I would like to thank you, as a typical delegate attending the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress. Standing among the heroes of labor, intellectuals and outstanding soldiers, what do you think about the position of Circus art in the overall contributions to the development of the country today?
- As a delegate attending the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, and also the second consecutive time on the list of delegates, I feel very proud, touched and happy. When standing among the heroes of labor, intellectuals and outstanding soldiers, I am more aware of the significance of contributions in the field of art, especially Circus art to the cultural and spiritual life of the country.
In recent years, the Vietnam Circus Federation has always focused on promoting the patriotic emulation movement, arousing the creative working spirit and will to overcome difficulties of cadres, artists and workers. It was from that emulation movement that Circus art gradually affirmed its position in social life, even though it is a special and arduous field.
Circus is a special profession, where competition takes place every second, every minute on the training ground and is associated with safety risks. To you, what does the title at this Congress mean for the collective of artists of the Vietnam Circus Federation?
- In the context of globalization and the strong development of technology, Circus art is facing many major challenges from new types of entertainment. However, the collective of artists of the Vietnam Circus Federation has never faltered.
The title at the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress is a worthy recognition of the creative, dedicated and persistent working spirit of Circus artists - those who compete every hour and every minute on the catwalk, always facing danger to bring quality performances to the audience. This is not only a source of pride but also a motivation for the circus artists to continue to innovate, improve artistic quality, invest in technology and expand public access.
In the Circus industry, a short performance on stage can take many years of hard work. How do you evaluate the intensity of the work of Circus artists?
- To have a few minutes to shine on stage, Circus artists have to go through a training and hard work process that has lasted for many years. Normally, it takes about 5 years of intensive training and an additional 1-2 years of practical training at the performance unit to mature in the profession.
The intensity of work of Circus artists is very high, requiring physical strength, technique, artistic qualities and perseverance, while always having the potential risk of injury. This is a special, hard job and not everyone is brave enough to pursue it to the end.
Have you ever had to face a difficult choice between ensuring safety and conquering difficult movements to achieve international results?
- Conquering difficulties is the nature of the Circus profession, but it does not mean recklessness. For me, artistic goals always come with the responsibility to ensure the safety of artists.
The Federation always carefully calculates technical factors, creates support tools and builds a strict training program to minimize risks. reality shows that when there is proper preparation, artists can both ensure safety and conquer new heights in the international arena.
In the context of explosive forms of entertainment, what difficulties has the Circus industry encountered in attracting audiences to the theater?
- The explosion of digital entertainment platforms has created huge competitive pressure for traditional performing arts. Attracting audiences to the cinema, especially the Central Circus, is a big challenge.
Faced with that reality, the Vietnam Circus Federation determined that it could not only rely on performance techniques. We focus on improving the overall artistic quality, focusing on emotional factors, increasing entertainment and educational value in each program. At the same time, the application of technology, innovation in staging in a modern direction and expanding the audience have helped Circus art gradually create a new attraction in today's cultural life.
There was a period when many people were worried that Circus artists would quit their profession due to low income and high risks. As the leader, what did you do to keep the passion for young artists?
- After the COVID-19 pandemic and fluctuations in the market economy, many Circus artists have encountered difficulties in income and life. This is a huge testing period for the entire industry.
In that situation, the Vietnam Circus Federation focuses on promoting the spirit of self-reliance, self-strengthening and internal solidarity. Emulation work is associated with spiritual encouragement, creating conditions for generations of artists to stick together, pass on their craft, and share experiences. Even during the pandemic, artists are still persistent in practicing, preparing for the recovery stage.
From 2022 to now, when international exchange activities were resumed, Vietnam Circus artists have won 10 major awards at international festivals in Russia and Europe. These achievements become an important motivation for young artists to continue to commit and contribute.
Can you share about the breakthrough decisions in combining circus with other art forms?
- Since 2019, the Vietnam Circus Federation has built a strategy to combine circuses with traditional art forms to expand creative space and bring new experiences to the audience.
The "Vietnam Historical" project is the result of a combination of circus and Cai Luong, exploiting folktales and national legends. plays such as "Gay Duc Thien" and "Thuong Thien Thanh Mau" have shown the ability to continue traditional art when placed in a new staged mindset, creating an impression of emotions and cultural depth.
Despite limited funding and performance conditions, the Vietnam Circus Federation still maintains an average of over 20 new programs per year, with the number of performances exceeding 350 and revenue increasing every year, contributing to improving income and retaining artists.
With more than 40 years of working in circus art, how have performing and management experiences helped him build an emulation movement to avoid form?
- I think emulation in art must be associated with professional quality and creativity. Artists are only truly recognized for their abilities, performances and appeal to the audience, not for their formal titles.
From domestic and international experience, the Federation always promotes the spirit of self-reliance and self-reliance, encourages coordination and sharing among individuals. When each artist puts their ego in the collective, the emulation movement will naturally become more substantial and sustainable.
After the Congress, how will the spirit of "solidarity - creativity - dedication" be concretized in the activities of the Federation?
- 2025 is an important milestone with many outstanding results of the Vietnam Circus Federation. Towards the 70th anniversary of its founding, the Vietnam Circus Federation continues to deploy an extensive emulation movement and develop a plan for 2026 with more than 20 new art programs.
In addition, we focus on expanding foreign affairs activities, organizing international circusgalas and festivals, enhancing cooperation to bring Vietnamese Circus art to the world and promote national culture.
Do you have any concerns about the mechanism and policies for Circus artists - a dangerous profession with a short professional age?
- Circus is a dangerous profession with a high intensity of labor, but the current treatment is still limited, not commensurate with its specific nature. In particular, Circus artists have difficulty when they are past the professional age due to the lack of a policy corridor to change jobs and stabilize their lives.
However, the Vietnam Circus Federation still maintains the emulation movement through specific actions: Honoring the profession, honoring workers and playing the role of leading unit, setting a model for local circus troupes.
Looking at the young delegates at the Congress, how do you have faith in the next generation of the Circus industry?
- Looking at the young delegates at the Congress, I have full confidence in the next generation of the Circus industry. Today's young people are young, aspirational and are being accompanied by many generations of experienced artists - who not only pass on the profession but also inspire the fire, helping them shorten the process of accumulating experience on stage.
The achievements that Vietnamese Circus artists have achieved in recent years, especially through the patriotic emulation movement and international awards, are the fulcrum and "launching pad" for the younger generation to follow. In my opinion, the emulation movement needs to encourage young people who are not only good at technique but also dare to be creative, dare to innovate and have an integrated mindset to reach greater success.
However, we also frankly acknowledge that the next generation of the industry still has limitations, especially in the enrollment and input stages. In the context of a market economy, many young people are not really confident in staying with the company for a long time, but still consider circus simply a profession, and have not yet formed the mindset of becoming artists and cultural ambassadors bringing the image of Vietnam to the world.
Therefore, the "racing" of the younger generation is not only about practicing better, performing better, but also about training courage, social responsibility and awareness of preserving and spreading national cultural values. To do that sustainably, we hope to continue to receive the attention of the Party and State on treatment policies and human resource development, creating conditions for the young generation of artists to confidently contribute and long-term accompany the art of Vietnam Circus.
