In recent years, Nha Trang has put many efforts to preserve and promote the art of Bài Chòi in the local communities. These efforts have brought about some positive results.
In recent years, Nha Trang has put many efforts to preserve and promote the art of Bài Chòi in the local communities. These efforts have brought about some positive results.
Bài Chòi appeared in Nha Trang a long time ago. This art form was probably first practiced in the fishing villages such as Vinh Truong Ward, Vinh Nguyen Ward, Vinh Tho Ward, and Vinh Luong. According to Nguyen Van Hao, who has had 40 years of experience learning and performing Bài Chòi in Vinh Truong Ward, many years ago, besides ba trao and tuong (Vietnamese classical opera), the people in the fishing villages of Nha Trang often performed Bài Chòi in the local traditional festivals and New Year occasion. However, the art of Bài Chòi has regularly fallen into oblivion. There are fewer and fewer elderly people who are conversant with Bài Chòi, while young people have not shown much interest in this art form.
Thanks to some Bài Chòi classes held in recent years, more and more people in Nha Trang have learned and become interest in playing Bài Chòi. Many locals sing Bài Chòi at the cultural festivals of the locality. Since 2016, Nha Trang has provided more than 200 people, who were the cultural office employees, and so on in Nha Trang, with knowledge of the art of Bài Chòi, Bài Chòi singing and performing skills.
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Although these classes cannot provide the learners deep understanding and detailed instructions, as said by Tran Nhat Le, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Traditional Art Theatre, they helped to discover the skills of the learners in singing and performing Bài Chòi. Reportedly, in 2019, the outstanding learners from these classes will be assembled to form Bài Chòi Club under Nha Trang Cultural and Sports Center. The club is expected to work actively to better promote the art of Bài Chòi in the city through the festivals and cultural activities in the future.
Nha Trang has maintained Bài Chòi shows to serve the locals and tourists at 2-4 Square (Nha Trang) in many recent years. In the future, with the establishment of Bài Chòi Club of the Cultural and Sports Center, the shows are planned to be held every evening. Duong Ba Tho, Director of Nha Trang Cultural and Sports Center, stated that in order to foster the development of Bài Chòi, it requires the formation of more clubs of Bài Chòi with practical activities.
Reportedly, Nha Trang planed to hold more Bài Chòi shows at the communes and wards. The people, who have interest in the art of Bài Chòi in Nha Trang, are hoping of the revival of this traditional art form.
Giang Dinh
Translated by H.N
