Hung recorded the performance and watched the video again and again for days. The then 12-year-old boy was mesmerized by the performer’s balancing abilities and graceful dance moves.

The unique and beautiful dance props of this folk art type, such as the golden tray, lily and peacock feather, excited Hung. This prompted him to continue to learn about the dance with a long history.

“When I watched the artists perform, I found a tray and used it as a tool to practice dancing. On that day, I realized that I have a passion for art,” Hung recalled.

Hung collected clips of mua bong roi dances on the internet and learned to dance along with the clips. As Hung didn’t have a teacher, he practiced the moves of the artists in the clip.

After successfully balancing aluminum trays and plastic pipes with his mouth and forehead, Hung then practiced balancing chairs or heavy vases.

When he was in the eighth grade, Hung contacted Ngoc Dao, an excellent artist, and others, for opportunities to practice dancing and make props for the dance.

After two years, Hung mastered the basic techniques of mua bong roi art. He began having the gestures of such a dancer, even though he was not trained professionally.

“The passion led me to practice every day. I practiced seven hours a day. Since 2016, I have never stopped practicing for more than three days,” he said.

He loved the dance so much that he practiced keeping objects in balance on his mouth, nose and forehead. After he mastered this, he began practicing the gestures and moves of a female dancer.

Learning the dance was a long and hard path. Hung was once hit in the face by a falling knife that caused an injury. He also nearly broke his jaw when trying to use his mouth to lift and balance eight chairs.

However, the accidents were not an obstacle for Hung. What made him feel sad was the strong opposition from family members.

Living with disapproval

Hung was born into a family where no one was an artist and no one pursued spiritual culture. The parents, when realizing their son had a passion for this type of dance, protested. They threw away all the props Hung had made or bought with his own money.

The boy could only practice dancing when the parents were not at home.

Sometimes Hung stayed in his room for days. He didn’t eat and drink, communicate with or contact anyone. He even thought of giving up his life.

However, after crying, he tried to continue, though he still did not receive the nod from his parents. In the traditional art, he could find freedom and "his real self".

Hung’s efforts have been recognized by society. He now has opportunities to perform at temples, communal houses, and cultural exchanges in cities and provinces. 

These initial achievements have helped him gain sympathy from his mother and friends. The mother even sometimes helps him make props for his performances.

“I will pursue this art of dancing all my life. For me, mua bong roi is my passion, life and the real me,” Hung said.

“This kind of dancing is a beautiful cultural art, not a superstition,” he said.

Ha Nguyen