi Nhan, the Bat Dat dance consists of 3 movements, each with many melodies and dance classes. Movement 1 is about the spiritual scene of the temple; Movement 2 praises the natural scenery and the merits of the Saints who taught people to repair the fields, plant rice, grow potatoes, spin silk, weave cloth...; Movement 3 praises a peaceful and happy life.
Bat Dat dance is a folk cultural activity preserved in Long Khe temple festival.
Mr. Do Duong Thang, a cultural official of An Khe commune, informed: Bat Dat dance originated from an ancient dance of the Vietnamese people. In the first year of Minh Mang (1820), the king had it revised to perform on ceremonies and festivals. The dance was restored by the village elders and passed down to their descendants. Up to now, it has developed well. In 2017, the Long Khe temple festival with the ancient Bat Dat dance and the Dinh Lieu tree burning custom was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. We have advised the local Party Committee and government to bring the ancient Bat Dat dance into schools, teaching it to the next generation of the locality to preserve and promote the cultural heritage.
Mr. Ngo Van Tuan, Chairman of An Khe Commune People's Committee, assessed: From the implementation of the movement of the whole people uniting to build a cultural life and especially implementing a civilized lifestyle, many good customs in traditional festivals have been jointly preserved and promoted by the people. Thereby, expressing deep gratitude to the ancestors, contributingto educating the young generation about the homeland's traditions, and at the same time enhancing the role and responsibility of all classes of people in promoting the value of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the locality.
Tu Anh
Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/19/225151/doc-dao-dieu-mua-co-bat-dat-o-lang-long-khe
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