Hoop dance and feather dance performance to the music of Chiec Khan Pieu at EXPO 2025 Osaka.
This is a unique cultural cooperation activity between the Vietnam Exhibition House and the US Exhibition House, contributing to enriching the colorful series of cultural activities at EXPO 2025.
Inspired by the theme “A Circle of Music and Dance”, the program brings a simple but humane message: the connection between people through music and art towards a sustainable, united and harmonious future. The circle - a familiar image in many cultures - is skillfully recreated on stage by artists as both a symbol of life and an invisible thread connecting art-loving souls from all over the world.
The program features two renowned guest artists: Steve Wikviya Larance and Shandien Sonwai Larance. These are Native American artists from a family with a long tradition of hoop dancing. They have performed at prestigious international events including the White House and have won many prestigious awards for their folk dance art. With grace and skillful technique, the two artists captivated the audience on a journey of storytelling through movement, where soft circles continuously transform into images representing nature, animals, people and cultural roots.
Not stopping there, the audience at EXPO 2025 also enjoyed the vibrant, colorful feather dance. This is a traditional dance form prominent in the community life of Native Americans. To the bustling music, the young men in elaborate, splendid costumes demonstrated the strength, dexterity and indomitable spirit of the native community.
The special highlight of the program was the musical harmony between two cultures. The unique timbre of the monochord and the clarity of the T'rung performed by young artists from the Vietnam National Academy of Music created a soft melody, leading the graceful movements of the hoop dance and feather dance. An emotional moment was when the new arrangement of the song Chiec Khan Pieu was played, creating the background for the graceful, changing dance moves of the Native American artists. The blending of the colors of Northwest Vietnam with the native dances of the Americas brought an artistic space that was both strange and familiar, making the audience excited, surprised and giving them warm applause.
Another highlight of the program was an impromptu duet between a traditional Native American flute and a Vietnamese bamboo flute, performed by Steve Wikviya Larance and Hai An. The sounds of the two folk instruments blended together in a creative harmony, inviting the audience to listen to the common beat of different cultures.
Over the years, international art exchanges have become a familiar and effective highlight of the Vietnam Exhibition House at world exhibitions. Not only stopping at promoting cultural heritage, introducing traditional musical instruments and the quintessence of Vietnamese folk art to international friends, these programs also affirm the image of a youthful, dynamic, creative and integrated Vietnam. In particular, the Vietnam Exhibition House always focuses on inviting talented young artists to participate in international performances, considering this an important channel to nurture the spirit of artistic creativity, while inspiring a Vietnam that is actively joining hands to build a sustainable, cohesive international community that understands and respects cultural diversity.
Previously, within the framework of EXPO 2025, the Vietnam Exhibition House coordinated with the Saudi Arabia Exhibition House to organize a traditional music exchange program, attracting a large number of international visitors, creating a space of rich cultural exchange. The success of the exchange performance with artists from the US and Saudi Arabia Exhibition Houses continues to affirm Vietnam's proactive and creative role in international art exchange activities.
In the coming time, international audiences will continue to enjoy many other unique art programs combining Vietnam with countries and territories around the world such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Portugal... In particular, on June 13, young saxophone artist Bao Anh Taruki will perform with Portuguese artists at the Portuguese Exhibition House, promising to bring new colors, contributing to affirming the spirit of creativity, integration and youthful vitality of Vietnamese art on the international stage.
Native American Hoop Dance is a unique form of storytelling through movement. Hoops are skillfully manipulated to create images representing animals, nature, and legends of indigenous communities. In the past, this dance was used as a traditional ritual to restore balance to people who were physically, mentally, or spiritually ill. Today, hoop dancing has become a symbol of harmony with nature and the desire to connect with all good things in life.
Meanwhile, Native American Fancy Dance is a highly expressive dance, often appearing at community festivals of Native Americans. With strong, fast movements and colorful costumes, feather dance represents youthful spirit, strength and cultural pride.
Those unique dances, combined with traditional Vietnamese music, brought EXPO 2025 a memorable art program, contributing to spreading the message of diversity, intersection and connection between cultures.
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/giai-dieu-vong-tron-ket-noi-nhung-nen-van-hoa-tai-expo-2025!-213417.html
Comment (0)