After more than half a century of ups and downs, the Vietnamese circus has made a unique impression on the public.

The Vietnamese circus has experienced many changes over the last 55 years. Through performing in foreign countries, the country’s circus gained a foothold and developed its own style.

 The Central People Circus was established on January 16, 1956, and included a private circus, led by People’s Artist Ta Duy Hien, who is closely connected to the development of the modern Vietnamese circus and the unique of the Vietnamese style.

The talented artists from the Red Rose, the Heroic Capital Arena and Thang Long Circus, were the foundation of the Central Circus, which has since broadened and become more professional on a larger scale with a wide variety of human and animal acts.

Meritorious Artist Ta Duy Hung, a descendant of People’s Artist Ta Duy Hien, and famous for his animal acts, said the young generations that inherited a career in the circus followed the trade they were taught by great-grandfather Ta Duy Hien.

State leaders from Uncle Ho to late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and others always encouraged members of the Ta family as well as colleagues following Ta Duy Hien’s trade to fully develop their abilities, said Mr. Ta Duy Hung.

In spite of many difficulties, the artists of the Vietnamese circus continued to practise and arrange many performances during the US war to encourage compatriots and soldiers across the nation from the mainland to the remote islands and border areas. When receiving foreign visitors, Uncle Ho often arranged for the circus to perform, which was a great honour for the Vietnam Circus Federation at that time.

The years when the nation faced the most difficulties were also when the Vietnamese circus developed the most. “During this period, performing to serve compatriots and soldiers across the country was very hard, but this was also the best phase of development for the Vietnamese circus; wherever the circus went, thousands of people come to watch, and the artists wholeheartedly donated their talents and demonstrated their passion for the art,” emphasised Meritorious Artist Vu Ngoan Hop, Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation.

In difficult post war years, the circus still made a good impression with special performances and individual styles. Notably, a performance about an owner of a refreshment bar interpreted by People’s Artist Tam Chinh won a prize in an international circus festival. Sadly, by the early 1990s, the Vietnamese circus had fallen into poverty for a variety of many reasons. Artists left their careers and there was not enough money to raise and care for big animals, so they were left to be looked after by zoos.

The circus was at risk of collapsing, but fortunately, with timely investment, the State built the Central Circus beside Thong Nhat Park. The modern, well-equipped circus encouraged the artists and they trained hard and served the people. Gradually, the Vietnam Circus Federation and artists started looking for new performances to appeal to a new market and audience tastes.

Since 2003, the performances have become quite diversified and there have been more performances both at home and abroad.

Recently, the Vietnamese circus has creatively arranged performances of stories familiar to people of all ages such as Thach Sanh, Son Tinh Thuy Tinh, the rat’s wedding, and Alibaba and the Thieves, which are especially favoured by children.

A performance called “My Village”, interpreted mostly by young artists, has brought international fame to the Vietnamese circus and successfully promoted the country’s culture and image abroad.               

Young artist Dinh Thi Loan said that the circus requires artists to love their craft, and unite in creativity and production. She hopes the circus will continue on in the further.

The Vietnamese circus has directly earned its place on the world’s circus map. This is the result of great effort and creativity to overcome the difficulties of over half a century. Every generation has placed its individual mark on each different period.

The love of the art, the young artists’ creativity and the experience of the older generations are grounds to believe that the modern Vietnamese circus will continue to achieve success, expand and develop in the future.

(VOV)