A sunset dance performance honours the beauty of Hội An’s ripe rice fields

HỘI AN — To honour the peaceful and idyllic beauty of Hội An countryside during the harvest season, Hội An City has collaborated with Arabesque Vietnam to organise a dance performance Rơm (Straw).

Under the direction of artistic director Nguyễn Tấn Lộc and music director Đức Trí, the dance features folk music combined with international modern movement, all set amidst the lush rice fields of Hội An.

The contemporary dance performance Rơm (Straw) combines contemporary dance and live traditional music. — Photo courtesy of Arabesque Vietnam

Through Rơm, which will be performed outdoors, it is hoped that visitors will be captivated with the rural landscape and lush rice fields. They can fully immerse themselves in the flavours, colours and atmosphere of harvest season on the expansive fields of Hội An, where the setting sun bathes the terrain in a warm golden hue.

Rơm tells the story of the simple and authentic life of Vietnamese farmers.

The straw pile is an important witness next to the house — from the day the grandparents get married until the children are born and spend their childhood playing under the straw pile. Over time, the children grow up and the grandparents again sit by the pile of straw talking about their children’s marriage.

And so, as each generation leaves, the straw pile is the constant, standing still as a witness to the family’s bond.

Arabesque also introduces ambience dance, a contemporary dance form, to Hội An for the first time with the performance.

Ambience dance is a popular form of performance art that blends live music and dance language in an outdoor setting.

Rơm is also an effort of Hội An City People’s Committee to develop the city in the direction of an ecological-cultural-tourist destination.

The city is focused on promoting existing potentials and advantages in the fields of culture and arts, as well as innovation and creativity, sustainable development, and ecological and humanistic values.

Hội An also fosters opportunities and new creative ideals while upholding and advancing the values of cultural heritage, thereby affirming the title of Hội An as UNESCO’s creative city.

Nguyễn Văn Lanh, deputy chairman of Hội An City People’s Committee, said: “Through the dance performance, I hope that visitors will enjoy the rustic beauty of rural villages, harvest fields and handicrafts made from straw. This is also the first time Hội An City has brought international-class cultural and artistic work to the city.”

“The story of Rơm is not just a dance performance, it also honours the ingenuity and persistent spirit of the Vietnamese people,” said artistic director Nguyễn Tấn Lộc.

“When the dance performance takes place, at the gentle moment of sunset, we hope the audience, especially international tourists, will feel what has shaped this distinctive culture.”

The performance, which runs for 60 minutes, is scheduled for August 22, 23, 24 and 25, and starts at sunset, so between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

The venue is at Hội An Rice Heart field at Trường Lệ Block, Cẩm Châu Ward, Hội An City, Quảng Nam Province. — VNS