Poster of the competition (Source: internet) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese and foreign belly dancers will participate in the fourth Vietnam Unlimited Belly Dance Competition in July in Hanoi.
The foreign participants will be from Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as Ukraine, Malaysia and Russia.
The competition was launched by Do Hong Hanh in 2012. Hanh won the first prize at the world competition entitled Belly Dancer of the World’s Tribal Style, which was held in Duisburg, Germany, last year.
A Vietnamese troupe led by Hanh also won the first, second and third prizes at the Malaysia World Oriental Dance Arts Competition 2015.
This year, Hanh was invited to be a jury member at competitions held in Asia and Europe.
“The competition this year will focus on two main categories of oriental and tribal dances,” Hanh said, adding that the contestants will be allowed to compete in different styles in the contest.
The four-member jury comprises belly dancers Hanh, Nadia Nikishenko and Hilton Lijun, besides Vietnamese percussionist Tran Xuan Hoa.
Nikishenko is a huge star in Russia. She won many prizes at Belly Dancer of the World 2010 contest in Germany; the Oasis Festival in St Petersburg in 2010 and several top prizes at festivals in her country.
Malaysia’s Lijun was a fantastic tribal dancer with strong technique, difficult detail and amazing feeling in movements, Hanh said. She met the two belly dancers at international belly dance festivals in Germany and Taiwan.
Both foreign judges will hold workshops on July 23.
The Vietnam Unlimited Belly Dance Competition encourages belly dancers - both amateurs and professionals - of different ages to participate in group and solo competitions. The youngest contestant is four years old and the oldest is 65 years old.
The competition will take place at Hanoi Cultural Palace on July 24. The award ceremony will showcase performances by judges and guest dancers.-VNA
