On the morning of April 22, 2024, Hiếu Văn Ngư (Cultura Fish) and the Hồ Chí Minh City Hát Bội Art Theater continued their Hát Bội workshop for students at Wellspring Saigon International Bilingual School.

On the morning of April 22, 2024, Hiếu Văn Ngư (Cultura Fish) and the Hồ Chí Minh City Hát Bội Art Theater continued their Hát Bội workshop for students at Wellspring Saigon International Bilingual School. This second session saw the participation of not only 12th graders but also 11th graders eager to learn about Hát Bội. While the first workshop highlighted the art’s intricate vocal and facial painting techniques, this session focused on the elaborate costumes and dance movements. As always, the splendid, meticulous, and impressive nature of Hát Bội captivated the audience (though Team Cá was not surprised).

The workshop began with a “Điềm Hương” dance performance inspired by the Đại Bội ceremony. Equipped with prior knowledge from the first session, the teachers and students of Wellspring were able to appreciate the performance more professionally. Following this, Hiếu Văn Ngư introduced various Hát Bội characters and their corresponding costumes. Artists Thanh Bình and Nguyễn Thị Kim provided a hands-on experience by helping some students and teachers try on costumes of the warrior princess (Đào Võ), literary princess (Đào Văn), and the scholar (Kép Văn).

Students experiencing Hát Bội costumes

Naturally, a session on Hát Bội’s costumes and dance would be incomplete without the “Ôn Đình Chém Tá” excerpt. The stunning male costumes, maintained for centuries, the impressive dance movements, and the bilingual subtitles (English – Vietnamese) helped the Wellspring audience gain a deeper understanding of Hát Bội. This excerpt excited the students so much that some began mimicking Hát Bội gestures. Consequently, the artists and Hiếu Văn Ngư invited students to practice basic movements like cầm (holding), bắt (grabbing), trốc (throwing), phá (breaking), khán (watching), and mounting a horse. You can imagine how lively the session was from the photos!

Students practicing Hát Bội movements

As we wrapped up the Hát Bội introduction program at Wellspring Saigon, we overheard some students planning to practice Hát Bội dance moves and declaring they would “enhance their elegance” from now on. Such feedback, though small, delighted Team Cá, knowing that Hát Bội had made a lasting impression on Wellspring’s young students, who will soon step into the world.

Students and teachers discussing Hát Bội

Hiếu Văn Ngư sincerely thanks Wellspring Saigon International Bilingual School for their enthusiasm for Hát Bội. We believe that the vibrant sounds, vivid colors, and the graceful, sophisticated movements of Hát Bội will continue to resonate in the hearts of teachers and students.

Program Poster

🐋 Contact us:

  • Hà Thúc Đức Tùng – Tel: 0934 848 800 | Email: info@culturafish.com