Native American hoop dance combined with traditional Vietnamese musical instruments at EXPO 2025

VHO - On June 12, at the Vietnam Exhibition Hall at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai (Japan), a unique art performance took place combining Native American folk dances of hoop dancing and feather dancing with traditional Vietnamese music.

This is a unique cultural cooperation activity between the Vietnamese Exhibition House and the US Exhibition House within the framework of EXPO 2025.

With the theme A circle of music and dance , artists from the Vietnam Exhibition House and the US Exhibition House hope to convey a message about the connection between people through music and art, joining hands to build a better future.

The program features guest artists Steve Wikviya Larance and Shandien Sonwai Larance, who are from a Native American family with a long tradition of hoop dancing, having performed at the White House and won many prestigious awards. In addition to the hoop dance performance, the audience will also enjoy a vibrant and colorful feather dance.

With the unique combination of sounds from traditional Vietnamese instruments such as the monochord and the t'rung performed by artists from the Vietnam National Academy of Music, the hoop dance and feather dance performances became more creative and attractive than ever, leaving the audience amazed, surprised and full of praise.

In particular, the hoop dance and feather dance performances on the background music of the Pieu scarf left a deep impression on the audience, creating a vibrant atmosphere at the Vietnam Exhibition House.

In addition, the audience also expressed their delight at the duet of the traditional Native American flute and the traditional Vietnamese bamboo flute performed by artist Steve Wikviya Larance and artist Hai An.

Closing the special art exchange program at EXPO 2025, the artists expressed their emotions and hoped that the two sides would have many opportunities to exchange and cooperate in the future.

International art exchange has become a traditional and effective activity of the Vietnam Exhibition House at World Exhibitions. Not only to honor the national cultural heritage and promote Vietnamese traditional musical instruments to the world , the Vietnam Exhibition House also aims to introduce a youthful, creative and unique image of Vietnam.

Talented young artists will be invited to Japan to perform and collaborate with international artists, expanding the space for exchange, spreading the message of an integrated and inspiring Vietnam.

Recently, within the framework of EXPO 2025, the Vietnam Exhibition House and the Saudi Arabia Exhibition House jointly organized a traditional music exchange program, attracting a large number of international visitors and creating a unique cultural space.

Following the success of the exchange performance with artists from the US and Saudi Arabia Pavilions at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, in the near future, the audience will continue to enjoy special combined performances between Vietnam and countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Portugal, etc.

Tomorrow, June 13, saxophonist Bao Anh Taruki will perform with Portuguese artists at the Portuguese Exhibition House, promising to bring new vitality and spread the creative and open spirit of Vietnamese art to international friends.

A large audience came to the Vietnam Exhibition House to watch the performance.

Hoop dancing is a form of storytelling and lively performance. Dancers use and manipulate many circles to create shapes and patterns that represent animals and stories. Originally, it was a traditional ritual to restore harmony and balance to people who were physically, mentally or spiritually ill.

Today, modern hoop dancing represents the elements of Mother Nature. The circle is a powerful symbol representing the “circle of life,” the endless cycle of the seasons, and the interconnectedness of all things in the world.

Along with that, the feather dance is a traditional dance performed at cultural festivals called pow wows , which bring together indigenous communities.

This is a lively and physically demanding dance, usually performed by young men. With colorful traditional costumes, cultural significance, the lively dance, showing the speed and strength of the young dancers, captivates the audience.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/mua-vong-cua-tho-dan-my-ket-hop-cung-nhac-cu-truyen-thong-cua-viet-nam-tai-expo-2025-142332.html