Vietnamese drum dance “Trong Com” impresses at Malaysian festival

In celebration of Malaysia Day (September 16), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) held the Kuala Lumpur Drum and Dance Festival at Merdeka Square. The event featured around 20 domestic art troupes and four international groups from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam, with Hanoi’s Le Ngoc Theater drawing enthusiastic applause for their performance of the traditional Vietnamese drum dance, Trong Com.

The festival opened with approximately 200 performers showcasing a collaborative piece set to vibrant drum rhythms.

Le Ngoc Theater’s young dancers captivated the audience with an opening act, Hello Vietnam, wearing ao dai adorned with lotus motifs and conical hats emblazoned with the Vietnamese flag.

In the second part, their spirited performance of Trong Com, infused with lively traditional and modern dance movements, brought the stage to life amid cheers from the Vietnamese community in Kuala Lumpur.

Organised by DBKL in partnership with its Department of Culture, Arts, Tourism, and Sports, the Kuala Lumpur Drum and Dance Festival was a highlight of this year’s Malaysia Day celebrations from September 14 to 16, attracting around 3,000 attendees.

Founded in 2013, Le Ngoc Theater has become a beacon for preserving and promoting Vietnamese cultural heritage, recognised in recent years as a leading force in revitalising traditional Vietnamese arts./.