Compared to music festivals, fashion, cultural and art shows are more serious somehow. However, trust me, traditional Vietnamese performance is a great way to immerse yourselves in a totally interesting environment, which is a convergence of traditional music and dance. Within your valuable time, knowing which region of Vietnam is famous for what performances can help you not miss any interesting experience. Continue reading to get the idea about the best cultural and artistic performances in Vietnam.
The art of water puppetry, originating in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam, dates back to the 11th century and became popular during the Ly Dynasty. The theatre of this art includes a pool, a "thuy dinh" - communal house on the water with decorations typical of northern Vietnam villages: flags, betel tree,... Puppets made of wood floating on the water are controlled by the skilled performers who hide inside "thuy dinh". With some bamboo poles, they create very lively movements. During the theatre, traditional instruments are live played, singers sing the folk songs such as Cheo or Quan Ho. The performance brings the enchanting experiments to the audience.
There are so many tales that are told in the art of puppet theatre: a boy riding buffalos, fairy dances, a cat hunts mice, story of four sacred animals: legendary dragon lion - turtle - phoenix, legend of the lake of the returned sword. All stories are from the daily life of Vietnamese farmers in the past or show their hope for a harmonious climate to have good rice harvests.
Some places you can enjoy water puppetry:
In Hanoi
In Hoi An
Hoi An Theater: 548 Hai Ba Trung, Hoi An, Quang Nam
In Hue
Hue Puppet Theater: 8 Le Loi, Vinh Ninh, Thua Thien Hue
In Ho Chi Minh City
Water Puppet Theater - Golden Dragon: 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1
"Quintessence of Tonkin" - Tinh Hoa Bac Bo, the first stage show the true inclusion in Vietnam leads all viewers into a rustic atmosphere in Da Phuc commune, Sai Son, Quoc Oai in the outskirts of Hanoi, near the poetic Thay pagoda. It is a very special artistic show on a 4,300m2 water stage with the participation of 250 people, both Sai Son locals and professional dancers.
The show takes viewers to different levels of feelings, telling the story of nature, recreating the rich spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.
Traditional folkloric elements are expressed in a modern and creative style, recalling memories of the Red River Delta, the cultural centre of North Vietnam in the past, from poetry and music to religions, beliefs...
The Northwest area of Vietnam is the home of the Thai ethnic community, the tribe that holds a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage - the "Xoe Thai", recently recognized in 2021.
"Xoe" means dancing with movements that represent human activities in rituals, cultural activities, life and work. The dance is performed in ceremonies, weddings, festivals and community cultural events. "Xoe Thai" expresses the wishes of locals to receive the help and blessing of the gods to have a happy life.
You can see this performance in some villages such as Mai Chau, Son La,... where they also dance the "Xoe" to welcome guests. During the dance, there is also a chance to taste Can schnapps, a special kind that is drunk together with schnapps in a jar with straws. Participating in the dance, tasting Can schnapps are absolutely a must to penetrate the life and culture of Thai people.
Every ethnic group in Vietnam has its own traditional dance. Among the most distinctive dances, one must certainly list the "Khen" dance of ethnic Hmong, one of Vietnam's intangible cultural legacies. In addition to being a musical instrument, Khen is also a dance putello, an ever-present thing in the lives of the Hmong in Vietnam.
For the Hmong people, girls need to know how to weave while boys need to know how to play and dance with the Khen, which shows the importance of this dance in the daily life of the Hmong. There are many traditional dances and we can see in the fun music the Hmong boys are like the birds of the forest.
However, the dance is not only performed in feasts, festivals, weddings but also in funerals, it is like a ritual to request the ancestors to accept the spirit of the new dead.
Being an important traditional dance but also very popular in the Hmong community, it could be easily enjoyed in the places that this tribe inhabits such as Sapa, Ha Giang...
Despite the fact that it is a fairly "incomprehensible" song for so many people, tourists and Vietnamese alike, Ca Tru still maintains its position in the hearts of Vietnam's traditional music lovers. Ca Tru is selected as a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site for the unique artistic cultural values that are a perfect combination of poetry and elegant music. These "singing poems" must adhere to traditional Vietnamese poetic rules, using vibrato and breathing to express.
Ca Tru normally is performed in a trio, including a singer, one playing Dan Nguyet and one playing bamboo tocsin, taking on various forms with different social functions: devotional songs, entertainment songs, royal songs and songs for artistic competitions.
It has been a very popular art in Vietnam since the 15th century but over time and wars, it has been lost gradually because in the past Ca Tru was taught only in the family. However, presently many groups of Ca Tru lovers are established to preserve, maintain and recover this very interesting art of Vietnam.
In Hanoi, you can look at Ca Tru at Hanoi Ancient House at address 87 Ma May Street or at Kim Ngan Temple, number 42 Hang Bac Street.
Since its first release in 2018, the stage show's inclusion of true "Memory of Hoi An" impresses everyone with its uniqueness. Being performed on an area of 25,000m2 right on an island with participants of 500 professional dancers, the show is truly a must-see in Hoi An.
What can you expect from the show? It is completely a feast of lights, sound effects, music with many tools designed just for the program. The show tells the story of Hoi An's 400-plus year old citadel, which was a very thriving port city in the 16th, 17th centuries.
During the show, viewers can admire hundreds of people from the traditional dress of Vietnam-the ao dai, the image of daily life and the trade of the locals. All are vividly expressed in a very unique setting.
You can book tickets for this show here: https://kyuchoian.com/
Royal Court Music is a musical genre dating back to the feudal period. The music has elegant lyrics and courtly rhythms, contributing to the solemnity of monkish ceremonies. Carrying the meaning of longevity and prosperity of the dynasty, Hue royal court music was highly valued by Vietnamese feudal dynasties. According to research, Nha Nhac Cung Dinh Hue has existed for a long time, since the 11th century but peaked in the 19th century under the Nguyen dynasty. UNESCO proclaimed Nha Nhac Hue as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2003.
Artists performing Hue music must wear ancient-style costumes, which are extremely rich with many beautiful designs. Nha Nhac music is also a courtly orchestra of the most precious and typical musical instruments in Vietnam, it can be a symphony of even 42 instruments.
You can enjoy Nha Nhac Hue at:
Cham dance is a special kind of art of the Cham ethnic group of Vietnam. Once a powerful kingdom in South Vietnam, the Cham people have had many interesting traditions, including the traditional Cham dance, an impeccable part of cultural and religious life. Through dances, they express reverence to gods, kings or people who have made contributions to the country.
Among the most famous Cham dances are: Apsara dance, dance with fans, dance with water pot on the head. They are performed to the music of traditional instruments such as Ginang drum, Baranung, Ceng,....
You can see this performance at My Son Shrine at 09:15 - 10:45 - 14:00 - 15:30
Don Ca Tai Tu is a very distinctive type of folkloric music in South Vietnam that was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2013. Originally, Don Ca Tai Tu was formed in the 19th century and is a combination from the court music of Hue - Nha Nhac and the folk culture of South Vietnam. However it is quite a popular music, it is also sung and played together among friends after work days.
The performance of Don Ca Tai Tu is usually performed in groups, the music group includes 5 main instruments, namely the Dan Tranh , the Dan Ty Ba, the Dan Kim, the Dan Co and the Can Tam along with a seven-hole flute. The lead singer can be equally male or female.
To perform Don Ca Tai Tu, it does not require fancy stage scenery or the fussy costumes. It takes place only in covered places such as the shade of trees, on boats or more solemnly in communal houses, pagodas, etc.. In more formal cases, performers dress the ao dai.
Anyone wishing to hear this music could travel to southern Vietnam, especially to the Mekong Delta area. The warm and friendly locals will gladly welcome him with Don Ca Tai Tu songs.
Lune Production is an entertainment company founded in 2012 with the spirit of presenting Vietnam culture to friends from all over the world through artistic performances. Each of their products gives contributions in propagating life as much as the culture of each region, impressing viewers with lights, music, circus and dance performances, taking them into the adventure of feelings.
Some of their performances are:
The show is a combination of many genres of theatrical art including: acrobatics, acrobatic juggling, mime, singing. All show props are made of bamboo, creating a rustic and artistic space
Using rustic and close-up props such as hoop boats, bamboo baskets, ... A O Show creates an idyllic but surprisingly beautiful image of life in the countryside and urban life in Vietnam.
Gong's cultural space in Tay Nguyen is conveyed in the Teh Dar show. The language of the circus in combination with gong sounds makes the show a must-see in Vietnam.
Hoping to bring you the most current experiences of Vietnam, this list of the most beautiful cultural and traditional Vietnamese performances will be a great reference for your trip to Vietnam. To make the most of your time and arrange a travel itinerary to accommodate these special cultural experiences, please feel free to contact us by email: sm@izitour.com.
