Instead of one night of celebration, Vietnamese ring in the New Year, known as Tet, with a week of relaxation and entertainment full of rich cultural customs.
As part of a traditional celebration of Tet, the Viet Namese Language and Culture group presented its annual Tet festival show Sunday.
Celebrating the Year of the Dog, the show incorporated song, dance, food and other performances. The theme, “Essence of Spring,” centered around the reunion of two lovers.
“The New Year traditionally is a time to start over, so we wanted to show the lovers starting the year over with something good,” said Tophuong Tran, director of VNLC.
Based on the lunar calendar, Tet traditionally represents a time of rebirth and good will. Because the week after Tet is believed to determine the course of the year, all work and cleaning must be completed beforehand so the week can be spent relaxing with family and friends, ensuring a fortunate year.
Though Tet occurred the previous Sunday, VNLC held its celebration a week later so students could celebrate with their families during the actual New Year and avoid conflict with other festivals, said event coordinator Jacquelyn Nguyen.
The festival incorporated both traditional and modern elements to provide broader appeal, said Michelle Pham, a second-year physical science student.
As part of the New Year festivities, VNLC presented two fashion shows – one that has been performed in the past and one that is a new addition. The “áo dài” portion of the show has been done previously and showcased traditional Vietnamese clothing. In the new “couture” section, each model represented the Vietnamese fusion with a different culture. A separate dance performance emphasized the connection between modern and traditional culture, Nguyen said.
Always presented during Tet, the intricately choreographed Lion Dance brings good luck for the rest of the year. The traditional fan dance welcomes the arrival of spring through the portrayal of a love story.
Symbolizing the connection between cultures, the modern dance performance fused Vietnamese traditions with hip-hop styles.
In addition, the show also featured skits, traditional singing and martial arts demonstrations.
During intermission, the audience experienced other Tet festivities by sampling traditional Vietnamese food and games.
Backstage manager Kim Tai said Tet is an integral way for Vietnamese Americans to celebrate their heritage.
“(Participating in Tet) allows us to remain in touch with our culture and not forget our roots,” Tai said.
Darryl Man, a third-year mechanical engineering student, said he enjoyed the festival despite having little knowledge of Vietnamese culture.
“Tet is a great way for people to keep their culture alive,” Man said.
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