Ah, Vincom Center for Contemporary Art, the weekend that just kept on giving! So there I am, at the heart of it all, performing a solo concert under the banner of "connection." I dished out my own compositions, threw in some Saint Saens' swan serenade, and sprinkled the air with the charm of Mua Xuân đầu tiên. But that's just the beginning.
In the midst of my solo serenade, this delightful young girl steps up and paints the air with the beauty of Khat vọng mua Xuân. Not to be outdone, a young lad decides to breakdance during my kid-friendly tunes. And, as if choreographed by fate, professional dancers gracefully join the stage, turning The Swan into a dancefloor spectacle. Talk about an unplanned dance invasion!
Now, solo gigs are their own breed of special, but the real magic happens when collaboration enters the scene. Cue Đàn Đó, the dream team that turned our original compositions into the grand finale of the night. The audience couldn't get enough, and to cap it off, we invited everyone into a circle dance extravaganza. From the beats of Hava Nagila to the soulful strains of Trong Com, the crowd joined in this cultural symphony.
But what made the night truly extraordinary? My immediate and Vietnamese families were there, soaking in the unexpected dance-off, and, lo and behold, my parents flew in from the States to join the celebration. Dressed in Vietnamese áo dài, we all linked hands and swayed to the tunes of Hava Nagila – a scene that would've left my ten-year-old Hebrew school self in disbelief.
Life, as it turns out, is full of surprises. A special tip of the hat to my orchestrator-in-chief, the lovely Bui Tuyết Minh. Not only did she coordinate this delightful chaos, but she also played the MC extraordinaire, captivating the audience and adding the perfect touch to this whirlwind of a night. Cheers to the unpredictable dance of life!
Photos by Vincom Center for Contemporary Art
