Vietnamese circus artiste Bùi Thu Hương (2nd right) and her partner (left) receive silver prize at the 2026 Elefant d'Or International Circus Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo

Như Cường & Lương Hương

Suspended high above the stage, one leg bound in silk, they spun in perfect harmony without a safety harness — and when Vietnamese trapeze artiste Bùi Thu Hương and her partner finally touched down, the audience erupted into unrelenting applause.

The spectacular performance by the Vietnamese duo, Duo Love, impressed judges to win silver at the 2026 Elefant d'Or International Circus Festival in Girona, Spain, held from February 27 to March 3.

Another aerial act called Đế Kiếm Trên Đu (Sword Balancing on Trapeze), in which Hương performed with another acrobat, won a special prize at the world-renowned circus festival.

'Đế Kiếm Trên Đu' (Sword Balancing on Trapeze) wins a special prize at the world-renowned circus festival. — VNA/VNS Photo

Returning from the event, Hương still vividly remembers the elation and pride of the moment when Vietnamese acts won top positions. However, the highest reward for the performances has been winning over international audiences and marking a strong presence for the Vietnamese circus on the global stage.

For Hương, 33, these awards are the culmination of a nearly two-decade journey in the circus arts, marked by gruelling training and repeated injuries.

Hương was born into a family steeped in chèo traditional opera: her grandfather is People’s Artist Bùi Đắc Sừ, former director of the Việt Nam Chèo Theatre.

Hương was expected to follow the family tradition and become a singer or instrumentalist; however, the impressive circus performances she saw as a child inspired her to pursue a career in the circus.

Hard-earned path

At age 11, after finishing primary school, she was taken by her grandfather to audition for the Circus School and was fortunate to pass on her first try. Although her parents initially opposed it, they relented when they saw Hương’s determination.

Her early days in circus training were hard. An 11-year-old girl had to perform strength exercises around the Mai Dịch Artists’ Quarter in rain or shine, endure painful flexibility sessions, and repeat the same move hundreds or thousands of times.

“A move may last only a few seconds on stage, but behind it are hundreds of hours of practice,” Hương said. “With the aerial acrobatic act, artistes face an even greater challenge: getting used to the heights and maintaining absolute control of the body in a space without support. There is no room for error, and even a small mistake can throw off the timing of a performance, or even cause injury.”

Hương graduated from the Việt Nam Circus and Variety Arts School. She quickly established herself in aerial strap performance – one of the most technically demanding and dangerous disciplines in circus arts – and has since become one of the Việt Nam Circus Federation's leading artistes in this field.

Hương performs in a circus act. — VNA/VNS Photo

The circus is not only harsh but also risky. Along her journey, the artiste suffered multiple injuries, including serious ones.

In 2016, before the International Circus Festival in Huế, she broke bones in her foot and dislocated several toes. Doctors and her family advised her to give up the profession, but out of love for the circus, she was determined to continue training.

Beyond the stage

Overcoming hardship and risk, moments of elation on stage make every effort worthwhile.

One of the most memorable milestones in Hương’s career was the 30th International Circus Festival in Rome in 2014.

The act Đu Quan Họ (Love Duet Trapeze), performed by her and fellow artiste Vũ Thanh Tuấn, won over the judges and drew enthusiastic applause from the international audience. The sole gold medal of the festival was awarded to the piece, which marked the first time she won an international gold medal.

In recent years, Hương’s list of achievements has continued to grow. Before the Elefant d'Or festival, Duo Love won gold at the Almaty International Circus Festival 2025 in Kazakhstan and silver at the Without Borders International Circus Festival in Russia in the same year.

The duo has been offered a one-year performance contract with Circus Roncalli of Germany, one of Europe's most renowned circus companies.

The 'Duo Love' performance impresses international judges and audiences. — VNA/VNS Photo

As a highly dedicated circus artiste, Hương has reflected deeply on her profession. In her view, circus is a highly specialised art form that demands physical strength, flexibility, and strict discipline, yet offers a relatively short career span, especially for female performers.

Wishing to remain committed to the profession in the long term, she both trains and performs while continuing her studies to prepare for a new stage of her career, when she will no longer be on stage.

“I still want to stay in this profession, so I am continuing my studies now. That way, when I am no longer performing, I can take on a different role, supporting young graduates like I once was, so that they too can achieve success as quickly as possible,” she said.

Hương performs in the piece 'Đu Quan Họ' (Love Duet Trapeze) which earned her first international gold medal. — VNA/VNS Photo

People’s Artist Tống Toàn Thắng, director of the Việt Nam Circus Federation, highly valued Hương’s dedication to the art form.

“Through her own hard work and dedication, she has established her position and achieved numerous awards both domestically and internationally, contributing to the strong development of the federation," Thắng said.

"She is one of the artistes who consistently strives and gives her all, and we are very proud of her perseverance, passion and love for the profession,” he said — and for Hương, the next act is already waiting in the air. — VNS