Born in 1989 in Dong Ha, Quang Tri, a land with a rich history, culture, and revolutionary heroic tradition, Nguyen Hai Truong loves national traditional culture. The choreographer said his love has been growing since childhood. He always wants to create works imbued with traditional culture.

The light at the end of tunnel

While he was still in his mother's womb, Truong did not receive love from his father. His mother worked as a construction worker and raised him in difficult circumstances. Truong said his mother's life was "a series of tragedies and tragedies". No one in his family worked in fields related to arts, but Truong still decided to learn dancing, a thorny path for him, because he believed that he was chosen to dance.

When he was an 11th grader, Truong attended the entrance exam to the Vietnam Dance College (now the Vietnam Dance Academy), but failed. He successfully enrolled in the school when trying once again after he finished high school. However, starting to learn dancing late at age 18, he faced great challenges and could not catch up with his classmates.

The four years of learning dancing at the school were the most difficult time for him, because he could not understand what he wanted. He felt too tired ar the lessons at the dancing school and usually played truant, while spending time at gaming parlors.

His turning point was when Truong registered to study choreography at the Vietnam Dance Academy.

“I felt like I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I found out what I wanted and I could do it with all my energy,” he recalled.

The young artist immersed in traditional culture

Having been a choreographer for 12 years, Truong has gained outstanding achievements with his compositions with the themes of revolution, reflection of the relationships between people in daily life, spiritual space, customs and cultural colors of regions and ethnic groups.

“Growing up in Quang Tri, the land that experienced fierce years of war, the stories about the nation’s struggle against evaders were part of my soul and imagination. Though I am young, I like to learn more and make compositions about revolution,” he said.

Truong also has a passion for folklore, especially the cultural characteristics of traditional craft villages. However, as a young person, Truong has faced many challenges.

Some years ago, when he just graduated from school, he worried about how to earn money, which made it difficult for him to compose dances. A choreographer not only has to accumulate knowledge to create works, but also needs to spend money on music, instruments, costumes and artists. 

However, later, when his works began better known, he could earn money to nurture his passion, gather strength to stage professional dance works.

At the 2024 International Dance Festival, the dance poem ‘Nang May’ (Cloud Girl) was awarded the Gold Medal, while Truong won the Outstanding Choreography award.

Nang May tells the story about the Vietnamese traditional bamboo and rattan weaving craft village. Using folk dance materials combined with contemporary dance, the choreographer talks about cultural life, and the beauty of the craft village, which preserves the soul, perseverance, dexterity, simplicity and delicacy of the craftsmen who maintain the nation’s traditional art. 

The work also conveys the message of preserving the identity and sustainable development of traditional crafts, and at the same time praises the Vietnamese handicraft products which have been introduced in the international market and brought incomes to craftsmen.

According to Truong, the cultures of different ethnic groups are diverse, but predecessors have exploited the theme, so he feels pressure when following a theme.

"We have to take fact-finding trips, learn about the customs and culture of each region, to create works with a deeper perspective and we must not move in a rut,” he said, adding that artists are also the promoters of national culture.

However, young choreographers like him also have advantages. They can access the theme from the angle of young people and can work with the support of many factors such as technology, music and the stage.

Tinh Le