>> Yen Bai to host ceremony receiving UNESCO certificate on Xoe Thai dance

During the National Day holidays, the art troupe of Chao Ha 1 hamlet in Nghia Lo performed for many tourists staying in Hong Chung homestay in Nghia Loi commune. The performances carried strong cultural identity of the Thai people, with many kinds of ancient Xoe dances.

Lo Thi Thuy, head of the art troupe said that with five members, all from Thai ethnic minority group, the troupe has joined many training courses on folk dancing and can arrange Xoe dance and art performances themselves.

In each performance for tourists, the team often introduces six ancient Xoe dances and dances of Thai group in the northwestern region in general and Nghia Lo-Muong Lo area in particular, she said.

Nguyen Sy Thanh, a visitor from southern Tra Vinh province said that in his first trip to Nghia Lo-Muong Lo – the homeland of the art of Xoe dances of Thai people on the thresholds of a ceremony to receive the certificate recognising Xoe dance and an intangible cultural heritage of humankind and the cultural-tourism season in the locality, he has enjoyed a cultural space of Thai people as well as Thai people’s Xoe dances, and joined the dances himself.

Currently, members of the major art troupes of communes and wards in the locality such as those from Deu 2, Deu 3 hamlets of Nghia An commune, Tong Phong in Tan An ward, Sa Ren hamlet in Nghia Loi commune, and Cang Na-Pa Ke in Trung Tam ward, have acquired high singing and dancing skills, while playing the core role in preserving, introducing and promoting the culture of Thai people, including the art of Xoe dance.

Luong Thi Minh, a member of the art troupe of Deu 2 hamlet said that the art of Xoe dance, like all other folk dances, requires the balance in soul and hard practice. The Xoe dancers have also learn from their seniors to ensure the original versions and promote the dances towards higher artistic directions.

Currently, Nghia Lo is home to 35 operating homestays, all have signed contracts with major art troupes of the hamlets and communes, thus meeting the demands for cultural and folk art entertainments of visitors. 

This is an occasion for each art troupe and homestay to make their contributions to the introduction and promotion of cultural beauty of the art of Xoe dance of Thai people to visitors.