Vietnam Expressions
Final paper
EXPRESSIONS OF VIETNAM – MODERN DANCE AND MUSIC
One expression of culture from Vietnam includes dance, including dances performed at festivals and royal dances of the imperial court. A second expression of culture from Vietnam includes music, from imperial court music, classical music and rock and roll. The expressions of dance and music in the Vietnamese culture provide a glimpse of their embedded values and insight into the culture of Vietnam. “Although there are many general types of dance and music that derived from the culture of Vietnam over the last several decades, the dance and music currently practiced today can be traced as far back as 1010 CE” (Maraniss).
Traditional Vietnamese dance includes several different forms. These include: dance as performed in Vietnamese theater and opera, dances performed at festivals, and royal dances of the imperial court. Dance is thought to have been an integral part of Vietnamese culture since ancient times, as depicted by engravings found on Dong Son drums.
Vietnam is a diverse country with 54 different ethnic groups, with the ethnic Vietnamese (known as Kinh) making up the majority of the population. Much of Vietnamese theater and Vietnamese music are intertwined with each other, as well as with Vietnamese dance. Popular theatre forms such as Hat tuong, Hat cheo and Cai luong all often feature dance, however these dances are performed in a liberal manner without set rules, unlike other more specific dance styles.
The lion dance was imported from China into Vietnamese culture where it developed its own distinct style. It is performed primarily at traditional festivals such as Tet, meaning the Lunar new year, and Tet trung thu, meaning the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also during other occasions such as the opening of a new business. The lion dance is highly symbolic, supposedly used to ward off evil spirits. There are an abundance of styles and the lion dances are typically accompanied by
EXPRESSIONS OF VIETNAM – MODERN DANCE AND MUSIC
One expression of culture from Vietnam includes dance, including dances performed at festivals and royal dances of the imperial court. A second expression of culture from Vietnam includes music, from imperial court music, classical music and rock and roll. The expressions of dance and music in the Vietnamese culture provide a glimpse of their embedded values and insight into the culture of Vietnam. “Although there are many general types of dance and music that derived from the culture of Vietnam over the last several decades, the dance and music currently practiced today can be traced as far back as 1010 CE” (Maraniss).
Traditional Vietnamese dance includes several different forms. These include: dance as performed in Vietnamese theater and opera, dances performed at festivals, and royal dances of the imperial court. Dance is thought to have been an integral part of Vietnamese culture since ancient times, as depicted by engravings found on Dong Son drums.
Vietnam is a diverse country with 54 different ethnic groups, with the ethnic Vietnamese (known as Kinh) making up the majority of the population. Much of Vietnamese theater and Vietnamese music are intertwined with each other, as well as with Vietnamese dance. Popular theatre forms such as Hat tuong, Hat cheo and Cai luong all often feature dance, however these dances are performed in a liberal manner without set rules, unlike other more specific dance styles.
The lion dance was imported from China into Vietnamese culture where it developed its own distinct style. It is performed primarily at traditional festivals such as Tet, meaning the Lunar new year, and Tet trung thu, meaning the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also during other occasions such as the opening of a new business. The lion dance is highly symbolic, supposedly used to ward off evil spirits. There are an abundance of styles and the lion dances are typically accompanied by
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