The Đu Sen (Lotus Swing) performance wins at the IDOL 2025 World Circus Arts Festival in Moscow. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Circus Federation

by Phương Lan

Artists of the Việt Nam Circus Federation (VCF) have consistently won prestigious international circus awards over the past three years, reaffirming their talent and highlighting the Vietnamese circus internationally.

The most recent achievements of Vietnamese circus artists involved two major awards at the international circus festival in Russia and Kazakhstan in July.

The performance called Đu Sen (Lotus Swing) by four female artists – Lô Ngọc Thúy, Phạm Hướng, Lưu Hường and Hồng Thúy – overcame contestants from 15 countries to win the special prize at the IDOL 2025 World Circus Arts Festival held in Moscow from July 17 to 20.

According to VCF Director Tống Toàn Thắng, the performance left a profound impression not only due to its exquisite techniques but also because of the iconic image of the pure lotus flowers, staged through circus language, combined with music and traditional costumes.

"It won the international audience’s hearts thanks to the grace and courage of the living lotuses – these petite female performers who embody the spirit of Việt Nam," he said.

Lotus Swing has been invited to tour at the Circus on Lenin Hill – the cradle of professional and modern circus arts in Russia.

After the Moscow success, the VCF participated in the third International Circus Festival, held from July 23 to 26 in Almaty in Kazakhstan. The festival brought together nearly 160 artists from 15 countries, featuring 28 competing performances.

The event, which celebrated the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the National Circus of Kazakhstan, included Thắng among its jury members.

At the festival, the double trapeze performance Duo Love by Vietnamese artists Thanh Tuấn and Thu Hương received high praise for its excellent technique and emotional elevation.

Double trapeze performance Duo Love wins gold at the 3rd International Circus Festival in Kazakhstan. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Circus Federation

It particularly impressed the audience with the scene where the two artists suspended themselves by biting onto bamboo, creating the image of a hovering kiss in mid-air at a height of nearly 10 metres without using safety ropes.

The finale of the performance left the entire jury in awe – the female artist suspended one leg on the rope and used her hair to support the other as he spun in a hanging position.

As the jury deemed this a rare technique that very few artists in the world can perform, Duo Love took away the gold medal.

Earlier, the VCF won a bronze award thanks to the acrobatic performance from Lưu Thị Hường at Circus Princess 2025 in Russia in early June.

“The nine international circus awards and medals won over the past three years demonstrate the strong integration of Vietnamese circus, while also affirming the talent and dedication of Vietnamese artists,” Thắng said.

Aspirations on the global stage

The performances have been highly praised by international audiences. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Circus Federation

In recent years, the artists of VCF have consistently strived to train, innovate and prepare to step onto the international stage.

The recent accolades in Russia, Kazakhstan and elsewhere are the results of the persistence, desire for integration and the spirit of pushing limits of Vietnamese artists.

“The Vietnamese circus used to be merely an honorary guest, a troupe that came to learn. But now, we are invited to perform on the most prestigious stages,” Thắng said.

Four Vietnamese artists receive a prize at the IDOL 2025 World Circus Arts Festival in Russia. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Circus Federation

According to Thắng one of the key factors for the success of Vietnamese circuses is the integration of traditional cultural elements. Circus is not just about technical performance, but an art of storytelling without words.

“This is why the artists do not opt to copy foreign acts, but instead create stories rich in Vietnamese cultural identity,” he said.

For example, the performance Lotus Swing uses silk ribbons to recreate the elegant beauty of the lotus flower – the symbol of the Vietnamese people, while Duo Love conveys a message of love, courage and devotion.

"We use physical language to tell Vietnamese stories – soft enough, modern enough, yet without losing the core of our culture. When Vietnamese artists step onto the world stage with the lotus flower or áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress), it is not just a performance; it is Vietnamese culture shining brightly,” Thắng said.

Vietnamese artists Thanh Tuấn and Thu Hương are honoured in Kazakhstan. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Circus Federation

The VCF has been striving to innovate performances, create experimental programmes, and invite international artists to perform in order to captivate modern audiences. The artistic performances are meticulously crafted, featuring top circus performers, many of whom have won awards on the international stage in recent years.

Notably, the federation will welcome artists from Japan and Italy for exchange performances this year, while continuing to develop new acts to participate in circus festivals in Russia and other countries in Europe.

According to its director, one of the efforts to bring circus art closer to the public is changing the mindset about how to engage with the audience.

“We do not passively wait for customers; instead, promotional conferences have been organised to introduce circus art and upcoming events to the public,” Thắng said.

"This is done by developing and presenting a comprehensive programme throughout the year, while also calling for collaboration from various organisations and individuals. This can be seen as a commendable initiative for a public arts organisation, especially in the context of theatres facing a significant decline in audience.

"Incorporating circus performances into cultural tourism products for domestic tourists, bringing Vietnamese circus to the world and also promoting our culture is the main mission of the VCF,” he added. VNS