Reporter: The Vietnam Circus and Variety Arts Vocational School has won 7 awards, including 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, and you personally received the Outstanding Director award. What are your thoughts on this achievement?
- Meritorious Artist Ngo Le Thang: First of all, it's a joy for the whole team and the school because the competition brought together many veteran performers from professional art units nationwide, while the contestants from the circus school were all very young professionals. What's even more gratifying is that winning many major awards proves a truth: to compete in any competition, one must strive to practice, accept hardships, and dedicate oneself wholeheartedly to art to reap the rewards.
Having participated in the competition and won the "Best Director" award, how did you prepare personally?
- As a director, I always aspire to innovate in staging so that performances truly become "works of art" in the circus, not simply "circus acts." For any performance, I meticulously attend to every small detail such as music , sound, lighting, costumes, thematic content, and performance skills... to create the best possible overall effect for the circus act.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong (left) presents the "Outstanding Director" award to Meritorious Artist Le Ngo Thang.
Our drum performance "Echoes of the Mountain Region" won first prize at the competition. We prepared meticulously for every aspect, even commissioning a musician to write music specifically for the performance, to fully convey the message of the work. Nowadays, audiences are very discerning; if the investment is ineffective or the quality is poor, they will notice immediately.
What concerns you most in the field of circus arts?
- The current recruitment and training process for circus schools is becoming increasingly difficult. Many young people with a passion for the art form are no longer as enthusiastic about enrolling as before, finding the profession too demanding. To convince audiences to attend and support circus performances, the acts must be excellent, unique, and innovative. Building an outstanding circus act with lasting success is not easy, as it requires the artist and the performing arts group to have real talent, passion for the profession, and a desire to dedicate themselves to it. We will strive to overcome these difficulties and make every effort to fulfill our mission of providing human resources for the circus industry.
Given the current state of the circus industry, could you share more specific details about the difficulties the school faces in its student recruitment efforts?
- Training in circus arts requires more empathy than ever before. We need the sharing and understanding of the entire society, including parents whose children are pursuing a career as circus performers. Currently, for each student applying to the school, we have to have very thorough discussions with the parents. Because the children are only 11 or 12 years old, the school has to have a 24/7 caregiver system to provide the best possible care for them.
Meritorious Artist Le Ngo Thang (second from the left) and young performers from the circus school (Photo provided by the subject)
To fulfill its mission of providing a successor workforce for the circus industry, the school has had to continuously recruit students in many different provinces and cities for many years. For those students who have a passion and aptitude for the circus profession, we have to work hard to convince their parents. This is because most parents are hesitant to let their children study circus arts due to fears of the profession's dangers (falls, broken arms, sprains, injuries during performances).
Thanks to these efforts, this year's enrollment season saw the school recruit 48 students (the average target is around 35 students). This is a welcome number, showing that the community's view of the circus profession has become more open.
The Vietnam Circus and Variety Arts Vocational School is the only institution in Vietnam that trains circus and variety show performers; approximately 90% of the circus performers currently active nationwide were trained at the school.
The student recruitment process is already difficult, and the training process is also not simple. Do you have any suggestions to alleviate the difficulties the school faces in its training programs?
- At seminars and professional workshops, the difficulties and shortcomings related to circus training have been frequently mentioned. Circus school training lasts 5 years (compared to 18 months at many vocational schools), but circus performers have a short career lifespan. With a vocational diploma upon graduation, circus performers are only considered level 4 performers. This regulation is truly unfair because becoming a circus performer requires talent, aptitude, and dedication.
Currently, art training institutions have petitioned ministries and agencies to collaborate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to research and provide the best possible conditions for specialized training institutions in the field of circus arts. A specific mechanism with appropriate regulations and incentives is needed for training in circus arts.
Meritorious Artist Lê Ngô Thắng shared the good news that, after a period of intensive preparation, the school has submitted a proposal to upgrade from a vocational level to a college level. The proposal has been approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. "Upgrading to the college level will provide students with sufficient preparation, knowledge, and confidence to pursue their artistic careers, contributing to building a strong brand for Vietnam's circus industry," said Meritorious Artist Lê Ngô Thắng with enthusiasm.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/nsut-le-ngo-thang-khat-khao-tac-pham-xiec-chat-luong-cao-196240831200052652.htm
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