Opening up to communicate, not only with words but with everything, with sympathy, care, listening, with body language... is the key that helped Huy gradually overcome his negative state.
The event received special attention from the audience and friends in the industry, not only because John Huy Tran's works always bring unique and memorable experiences, but also because of the sympathy and emotion of seeing him on stage again after such a difficult journey.
John Huy Tran and UDG prepare for the show MENtal HEALth PLAYlist - Photo UDG
"1 year, 4 years, and maybe a lifetime"
The MENtal HEALth PLAYlist introduction was therefore full of emotion. There were no dry Q&A or interviews as usual.
Instead, there was lively music, spontaneous interactive dance performances on stage by dancers and friends; John Huy Tran's emotional outburst, laughter, warm hugs and encouragement.
Standing below the stage, Nhiem Huynh, John Huy Tran's partner, breathed a sigh of relief when the press conference ended in a friendly, cozy atmosphere: "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to complete it. Luckily, Huy is fine and ready!"
That was a constant worry over the past four years, as the two had been through so much together. After the hugely successful Gaia show at the end of 2019, John Huy Tran's health suddenly became unstable.
The press conference for the new work was friendly and cozy.
From a choreographer who was always full of positive energy and passion, he suddenly collapsed, suffered from emotional disorders and depression. Huy was not only mentally unstable but also affected his physical body, the symptoms were so severe that for a long time he avoided contact and was afraid to step out of the room.
Things were getting harder and harder. Accepting that he had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had to undergo treatment was too much of a shock for someone like Huy who had always believed he was "healthy".
He also had to face panic attacks, convulsing and having difficulty breathing for hours.
There are times when the body suddenly loses strength, collapses and sinks into an endless black hole. Negative illusionary "ghosts" are always lurking, waiting to pull him into a chaotic, deadlocked spiral.
The times of having to change medications, the hours of psychotherapy filled with anger, anxiety and sobbing when not knowing what worse things were going to happen...
"At first, the doctor said it might take a year to recover. Huy said, 'Oh my god, why is it taking so long?' After a year, Huy felt better and thought he was okay and could come back, but unexpectedly everything continued and got worse. It went on like that for two years, then four years.
By now, Huy knows that he will probably live with this for the rest of his life. But it's okay, now he knows. So Huy will encourage himself: calm down, slow down, breathe, listen, learn to accept and love himself, open his heart to communicate, share, help those like him, and continue to heal" - John Huy Tran smiled.
He was thinner but his body was much stronger, gradually adapting to dancing again and willing to talk with a bright smile and eyes that seemed to be penetrating and sensitive.
John Huy in a friendly sharing atmosphere
John Huy Tran's loving moments
John Huy is still shy when it comes to communication, which is very different from his old self. Huy said that if the press wanted to interview him, he would feel pressured and not want to answer.
But when Nhiem said: bro, your friends want to talk to you, Huy would be reassured: ah, someone wants to talk to me.
Of course, it was difficult to do that, especially when Huy "hit rock bottom". He not only had to face serious symptoms but also the fear that people around him would hate him and leave because he became a stranger and was no longer himself.
At those times, it's good if there is someone who is patient enough, still uses every way to show: I'm still here, I want to talk to you.
There are people who need and want to share, that simple thing has great meaning to people who are in a situation like Huy. He believes that is a good way to start the journey of connection, and help the person you love overcome depression.
For four years, the luckiest and most grateful thing for John Huy Tran was that he always had his partner Nhiem Huynh by his side, and he still kept the desire to recover and did not give up. He tried to cooperate with the treatment, persistently turned on the camera to record his diary when he was in chaos so that he could later distinguish between what was real and what was an illusion.
He made documentaries to share with those who suffered from the same disease to encourage each other. And in the darkest moments before his collapse, he still tried to call: Nhiem, Nhiem, help me!
For more than two decades of knowing each other, falling in love and getting married, Nhiem has always been John Huy's companion and supporter in both life and artistic projects. And both still hope to have many more years together.
John Huy Tran and UDG prepare for the show MENtal HEALth PLAYlist - Photo: UDG
Men need attention too
What motivated John Huy to come back to produce the show MENtal HEALth PLAYlist (or Men Heal Play), focusing on the topic of mental health specifically for men, even though he knows he is still only 80% okay?
Because Huy realized that there were many people around him who had mental health problems and needed encouragement and support. Many of them were men.
"Perhaps Asian men still face a lot of pressure and prejudice: they must always be strong, not be weak, not cry, not show emotions, not be different, must live like everyone else...
John Huy Tran and UDG prepare for the show MENtal HEALth PLAYlist - Photo UDG
Huy has been told that since he was little. Then when his family left Vietnam for Canada and many other events unintentionally created trauma in his memory without him knowing. All of it probably accumulated, compressed, and when his body was beyond its tolerance, Huy became like this.
So I think men also need people around them to share and care more about their mental health, to express their feelings comfortably and equally without being prejudiced. Why are they so sensitive and fragile?" - John Huy confided.
Through his work, which combines many unique interactive art genres, he hopes that audiences will have the opportunity to explore and share complex emotional states within each person with an open mind; empathize with those who are facing mental health challenges and spread confidence, encouraging the ability to explore, recover and heal themselves.
MENtal HEALth PLAYlist choreographed by John Huy Tran, performed by UDG (Urban Dance Group) dancers, co-organized with 11:11 d'Artistes.
The work is not only a dance show, but also a bold interactive art idea, combining dance, music performance, installation and thematic workshop from March 28 to April 6 at the art space 11:11 Espace (HCMC).
John Huy Tran speaks for mother earth with GaiaSource
Comment (0)