Thai dance

(Baonghean) - Relevant sources confirm that the Xoe dance is a "specialty" of the Thai people in the Northwest region. The Thai people in western Nghe An (residing in the districts of Que Phong, Quy Chau, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, and Ky Son...) have a Xoe dance with graceful, rhythmic, and captivating movements. Perhaps, hundreds of years ago, when migrating from the Northwest to western Nghe An, the Thai people did not forget to bring the Xoe dance with them to always remember their origins?

The Xoe dance performance by the Yen Khe commune's cultural troupe (Con Cuong).

Speaking about the Thai Xoe dance, artisan Dinh Thi Minh Nguyet from Phong village, Thach Giam commune (Tuong Duong district) said that this dance is inspired by a blooming flower, thus easily evoking subtlety, grace, and captivating the hearts of the people. Perhaps for this reason, the Xoe dance is often performed during the spring days, when countless flowers bloom, the spring colors abound, and people's hearts are filled with joy. Whenever there is a village festival, when the rice wine has taken effect, and when the music resonates, that is when the Xoe dance begins. The Xoe dance is a delicate combination of flexible hands and rhythmic feet in each step.

Each arrangement of the group, the way they walk and move, and the expressions on their faces reveal a different emotional nuance. It could be the spirit of community solidarity, the joy of a wedding, a housewarming, or a new rice harvest, the affirmation of enduring love between couples, the joy of reunion, or the lingering affection and reluctance to part... The accompanying props are often colorful cloth fans or embroidered scarves, symbolizing flowers fluttering in the spring breeze. Sometimes, these fans evoke images of butterflies, sometimes hesitant, sometimes soaring amidst the flower-filled mountain landscape.

Just like wildflowers, a single bloom isn't necessarily beautiful; its beauty is enhanced by a cluster of flowers, or even a whole forest of them. The Xoe dance is the same: the more people, the more beautiful and joyful it becomes. The Thai people believe that only with the Xoe dance can the flowers in the forest bloom, the trees bear fruit, the rice in the fields yield abundant grains, the corn in the hills produce ears, and the harvest be bountiful. Therefore, when entering the Xoe festival, everyone shares a common joy, immersing themselves in the lively and bustling atmosphere, holding hands and wishing for favorable weather, lush vegetation, and a bountiful harvest. This helps to forget the hardships and worries of life, and each round of the dance dissipates. Then, when the festival ends, everyone returns to their families and daily lives, but their hearts are still filled with optimism, faith in the future, and anticipation for the next year's Xoe festival.

The Xoe dance performance by women of Na Luong village (Huu Kiem commune - Ky Son district)

The captivating Xoe dance, which stirs countless hearts and makes many reluctant to leave, has been immortalized in the works of composer Vuong Khon, a son of the Thai ethnic group of Northwest Vietnam: “The Xoe dance, the Xoe dance, since when has it existed?/ Yet it remains as captivating as ever/ The Xoe dance, the Xoe dance, remembering the beginning/ Feet move rhythmically, yet so confused/ Hand in hand tonight/ Feet walk joyfully/ I am lost in the Xoe dance/ Leaving behind the warmth of your hand/ Hand in hand tonight/ My heart is stirred/ I shine in the Xoe dance/ Like a white ban branch in spring…”. With its familiar lyrics and graceful melody, the song “The Xoe Dance of Love” skillfully portrays the emotional nuances of the Thai people embedded in the Xoe dance.

During a visit to Na village, Huu Lap commune (Ky Son district), Ms. Lo Thi Mai, a long-time member of the village's performing arts group, shared: "When visiting a Thai village, you only need to step onto the stilt house, drink rice wine, eat nam nhooc (a type of rice cake), and listen to the bamboo flute, but if you haven't experienced the lam and xuoi dances and the xoe dance festival, it's like you haven't really been there." Indeed, if you ever experience the xoe dance festival, joining hands and expanding the circle, you will feel the affection, optimism, and passionate love of life of the Thai people. Perhaps that's why the xoe dance, though ancient, never diminishes in its appeal!

Cong Kien