Professor Truong Nguyen Thanh was born in 1962 in former Binh Dinh. He is a professor at the University of Utah, USA. In 2017, he drew attention wearing shorts and a T-shirt to lecture on creative thinking to students in Vietnam. Since then, he has been known by the nickname “Shorts Professor.”

Last weekend, Thanh, 65, took part in his first international dancesport competition. He won three silver medals in Waltz, Tango, and Paso Doble; ranked fourth in Rumba and fifth in Cha-cha.

This could be viewed as an encouraging debut, but the professor said the medals are not what he is is most proud of. The category required each dance pair to have a combined age of over 90, and with few competitors, medal opportunities were greater.

"I shared the results simply so friends could celebrate with me. I don't see them as a major achievement. What matters more is what I learned from stepping onto the competition floor for the first time," he said.

Thanh began learning dancesport nearly two years ago, initially treating it as a new hobby by attending two standard ballroom classes and two Latin dance classes each week.

Only after this year's Lunar New Year did he decide to compete seriously. He then found a dance partner, intensified his training, and spent four to five months preparing for the tournament.

The transition was far from easy for someone who had devoted most of his life to scientific research and university teaching.

"In science, logical thinking, analytical ability, and communicating knowledge are my strengths. Dancesport requires completely different skills," he said.

"I've never received formal musical training. Feeling the music and keeping the rhythm are obvious weaknesses for me. Scientific research doesn't require you to perform, but on the dance floor, executing the steps correctly isn't enough. You have to tell a story through your body, your eyes, and your emotions."

The real pressure begins on stage

He said practicing in the studio and competing on the dance floor are entirely different experiences.

He recalled that the opening cha-cha routine unfolded faster than he could react, making his movements feel rushed. The waltz helped him regain confidence, while the rumba and paso doble were the performances he found most satisfying.

The greatest challenge came during the tango, the final dance.

After four consecutive events, mental fatigue had begun to set in when another couple unexpectedly crossed their path, causing him to lose his rhythm.

His dance partner's composure helped him recover.

"She stayed calm, counted the rhythm, and guided me back into the routine. That became the biggest lesson I took away from my first competition," he said.

Thanh recalled advice from his dance instructor: "The man's role is to create the frame that highlights the woman's beauty."

In dancesport, he noted, one person's mistake affects the entire partnership.

‘As long as I'm still learning, I'm still alive’

Looking back on nearly two years of dancing, Thanh believes the greatest challenge has not been mastering complicated steps but overcoming his own comfort zone.

For more than 30 years, he was known as a scientist, university professor, and respected academic. But inside a dancesport classroom, none of those achievements mattered.

"The body doesn't care who you used to be. The music doesn't slow down just because you're an older professor," he said.

He believes people are not truly afraid of change, but of starting over from zero, of appearing clumsy and losing the familiar identity they've built over the years.

"Our brains always come up with reasonable excuses: 'I'm too busy,' 'I'm too old,' 'I'm not talented,' or 'I'm doing just fine.' But sometimes being 'just fine' becomes the comfort zone that keeps us from growing."

Two simple thoughts have kept him motivated: "If not now, then never," and "Each class, I just want to become a little better."

In his view, meaningful change does not come from bursts of determination or fleeting inspiration. Instead, it is built through small improvements repeated consistently over time, supported by an environment that encourages people to keep going.

He believes that even if future competitions bring mistakes or no medals at all, the journey will remain worthwhile as long as he continues to improve.

Le Huyen