Bringing dance closer to the public

Vietnam Dance Week is determined to become an annual art rendezvous for dance lovers. In the photo: The dance "Pa Then girls" by the Tuyen Quang Province Ethnic Art Troupe. (baodantoc.vn)

Reporter (PV) of Nhan Dan Newspaper had a conversation with choreographer (BĐM) Tuyet Minh, Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Dance Artists Association, who is also the initiator and organizer of this event.

PV: Being held for the first time, what is different about Vietnam Dance Week 2023 compared to other dance playgrounds that have appeared before, ma'am?

BÐM Tuyết Minh: Vietnam Dance Week includes two main contents: Vietnam folk dance competition for professional choreographers nationwide, and Vietnam-International Dance Festival expected to have the participation of 11 countries around the world . The festival includes 9 categories for performing talents in the genres: Dance, choreography and movement. Besides professional performance categories such as ballet and neo classic, national folk dance, contemporary dance, modern dance forms such as hip hop, jazz, popdance have been officially recognized and included in the festival.

This year's Dance Week also creates a playground for clubs, studios, and cultural centers. This is a very vibrant developing environment, contributing to nurturing dance talents and creating audiences for dance art. Vietnam Dance Week also creates a connecting and competitive environment for artists to create and practice art in related forms such as: video art, films, dance trailers, photography, theoretical works, dance research, etc.

PV: What are the criteria to ensure and evaluate the professionalism of Vietnam Dance Week this year?

BÐM Tuyết Minh: Vietnam Dance Week 2023 officially started on July 15 and will last until October 29, nearly 4 months with three rounds of competition: Preliminary, semi-final and final.

It is a fact that our country has many talented dancers who have won high prizes and gold medals in professional competitions and performances, but are not widely known to the public. Part of the reason is that their way of thinking and performing art has not kept up with the trend, and they are still limited in applying technological achievements to support the building and spreading of personal brands associated with their profession.

That is why, right from the preliminary round of the Vietnam Dance Week with the 24-second online video challenge, the organizers required participants to express who they are and where they are. The criteria of who they are is expressed through the choice of dance genre and language. The criteria of where they are requires the performance of the participants to be linked to cultural landmarks so that when the product is spread on digital platforms, it will introduce the unique beauty of Vietnam's regions.

This is also a way to spread the beauty of culture, tourism, and the image of Vietnamese people through the art of dance. Thus, the professionalism of the Dance Week is built on specific activities, aiming at both quality and effectiveness in communication and promotion.

PV: Vietnam Dance Week 2023 is oriented by the Vietnam Dance Artists Association to become an annual artistic rendezvous for not only domestic artists but also international artists?

BDM Tuyet Minh: Through the art of dance, a language without borders, the organizers also hope to strengthen diplomatic relations with many countries around the world to further connect and understand each other.

The dance art of each country always preserves the cultural identity of that country, so it cannot be said that the dance art of one country is better than another. Therefore, international dance troupes are invited to participate in the Vietnam Dance Week with the spirit of performing the best of their country's dance art at the opening and closing ceremonies.

We do not organize it as a competition but as a festival to open up opportunities for cooperation, exchange and learning for Vietnamese and international artists. However, artists or groups of artists following that dance troupe still have the right to register to participate in independent competition categories with rules and regulations such as ballet, contemporary dance... This is a very clear and fair criterion that Vietnam Dance Week aims for.

PV: Thank you very much!

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