Dancing has always been an integral part of the Vietnamese culture. Vietnamese dancers utilize a variety of dance forms to reflect Vietnamese life, to celebrate holidays and seasonal festivals, and to display Vietnamese myths and customs.[1] Dancing is a long lasting tradition in Vietnam that continues to be practice today. Vietnamese dances can be trace to the celebration of the first Mid-Autumn Moon festival 15,000 years ago or to the imperial court dances during the Nguyen Dynasty (1803-1885).[2] Dancing appears throughout Vietnamese history as a celebratory act in palaces, villages, and throughout all regions.
There are a variety of traditional Vietnamese dance forms.
Lion Dance – Known as “múa lân” in Vietnamese. Lion Dance is the style of dance that imitates a lion’s movements and behavior to ward off evil spirits and spread good luck during cultural festivals. This traditional dance form originated in China and spread to other Asian cultures. Lion dancers perform in a vibrant lion costumes to the rhythm of drums, cymbals, and gongs.[3]
Lotus Dance – Known as “múa hoa đăng” in Vietnamese. The Lotus dance is a Buddhist tradition in which dancers perform in colorful costumes to symbolize the opening of a lotus – a celebration of Buddha’s birth. This dance style began in the early 1600s in Vietnamese feudalism. The dance began in imperial palaces and now is performed internationally in dance theaters. [4]
Flower dance – Known as “dâng hoa” in Vietnamese. This style of Vietnamese dance is the most flexible of the three traditional dance forms. Flower dances can be performed for secular, cultural or religious events. This style utilizes multiple props – i.e. flowers, lanterns, straw hats, umbrellas, fans, or fabrics. This dance derives inspiration from nature and the movements of water, animals, and flowers. [5]
This website’s primary focus is on
Vietnamese flower dance.
Vietnamese flower dances are perform in various occasions and can utilize multiple different props depending on the message or image the choreographer wishes to create.
- Religious occasions – Flower dances are perform in celebration or worship of holy figures or saints, Christmas, New Years, or any holy masses by the request of a priest.
- Cultural occasions – Flower dance performances are tradition in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Lunar Festival or Vietnamese’s New Years.
- Secular occasions – Flower dances can be additional entertainment at dinner parties, weddings, and festivals.
[1] “Traditional Vietnamese Dance.” Dance From My Homeland: Vietnam -. http://homelanddance.com/folk-dance.html (accessed December 10, 2013).
[2] Henderson, Erin. “ADOPT VIETNAM.” All About Tet Trung Thu, Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. http://www.adoptvietnam.org/vietnamese/tet-trung-thu.htm (accessed December 10, 2013).
[3] “The Lion Dance History.” The Lion Dance History. http://www.thelionarts.com/history.html (accessed December 11, 2013).
[4] “Kaan’s Dancing Blog.” Kaans Dancing Blog. http://dancingtotheendoflife.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/lotus-dance-a-celebration-of-buddhas-birth/ (accessed December 10, 2013).
[5] “Traditional Vietnamese Dance.”
Vietnamese Flower Dance 