HA NOI--The first Vietnamese professional minority ethnic dancing contest was held last week in Hà Nội.

The contest was held by the Việt Nam Dancing Artists Association and Literature and Art Association of Vietnamese Ethnic Minorities to showcase the dances of Vietnamese ethnic minorities.

Thirty dances of different ethnic groups were displayed in the contest, mostly group dances.

They were performed by the Việt Nam National Song and Dance Theatre and other provincial dancing troupes.

Nguyễn Hải Trường from the Việt Nam Dance College and choreographer of one of the three first prize winners, Bru People Festival, said it was a privilege to win the contest, "It was such an honour for me to win first prize among other young talents. To create the dance, I have spent time studying the daily customs of Vân Kiều people to learn how to transmit their habits into dance. Although they are a minority, they are large in population, and less known by the public. I hope in coming years, young choreographers will learn how to combine traditional and modern factors of minority ethnic, so we can preserve the old and promote the new in this kind of dance," he said.

At the closing ceremony, 15 selected dances of Dao, Bru, Lô Lô, Mông, Pà Thẻn, Tày, Si La people, which reached the final round, were awarded by the judges.

Three first prizes were given to Playing the Drums, Bru People Festival and Praying for Rain, while five second and seven third prizes were also awarded, respectively. The first prize was VNĐ13 million ($573), second prize was VNĐ10 million ($440) and third prize was VNĐ7 million ($308).

Professor Trần Ngọc Canh, who has studied national folk and minority ethnic dance for many years, said contemporary dance has inherited the cultural values of folk and minority ethnic dance, and is also a useful guide for choreographers. VNS