“Striking the bell in the land of others”
At the International Circus Festival held in late July 2025 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which gathered nearly 160 artists from 15 countries, the double tightrope strap act “Duo Love” performed by Meritorious Artists Thanh Tuan and Thu Huong won the Gold Award for the Viet Nam Circus troupe.
Not only impressive for its meticulous staging that highlighted a meaningful message about love, devotion, and courage, “Duo Love” also captivated audiences and the jury with the pair’s sublime performance and world-class techniques – especially in the finale. “Duo Love” is expected to compete next at the “Without Borders” International Circus Festival in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in September 2025.
Earlier, with the act “Lotus Swing”, four artists, including Pham Huong, Luu Huong, Hong Thuy, and Meritorious Artist Lo Ngoc Thuy, won the Special Prize at the IDOL 2025 World Circus Arts Festival held in mid-July in Moscow, Russia.
Today, juries evaluate performances from participating countries based on both technical and artistic criteria. Therefore, an act cannot merely showcase individual skills through isolated tricks; it must ensure overall cohesion and unity, from the message and content to the movements, music, props, and costumes.
— People’s Artist Tong Toan Thang, Director of the Viet Nam Circus Federation
The sophisticated blend of circus artistry with dance, music, and traditional costumes left the audience in awe at the breathtaking performance of the “living lotus flowers” as well as admiration for the flexibility, bravery, and dedication of the female artists. This was especially true when two base performers, suspended by their feet in silk, used only their teeth to support another artist, who was also hanging by her feet while gripping the hair of the performer at the very bottom with her teeth—all spinning together in midair at a height of 10 metres.
Right afterward, the “Lotus Swing” act was invited to perform in the programme titled “The Winners” at the Circus Theatre atop Lenin Hill, which is considered the heart of professional circus art in Russia and one of the world’s leading circus centres.
These achievements have further expanded the collection of awards for the Viet Nam Circus Federation, which already includes: the Gold Crown at the 2022 “Princess of Circus” International Festival; the silver prize at the 2023 “Without Borders” International Circus in Russia; and the silver prize at the IDOL 2024 International Circus Festival in Russia.
Clearly, compared to more than a decade ago, Vietnamese circus has made great strides in development. No longer joining international competitions merely as honorary guests, Vietnamese artists now compete in major circus “arenas” with proven talent and capability, as demonstrated by their top-tier awards. Some have even been invited to serve on jury panels of major international competitions and festivals.
Innovation for breakthroughs
People’s Artist Tong Toan Thang, Director of the Viet Nam Circus Federation, said that today’s judging panels now evaluate each country’s performance based on both technical and artistic criteria. Therefore, an entry cannot simply showcase talent through isolated tricks—it must ensure overall cohesion and consistency, from the thematic message to movements, music, props, and costumes.
Analysing Viet Nam’s most impressive entries in recent years, one can see that the “key” to success lies in meticulous investment and careful refinement of movement techniques and props to highlight skill and mastery, bringing out the extraordinary courage of performers – combined with fresh creativity in designing and staging acts to touch the audience’s emotions.
According to Thang, when stepping into the international arena, it is crucial to capitalise on the strengths of Vietnamese artists to create movements that suit their abilities while delivering a sense of spectacle to the audience. For example, compared to international performers, Vietnamese artists may have smaller physiques but often possess thick, strong hair - an advantage that can be developed into acts showcasing hair-hanging techniques, rapid spinning, and swinging.
In particular, while modernising circus language in line with global trends, the secret to preserving the unique character of Vietnamese circus lies in drawing from traditional culture—bringing Vietnamese colours to life through music, props, costumes, and storytelling.
According to many industry experts, to sustain high-level circus artistry in the long run, Viet Nam needs more specialised mechanisms and policies for training and remuneration so that young talent can be continuously nurtured, capable artists can remain committed to their passion, and performers can dedicate themselves wholeheartedly, especially given the shortage of young human resources in the field. At the same time, investment in modern stages and performance technology is needed. Only then can we generate strong momentum to unleash creative potential, enabling Vietnamese circus to break through in the process of integration with steady and confident steps.
