VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES NGUYEN THU HANG CONTEMPORARY FOLK DANCE: IDENTITY ISSUE IN THE VIETNAMESE SOCIETY... The candidate chooses her s
Trang 1VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
NGUYEN THU HANG
CONTEMPORARY FOLK DANCE:
IDENTITY ISSUE IN THE VIETNAMESE SOCIETY
Trang 2The work has been implemented at:
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Supervisors:
1 Ph.D Hoang Cam
2 Ph.D Doan Thi Tuyen
Review 1: Assoc Prof Dr Tran Duc Ngon
Review 2: Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Van Cuong
Review 3: Dr Vu Duong Dung
The dissertation has been defended at the Academy-level Doctoral Dissertation Assessment Council, held at Graduate Academy -
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
At: ………: …… of (dd/mm/yyyy) ………… 2019 Reference materials available at:
- National Library of Vietnam
- Library of Graduate Academy of Social Sciences
- Library of Military University of Culture and Arts
Trang 3INTRODUCTION
1 Rationale
In 1986, Vietnam officially opened to integration with all countries worldwide in terms of various aspects The rapid and powerful integration occurred not only in the economic sector but also in other aspects of culture and society, creating several worries and concerns in many social strata, which focused on the problem how Vietnam could both integrate and preserve her cultural identity in order not to be culturally mixed with other nations’ one in the current integration trend It is indicated in guidelines and policies of the Party, the reality of cultural and art management and practice, media talks, scientific workshops, etc
The Vietnamese context in the integration period indicates the entire society’s special concern on recognizing what is Vietnamese cultural identity and how to preserve it The candidate chooses her study object as contemporary folk dance in an effort to review how, in the context of integration, dancers and choreographers performed/established cultural identity to meet demands of the state and the society… The dissertation
topic is “Contemporary folk dance: Identity issue in the Vietnamese
society in integration period”
2 Objectives and tasks of study
- Objectives of study
After studying the identity issue in contemporary folk dance in general and typical folk dance works in particular, the national and ethnic culture creation in the present context of integration in Vietnam has been further clarified in the dissertation
- Tasks of study
In order to achieve such aforementioned objectives, there are three tasks of study in the dissertation:
Trang 41) Presenting and analyzing the content, form of expression, etc in typical contemporary dance works which are evaluated to that have combined "ethnicity", " imbued identity" and modern elements
2) Learning and indicating artists’ and critics’ viewpoints, evaluation and comments towards some contemporary folk dances, especially viewpoints related to “cultural identity” presented in such works
3) Reviewing and describing cultural and technical components used to present the “national identity” and the “modernity” in contemporary folk dance works
3 Objects and scope of study
Objects of study
Objects of study in the Dissertation are Vietnamese contemporary folk dance works and their related issues such as the context of birth, the perspective of creation, expression technique and the discourse on cultural identity in general and cultural identity in art works in Vietnam after innovation in particular
Scope of study
Studies in the dissertation are some typical contemporary folk dance works Some works that were born in the context of integration are chosen, including Thân phận (Condition); Sương sớm (Morning Dew); Sóng lụa ven đô (Silk waves on the outskirts); Nhinh sao (Star welcome); Nhịp điệu tang sành (Tang Sanh Rhythm); Sắc màu non cao (Highland color); Séc bùa hồn Chiêng (Gong soul Sec Bua); Huyền ảo vĩnh hằng (Eternal fancifulness); Tiếng trống Paranul (Paranul drumming); Múa quạt (Tape fan dance); 11 Keo moni Mekhala
4 Methodology and method of study
- Methodology
Cultural identity
In the academic circles, there are still two opposing viewpoints about cultural identity, ontological and constructivist viewpoints
Trang 5However, to learn about how Vietnamese cultural identity is manifested through folk dance works selected in this dissertation, the author adopts constructivist viewpoint while reviewing and learning the identity issue in contemporary folk dance works
Identity in constructivist viewpoint is interpreted as follows:
On contrary to ontological viewpoint, constructivists think that all identities always vary under effects of a context Each context will act as basis for constructing a new identity in service of new purposes National identity or cultural identity includes not only traditional, old things but also new, ongoing things, not unattainable things but the very things in daily and real life
Choice of dance works
To learn how cultural identity has been created by choreographers,
12 contemporary folk dance works of 10 different regions and ethnic groups such as Kinh, Thai, Muong, Cao Lan, Dao, Cham, Khmer, etc have been chosen by the candidate
The candidate met and talked with each choreographer of the aforementioned works, hosted talks and discussion in teamwork, organized in-depth interviews…
There are three factors identifying the selected works in the dissertation as typical works: (1) chosen by a choreographer; (2) these works are recognized by local community; (3) most of these works won awards…
- Method of study
To implement the topic, the candidate adopted qualitative research method, synthesis method and materials analysis method
5 New scientific findings of the dissertation
- It provides a new approach in art studies, especially contemporary folk dance, focusing on cultural, social and political aspects of art works Contemporary folk dance, both in terms of content and artistic aspect
Trang 6(material, language, music, etc.), according to this research approach, is closely related to the context and the socio-cultural foundation where it was born and existed
- The topic is the first case-study of contemporary folk dance under the constructivist perspective on identity,
6 Theoretical and practical meanings of the dissertation
- Theoretical meaning: By learning about constructive process of
cultural “identity” of the nation, shown by developing/manifesting contemporary folk dance works, professional knowledge on cultural identity of a nation or ethnic group in the contemporary context of Vietnam are provided in the dissertation
- Practical meaning: The dissertation’s study outcome will be a
useful reference material for later studies on identity through artistic language
7 Structure of the dissertation
In addition to the Introduction, the Conclusion, the dissertation is comprised of 04 chapters:
Chapter 1: Overview on related studies and theoretical basis
Chapter 2: Vietnamese post-innovation society and national cultural identities
Chapter 3: National cultural identities in some typical contemporary folk dance works
Chapter 4: Contemporary folk dance: Creating national identities in the context of integration
Trang 7Chapter 1 OVERVIEW ON RELATED STUDIES AND THEORETICAL BASIS 1.1 Overview on related studies
Studies related to the following issues are overviewed:
1.1.1 Studies on dance and contemporary folk dance of Vietnam
In the history of dance art, Le Ngoc Canh (2009), History of
Vietnamese dance art, Dance art of Ma ethnic group (2005); Chau Ro’s dance art (2005) and Vietnamese folk belief dance (1998)
In addition to Le Ngoc Canh’s published studies, the works of
Learning about Vietnamese dance art (2001) and Vietnamese dance art
(1979) by Lam To Loc or Folk dance in Vietnamese professional dance
works by Ung Duy Thinh (2006) are also ones that have make an important
contribution to further improve the practical research on folk dance treasure
of the nation
Dance and the ethnicity and modernity in dance works
The ethnicity and modernity are two terms used popularly in all articles, showing artists’ exploration and perspective towards the issue of determining ethnicity and national identity in dancing Some outstanding
articles are: Discussing the tradition and development of Vietnamese dance
art by Le Ngoc Canh; The modern nationality in dancing by Lam To Loc; Modern ethnicity, an orientation for the conservation and development of Vietnamese dance art by Vu Duc Thoan; Some thoughts about preserving dance art by Ngoc Cuong; Position of the national dance heritage in modern ethnic dance art by Hoang Ha; and Directing toward the origin - building a national identity- imbued dance art by Truong Le Giap
Folk dance development in the contemporary society
Since 2000 onwards, the Vietnamese folk dance development towards the integration trend has been mentioned in such articles/reports represented at conferences, workshops and professional magazines as
Trang 8Dance Criticism Conference in December 2007; Workshop on Dance Composition in the Market and Integration Mechanism in December 2008; and Rhythm Magazine
Thai Phien (2016), "Something about the national identity in dance
composition by ethnic minorities in Vietnam" (Rhythm Magazine No 192);
The above-mentioned articles and books reflect an approach to dance in the direction of historical research, characterizing the language of dance movements of specific ethnic groups as well as the development of contemporary folk dance Artists and choreographers have initially expressed their concerns about the development of Vietnamese folk dance
in the integration trend and initially raised the view on the so-called identity that has been and is being shown in new dance works
In her dissertation, there is not any study on art or language features
of Vietnamese contemporary folk dance, but discussion about how the national “cultural identity” has been created/manifested in some typical contemporary folk dances…
1.1.2 Studies on identity and national cultural identity
In the article "Vietnamese Cultural Identity" (2005, P: 239); The article of "National identity in the Vietnamese cultural value system and
some related issues in the period of innovation and integration, (2014, P:
140), the author Nguyen Thuy Loan’s viewpoint was that "national identity and a sense of perseveringly preserving national identity - a sustainable value in the Vietnamese cultural value system” In a different perspective, Ngo Duc Thinh said that "a cultural identity of the Vietnamese people is openness, receiving ability and sociability, from which foreign factors are localized"…
Identity in the viewpoints at the Party’s Resolution is Vietnamese cultural identity, sustainable values, quintessence of the community of Vietnamese ethnic minorities which have been cultivated over thousands of years of struggle for national construction and defense (Excerpt from
Trang 9Resolution No 33-NQ/TW dated 9 June 2014, the 9 Party Central Committee, session XI)
1.1.3 Studies on globalization, globalization, nationalism and cultural identity
Nguyen Chi Ben (2010), "Vietnamese culture in the context of
international economic integration"; Truong Luu (2003) "Globalization and the issue of national cultural preservation"; and Le Nhu Hoa (1996)
"Promoting Vietnamese cultural identity in the context of industrialization and modernization"; the authors Nguyen Trong Chuan, Nguyen Van Huyen
(2002) in the book of “Traditional values in the face of globalization
challenges ”
Some viewpoints are that globalization is cause of the loss of
cultural identity, especially developing countries other than Europe and
America… On contrary, some researchers said that globalization wasnot in
relation with destruction of cultural identity They even believed that globalization could be seen as a motivation to create and reproduce
identities (see John Tomlinso 1999)
1.2 Theoretical basis
1.2.1 Concept on identity and cultural identity
Concept on identity
The term identity was firstly mentioned in the academic circles in
1950 by a famous American psychologist Erik Erikson (1902-1994) who reviewed psychological situations affecting the adjustment of "personality
of self” Identity, therefore, refers to a stable psychological state that
comes from similar or identical identification about self/character of self and others (Erikson 1950)
1.2.2 Concept on Vietnamese folk dance
According to viewpoints of Lam To Loc, Le Ngoc Canh, Ung Duy Thinh: folk dance is a form of ethnic dances which were mostly created by
Trang 10farmers… and passed from one generation to others to meet cultural demand of a community…
1.2.3 Concept on contemporary folk dance
On the basis of viewpoints collected by the candidate, contemporary folk dance will be introduced in her dissertation as follows:
Contemporary folk dance is the folk dance works or dance works composed in contemporary dance movement language with the content topic reflecting the Vietnamese tradition and folk These works are composed in the contemporary society – opening and integration period Contemporary folk dance indicates not only dance movement language but also time, context of birth of a work
1.2.4 Approach theory
In this dissertation, the candidate applies multi-disciplinary dance approach of Thomas Helen to analyze significance and content of Vietnamese contemporary folk dances Helen Thomas developed a new interdisciplinary approach to contemporary dance Based on anthropological and social studies on dance, which emphasizes the social and dance interrelations, the author thinks that artists and choreographers are strongly influenced and affected individuals great influence of socio-economic and social conditions In the process of composing works, they often consciously or unconsciously convey their views on society into works Art works in general and dance in particular, therefore, "not only reflect the reality of life but also transform real life into its own context" (1986: 66-67)
Sub-conclusion
The aforesaid studies indicate advantage, disadvantage and also development of Vietnamese contemporary folk dance in the face of demands of the new society
However, it is seemed that neither study mentions in depth about the involvement of dance in general and contemporary folk dance in
Trang 11particular in creating national cultural identity in the integration period This is also a target this topic aims at filling in
Chapter 2 VIETNAMESE POST-INNOVATION SOCIETY
AND NATIONAL CULTURAL IDENTITY
2.1 Economic, foreign, cultural and social contexts of Vietnam after innovation
It marked an important milestone in Vietnam's strong transformation in 1986 It can be said that, starting from this period, Vietnam opened up for a comprehensive integration and the policies of the Vietnamese authorities showed a revolutionary breakthrough in thought, defining the development path of the
Economic and foreign relation aspects
Before the national innovation, especially over 10 years of socialism establishment nationwide (1975-1986), our economy was of farmers – agriculture, severely devastated by the war; the development model associated with centralized planning with major deficiencies in solving development tasks, especially in the field of economics
In fact, by the end of the 70s, the country really felt into a economic crisis That situation has made innovation a very urgent need, a pressing demand of life
socio-Since 1986 onwards, Vietnam has carried out the innovation and boosted the international economic integration with a motto of
"Diversifying and multi-lateralizing foreign relations Vietnam is ready to
be friends of all countries in the international community, striving for peace, independence and development
After the war end, especially in the innovation period from 1986 to
2000, embargo was removed; diplomatic relations were normalized and
Trang 12established with all major countries in both economic and political fields
in the spirit of "Vietnam wants to be friends with all countries in the world"
Cultural and social aspects
Before the innovation period in 1986
Culture was always determined as a target, even a comprehensive target of the career of national liberty, socialism establishment, also motivation and the solidest foundation of the revolutionary career It was defined in the Vietnamese cultural draft that Culture was one of three fronts
of economy, politics and culture of the Vietnamese revolution with three principles of a new culture, Nation – Science – People
In the innovation/integration period
After 1986, together with the State’s open/integration policy, the cultural and social aspects of Vietnam changed a lot: space was shrinking, time was shortening, boundaries was losing, which made the connection among regions taken place quickly and more powerfully than ever Market opening, eliminating barriers, expanding democratic freedom and innovation, strengthening exchanges among countries provided good chances for nations to talk and understand each other well It affected the national spirit, community sense, stimulated the national spirit development, boosted competition to raise the national position in the region and the international community In this period, cultural identity was concerned in the society with discourses: "Integrate" but not "dissolve";
"Advance" and "Imbued identity"
On the social aspect, international integration gave significant effects Opening market, eliminating barriers, expanding democratic freedom and innovation, strengthening exchanges among countries created good chances for ethnic groups to communicate and know each other better This affected the national spirit, a sense of community, stimulating the national spirit of development, promoting the spirit of competition to raise the national position in the region and the international community
Trang 132.2 Vietnamese cultural identity after the innovation
Since 1986, the milestone of Vietnam’s opening to the world integration, cultural identity has become a discussion topic of both cultural managers and practisers The phrases of “cultural identity” “integrate but not dissolve” have become political discourses; the guidelines and policies
of developing Vietnamese culture to be “advanced” and “imbued identity” have turned into specific actions in different fields including art
… Creating national identity during Vietnam’s integration has also been shown at proactive status and encouraging to restore cultural practice, traditional festivals which were inherent forgotten, etc
2.3 Changes in cultural development policies of Vietnam after innovation
The 6th National Congress in 1986: The slogan of "integrate, not dissolve" become a central orientation for the development of national culture
The 7th National Congress in 1991: … it highlighted culture was
“spiritual foundation of the society, target and motivation of the development process”
The Resolution of the 5th Conference of the Central Committee (July 1998): "Building and developing the Vietnamese culture to be advanced and imbued with national identity" The Resolution of the 5thCentral Committee (session VIII) of the Party provided a strategic significance in culture
After the Resolution of the 5th Central Committee (session VIII), at the IX, X, XI and XII National Congresses, the national cultural identity continued being concerned
Sub-conclusion
Globalization with policies of deep development and integration into the world economy and culture has generated problems in the development of national culture, especially the identity preservation ;