“Xoe” dancers to perform at Yen Bai’s cultural week

More than 1,000 local artists are scheduled to perform s ix popular ethnic Thai “Xoe” dances during a “Week of Culture, Sports and Tourism” organised in Nghia Lo town in the northwestern mountainous province of Yen Bai from October 16-20.
The dances, named “Om lom top nhu”, “Xe vong”, “Nhom Khan”, “Pha xi”, “Don hon” and “Kham khan moi lau”, were collected by Lo Van Bien, a local Thai dance master. They were performed once before by more than 2,000 local dancers in the largest-ever mass performance last year, setting a Vietnamese record.
“Xoe” is an important group dance performed by the ethnic Thai who developed around 30 variations of the dance.
The dance charms with its gentle and alluring rhythms. Dancers usually form a circle around a fire and move to the sounds of traditional music.
During the five-day event, a range of other activities will be run, including sporting contests, a “Xoe” folk dance competition, and buffalo fighting.
Traditional Thai, Muong and Tay cuisine from the locality will be available for visitors to explore in a food exhibition and cooking competition.
According to Vice Chairwoman of Nghia Lo town’s People’s Committee Hoang Thi Hanh, the cultural week is part of local authorities’ efforts to promote tourism development in the locality with a view to attracting more holiday-makers and investors in tourism to Yen Bai.
It is also expected to help boost cultural exchanges between ethnic communities living in the province and contribute to the preservation of local cultural values, Hanh said.