When contemporary dance seeks ethnic elements

In the context of strong integration and cultural exchange, as well as many other fields, Vietnamese dance art needs to absorb new breaths and rhythms to adapt to contemporary life. However, integration requires not dissolving, which is an urgent issue and the "key" to solving this problem is nothing other than finding the cultural elements and traditional identities of our ancestors. That is the reason why many contemporary Vietnamese dance works are choosing the direction of integrating national and modern characteristics.

Scene from the dance "Human Love Painting" by the Military University of Culture and Arts. (Photo: NTQĐ)

Following the 2024 International Dance Festival that just took place in Hue city, everyone will surely be delighted with "Nang May" (Vietnam Dance Academy) - one of the five works awarded the Gold Medal. The dance poem is like a love song honoring the traditional craft of bamboo and rattan weaving in Vietnam. There, the flexible properties of rattan fibers were thoroughly exploited by the creative team, creating lines and shapes that are both strange and familiar, smoothly combined with subtle movements of the body to tell a vivid and attractive story about the cultural life of the Vietnamese people on the background of folk music.

Also winning a Gold Medal at the festival, the dance poem “Hoa tinh nhan gian” (Military University of Culture and Arts) made an equally impressive impression when its content, music, costumes, props, and shapes were all imbued with the cultural colors of Kinh Bac countryside with Dong Ho paintings shining with “national colors”… Most recently, the dance play “SESAN” written by choreographer Tuyet Minh and general director was performed at Kon Klor Communal House, Kon Tum city, opening the Vietnam Dance Week 2024, also bringing many artistic emotions to domestic and international dance lovers when exploiting the cultural colors of the Central Highlands.

Previously, a series of contemporary dance works have affirmed their success by seeking out national cultural elements such as: "Weaving Linen" (People's Artist Kieu Le), "Dong Ho" (choreographer Nguyen Ngoc Anh), "Non" (choreographer Ngoc Khai), "Do" (choreographers Phan Luong, Vu Ngoc Khai), "Unhealed Sleep" (Meritorious Artist Ta Xuan Chien), "My" (choreographer Tuyet Minh)... Clearly, the intersection and blending of new and traditional elements not only creates attractive dance works rich in artistic value but also contributes to shaping the trend of national-modern creativity.

According to Dr. People's Artist Nguyen Van Quang, former Director of the Vietnam Dance Academy, the country's dance industry has a force of young choreographers with sharp thinking, who can access new waves, and know how to turn traditional dance materials into suitable dance movements, helping the work to breathe contemporary life without losing its Vietnamese identity and style, bringing interesting emotions to the audience...

However, it must be affirmed that this is not easy to do, because in reality, there are many dance works that have caused a feeling of awkwardness when combining traditional and modern dance language but lack the sophistication and necessary "sweetness". Some works even exploit elements of traditional culture incorrectly, leading to distaste and unacceptable...

According to Dr. People's Artist Pham Anh Phuong, President of the Vietnam Dance Artists Association, the success of each dance work largely depends on the "molding" of the choreographer. To "steer" the work in the right direction and be accepted by the public, the choreographer must be concerned, dedicated, and put all his or her mind into the artistic creation process, must understand both national and new characteristics, have deep feelings about national culture, and then creatively handle the dance language based on modern aesthetic thinking. Experts believe that the trend of finding national elements in the construction of contemporary dance works can be expressed in many ways, such as: combining traditional dances with modern dance techniques; conveying themes and stories about national culture and history; using national music and traditional costumes, etc.

However, no matter which method is chosen, the creator must dig deep to explore and thoroughly research the cultural characteristics of each nation, from which they can filter, refine many times and breathe into it the color of personal creativity through the lens of contemporary people, only then can they ensure the authenticity and vitality of a dance work.

From the perspective of a practitioner, researcher and lecturer, Master Ha Thai Son, lecturer of the Department of Choreography and Dance Training, Vietnam Dance Academy, affirmed that in order to apply contemporary dance in composition while still maintaining national elements, there needs to be more comprehensive solutions from many sides. In addition to the creative efforts of artists, cultural management agencies need to issue specific policies related to the preservation, development and promotion of ethnic dance art; promote competitions, art festivals and creative projects of folk-ethnic dance combined with modern technology; strengthen cooperation with international art organizations and schools, creating conditions for Vietnamese artists to learn, exchange internationally, and absorb global trends.

Training institutions also need to improve their curriculum, helping learners not only master contemporary and traditional dance techniques but also understand national culture; creating an environment for learners to practice composing and performing in projects combining contemporary and traditional dance...

Reality has proven that the return to national elements in contemporary movement art is an inevitable trend. This is not only a "territory" that helps inspire creativity, but also associated with the responsibility of preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​of today's Vietnamese dance artists.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/khi-mua-duong-dai-tim-den-yeu-to-dan-toc-3326388.html