Behind the scenes, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Quynh Lan, choreographer and artistic director of the ballet, had tears in her eyes and clapped along to the cheers of the audience supporting her son, Nam Phong, on stage. Along with Nam Phong (born in 2010) playing the White Rabbit, his older brother, Pham Gia Minh (born in 2005), also performed on stage as the king.

Young talent Pham Nam Phong with his dance performance "The Bird's Wings and the Sunlight". Photo: THANH HA

The artist mother is very proud that her son, the talented young dancer Pham Gia Minh, has just graduated from a 4-year dance training course at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy (Russia) and returned to Vietnam, and her second son, the talented Pham Nam Phong, has been awarded a scholarship to study abroad under the Prime Minister 's Project 1437 on "Training and fostering cultural and artistic human resources abroad until 2030".

Meritorious Artist Nguyen Quynh Lan excitedly talked about her son, Nam Phong. Although only 15 years old this year, Nam Phong has shown talent since childhood; on stage, he's like a fish in water. At the age of 5, Nam Phong began studying both dance and music, and is currently simultaneously studying at the Hanoi College of Arts and the Vietnam Academy of Dance.

Born into a family with a rich artistic tradition, with his mother, choreographer and Meritorious Artist Quỳnh Lan, currently a dance lecturer at the Vietnam Academy of Dance, and his maternal grandfather, Meritorious Artist Vũ Lân, a renowned choreographer and musician, Nam Phong has made positive strides in his artistic direction. In 2022, Nam Phong won the "Gương mặt thân quen" (Familiar Faces) competition, leaving a lasting impression with his performance of the traditional Vietnamese opera "Hồ Nguyệt cô hóa cáo" (Hồ Nguyệt Cô Transforms into a Fox).

In 2023, at the “Vietnam Dance Week” competition, Nam Phong was one of the few contestants to register for three solo and group performances in two categories: contemporary dance and folk dance. In all three performances, Nam Phong achieved success: A prize (for the piece “Hoa Vang”, choreographed by Tran Ly Ly) and B prize (for the piece “Transform”, choreographed by Le Phuong Anh) in the solo competition, and a C prize (for the piece “Cuoi Gia”, choreographed by Hai Truong) in the group competition.

“Dancing is a discipline that demands intense concentration and rigorous training. During the training period for three performances at ‘Vietnam Dance Week,’ I sometimes felt exhausted because my body ached and my energy was significantly depleted after each session, but the desire to conquer gave me the motivation to overcome it. The awards at the competition are the sweet fruits of my labor, the sweat and tears I shed on the dance floor,” Nam Phong expressed.

Nam Phong also made another memorable mark by taking on the lead role in the purely Vietnamese musical "The Five-Colored Stone," directed by Meritorious Artist Cao Ngoc Anh, Deputy Director of the Youth Theatre, creating a significant milestone for youth musical theatre in 2024. The work tells the story of Thien Nhan, a "tin soldier" who, after being abandoned and losing a leg, is adopted by journalist Tran Mai Anh and undergoes several major surgeries. Playing Thien Nhan in this musical, Nam Phong had the opportunity to showcase his abilities in singing, dancing, and acting.

When asked about his dream of becoming a singer or dancer in the future, Nam Phong revealed that he enjoys all fields and wants to "greedily" try his hand at everything he's capable of, but ballet remains his dream and the long-term path this talented young man wants to pursue and conquer. "The difficulty and academic nature of ballet is something any professional would aspire to overcome. I also hope to conquer this dream, become a professional ballet dancer, and if possible, become a ballet instructor and choreographer in the future," Nam Phong confided.

PHAM THUY

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/phong-su/tai-nang-tre-pham-nam-phong-848072