The bright smile on her radiant face, her agile gait, especially her graceful dances and smooth singing on stage make many people think she is only 55-60 years old, far from her real age of 75. That is artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh (residing in Thach Linh ward, Ha Tinh city). She devoted her entire youth to art, and now, despite her advanced age, she has not stopped.
The bright smile on her radiant face, her agile gait, especially her graceful dances and smooth singing on stage make many people think she is only 55-60 years old, far from her real age of 75. That is artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh (residing in Thach Linh ward, Ha Tinh city). She devoted her entire youth to art, and now, despite her advanced age, she has not stopped.
I have had the chance to know her for a long time, but it was only during the days I practiced with her in the art troupe of the Ha Tinh City Elderly Association that I fully felt her passion for the performing arts. Her words, style, and smile radiated energy that made anyone who came into contact with her feel like they were “fueled” with love for life and love for her profession.
Artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh.
On a late autumn afternoon, in a small apartment on the third floor of the Vinhomes residential area, Ms. Thanh reminisced about her exciting years as a “soldier on the cultural front”. “Since childhood, I have loved the arts and had a talent for singing and dancing. In 1965, after finishing 7th grade, I joined the Ha Tinh People’s Performing Arts Troupe as a dancer. The Ha Tinh People’s Performing Arts Troupe later split into the Ha Tinh Drama Troupe and the Ha Tinh Song and Dance Troupe, and I was a member of the troupe. After joining the province, I became an actor in the Nghe Tinh Song and Dance Troupe.”
During the years of war, especially the fierce period of 1967-1968, we went to all the battlefields to perform for the fighting forces. Wherever there were soldiers stationed, we went there to perform. Once, while performing on Road 21 (Thach Xuan Commune, Thach Ha), an American plane came, we had to turn off the kerosene lamps, lie down to avoid the bombs; when the plane went far away, we turned on the lamps again to continue performing. Once, when performing in Quang Tri, we had to go over a steep slope. In addition to our personal backpacks, we also had to carry kerosene lamps, costumes, backdrops, rice and salt... rolled up our pants, leaned on our Truong Son sticks and climbed the slope to go to the battlefield to perform for the soldiers and Youth Volunteers. Hardships and difficulties did not diminish the passion and spirit of "singing to drown out the sound of bombs" of the actors.
Throughout her youth, Ms. Le Thi Hoai Thanh was always passionate about performances (documentary photo).
During those years, audiences everywhere were extremely delighted to see Ms. Thanh's dances, such as the role of Hoan Thu in the play "Hoan Thu Jealous", the role of Cam in "Tam Cam", the dance about rice plants in the work "Lua", Suy Van in "Suy Van pretending to be crazy". In some plays, she took on the roles of both adults and children ("Luu bom boi")...
Her face, eyes, smile, hand movements, footsteps, standing and sitting positions... all convey her inner feelings, depicting characters of life and the joys, sorrows as well as the working, production and fighting atmosphere of our army and people. Watching her dance, the audience seemed to forget all fatigue and were drawn into an artistic space rich in emotion. "Once we performed on the battlefield, singing and dancing to battle songs, the soldiers were so excited that they stood up and shouted "Charge!" - Ms. Thanh recalled.
Artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh has 25 years of experience working in art troupes, music and dance troupes (documentary photo).
With nearly 25 years of working at the Ha Tinh People's Art Troupe and the Huong Sen Song and Dance Troupe (Nghe Tinh), Ms. Hoai Thanh has contributed with the actors to the success of many festivals, winning regional and national gold and silver medals. She has left a deep impression on the audiences of Ha Tinh and the whole country. She has received a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In 1990, after retiring and returning to her hometown Ha Tinh, living with her husband's family in Lam Phuoc Tho street, Ha Tinh town (now Ha Tinh city), she began to participate in the mass art movement. In the early years of the province's separation, she and Ms. My Le, a former actress, formed a dance and singing group to perform all over the province. She was passionate about Nghe Tinh folk songs. She founded the Bac Ha ward art troupe, researching and staging folk songs, dances, and scenes.
From practice sessions to the moments on stage, Artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh always "burns" herself out with folk melodies. (documentary photo).
When Nguyen Du ward was established, she moved here and also established an art troupe, practiced and performed. When she moved to Tran Phu ward, she had been with the art troupe of the ward for 15 years. In the early days of the "Street Corner" Folk Song Club, she and Mrs. Nhu Nguyet, Kim Phu, Kim Lien... actively participated. In 2021-2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the "Street Corner" Folk Song Club continued to develop more members and practice. Ms. Thanh sometimes sang folk songs with old lyrics, sometimes sang folk songs with new lyrics to fight the pandemic...
Video: Excerpt from the performance "Ten graces of parents" performed by the "Street Corner" Club.
In recent days, the mass art troupe of the Ha Tinh Province Elderly Association has achieved impressive results at the Elderly Singing Festival in the Northern provinces and cities held in Ha Tinh City. At 75 years old, Ms. Hoai Thanh is still passionate about the dances accompanying the songs. Her smile makes everyone happy. Looking at her dance moves with male actor Ngoc Que, everyone in the team is amazed and admires her. The movements are always skillful, on beat and very fast according to the choreography. There are times when, with her "professional" sense, she also gives advice and corrects many movements for the young choreographer to suit the content. At the end of the festival, the Ha Tinh troupe was one of 10 troupes that won first prize, highly appreciated by the audience. That result was partly contributed by Ms. Hoai Thanh.
Artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh in the performance of the Ha Tinh City Elderly Association at the Provincial Elderly Singing Festival.
At the 2023 Northern Provinces Elderly Singing Festival held in Ha Tinh City, Artist Le Thi Hoai Thanh is one of the two oldest actors.
“What do the movements of the hands, face, and eyes say when performing? That is the soul of the dance work that we need to create” - Ms. Thanh concluded. There were times when she was sick but she still refused to rest, and enthusiastically instructed her fellow performers. Watching her dance, all the fatigue in the team members suddenly disappeared. She always followed the team's rules, arrived early, practiced seriously, and became a source of encouragement for the whole team: “Keep trying, kids!” - she always encouraged and motivated us.
Talking about his co-star, Mr. Phan Ngoc Que (78 years old) said: “I have worked with Ms. Hoai Thanh for many years. She is an actress who is naturally gifted with dancing talent, so she learns quickly and dances beautifully. She once received a special salary increase from the Huong Sen Song and Dance Troupe. In terms of community activities, she is always enthusiastic, eager, knows how to arrange family matters to complete tasks, is active, and integrates with all movements.”
Ms. Thanh has a happy family with her husband - Mr. Pham Gia Kinh, former Deputy Director of the State Treasury of Ha Tinh, and two children and grandchildren. Her husband always understands and appreciates his wife's profession, creating conditions for her to devote herself to art.
Seeing me off with a “blooming” smile on her ageless face, Mrs. Hoai Thanh reminded me over and over again: “Cultural, artistic and sports activities are tonics. Young people should participate in movements and social activities, especially cultural and artistic activities, only then will they be healthy and young. Up to now, I have been attached to this profession for nearly 60 years and will continue as long as I am healthy.”
Ms. Thanh next to her husband - Mr. Pham Gia Kinh.
Ms. Phan Thu Hien - Head of the Ha Tinh Folk Arts Association said: "Despite her old age, Ms. Hoai Thanh's love for her profession has not faded. She works in both the fields of folk arts and modern arts. Working seriously in the arts, having the spirit of building movements, living exemplary, Ms. Hoai Thanh is the pride of the association as well as the Thanh Sen Folk Song and Dance Club".
Article and photos: Minh Hue - Dinh Nhat
Design & Engineering: Huy Tung - Khoi Nguyen
2:03:10:2023:14:15
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