Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Graduation Day: Vietnam Can Dance!


Our year-end ceremony for the kindergarten classes was quite the spectacle.  Held in the cavernous and austere Hoa Binh Theater on Ba Thang Hai, students from five different kindergarten campuses from my school were invited to celebrate this big step in their development.


Big chairs, small people.








My three-year-old students, reaping the benefits of showing up to perfunctory events. Look at their loot!





Preparing to walk on stage.



The proud graduates!




Lovely little presenters introduced each group of dancers, our reward after sitting through an interminable amount of picture-taking and award-giving.


The first act of a teenage dance troupe preforming Micheal Jackson renditions. 


The Vietnamese take their synchronized, group dancing very seriously.  There is a slightly off-putting, militaristic precision to it which is completely incongruous to the blaring, modern pop that accompanies the dancing and the overtly provocative dance moves.  Watch the videos below, but BEWARE, the sound is loud, so turn down your speakers before playing!





Next, some kindergarten students performing a ballet-esque, synchronized flower dance.  Charming!



The kindergarten students from my school!  Several of these kiddos were in my class.



Check out the full-length video of their dance.  Keep in mind that they are only five and six years old!  If they manage to apply this much energy and focus to all endeavors in their lives, they just might take over the world.


A contemporary take on traditional Vietnamese dance.




And, finally, a song by a chorus of enthusiastic youngsters.




Before I left, I couldn't help but snapping off a quick pic of the enormous picture of myself in the lobby.  I've never seen myself so large! Simultaneously terrifying and self-satisfying.




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