The conical hat dance "Season of the Ban Flower Blooming" is one of six traditional dances (along with the bamboo pole dance, the gong dance, the charm dance, the flower dance, and the Pa Ko dance), considered a "treasure" that generations of artists at the Army Song and Dance Theatre have preserved as closely as their breath. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of its founding, the Theatre organized a reunion: inviting four generations of performers to stand together on stage to join in the rhythm of the conical hat dance.

Generations of artists from the theater rehearse the conical hat dance performance "The Season of the Bauhinia Flowers Blooming". Photo: VIET LAM

On the rehearsal stage, the graying heads of veteran artists mingled with the green uniforms of the younger generation. Although their feet were no longer as nimble as they were in their late teens and early twenties, and their fingers bore the marks of time, when the music began, the poise of these former "swans" of the Army still commanded the admiration of their successors.

A moment of rest on the dance floor turned into a touching reminiscence session. Artist Phan Minh Thu (enlisted in 1967, a student of the first dance course at the Military Academy of Arts, now the Military University of Culture and Arts) and artist Nguyen Hong Van (a student of the second dance course) fondly recalled the days when "their singing drowned out the sound of bombs." “We entered school at the age of 16, carrying with us the dream of performing folk dances across battlefields. The conical hat dance, "The Season of the Ban Flower Blooms," celebrates the beauty of the land and people of Dien Bien – the place that achieved the 'earth-shattering' victory. We learned it at school, and after graduating, we worked at the Army Song and Dance Troupe – now the Army Song and Dance Theatre – where we continued to train with our seniors to perfect our skills for performances serving soldiers and civilians. Many memories remain vivid to this day, such as the performance in Hue for wounded soldiers. While performing, upon hearing the news of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, both the performers and the soldiers embraced each other, crying, dancing, and singing loudly. Or the performance on Bach Long Vi Island after the country had just been reunified, a time of great hardship, without a stage; we only spread out a tarp and lit kerosene lamps to perform for the soldiers. After leaving the island, each artist and performer was recorded in the ‘golden’ book of the unit stationed there,” said artist Nguyen. Hong Van recounted.

Under the guidance of veteran soldiers-artists who trained in Russia, such as artist Trinh Quoc Minh; dancers Nguyen Hong Van, Phan Minh Thu, and Nguyen Thi Dinh, who have performed in hundreds of battlefield shows, today's young dancers are striving in every movement, demonstrating the inheritance and passing on the legacy of artists in their 80s to Generation Z. They all understand that military dance is not detached from reality. The artistic philosophy stands out; every movement, from the tilt of the hat to the marching steps, is distilled from the daily life, training, and optimistic spirit of soldiers. “Our predecessors always reminded us: Dance is a weapon, and the artist is a silent soldier on the cultural front. Dances like the bamboo pole dance, the conical hat dance, the gong dance, or the 'Soldier Rejoicing in Victory' dance, depicting the image of Uncle Ho's soldiers, are not only cultural heritage but also songs about the indomitable will of the nation,” shared choreographer Lo Thi Hoang Sao.

Rehearsals continue with rhythmic, graceful dances, filled with smiles and warm embraces between generations separated by half a century. The conical hat dance performance "The Season of Blooming Bauhinia Flowers" at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Army Song and Dance Theatre will surely be a beautiful symphony of time, where the past and present flourish together under the stage lights.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/vu-dieu-khong-tuoi-1029725