Passionate about practicing

We were present at the cultural house of An Ha commune (Lang Giang district) when as the commune's cheo club was practicing the excerpt "The Filial Bride" from the cheo play "Truong Vien". The members are all farmers. Although the farming work is busy, everyone still arranged time to practice.

The excerpt from "The Filial Bride" in the cheo play "Truong Vien" is performed by the cheo club in An Ha commune (Lang Giang district).

Nguyen Thi Sy, Chairwoman of An Ha commune’s cheo club said: “Founded in 2016, the club currently has nearly 30 members, aged 30 to 75. All three of my siblings join the club. Even both mother and children in a family are members”.

A few weeks ago, the Bac Giang Cheo Theater sent artists to teach the club members how to sing cheo melodies and perform cheo plays. For more than 3 weeks, all members were present at the communal cultural house to practice. Thanks to their hard working, now everyone in the club sings and performs cheo quite professionally. Now the club can perform five excerpts of cheo plays and nearly 20 ancient cheo songs.

Implementing the Bac Giang Cheo Theater Development Project for the period of 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030; and the plan to preserve and promote the values of the traditional arts in Bac Giang province in 2022-2025, over the past time, the Bac Giang Cheo Theater has coordinated with relevant localities and units to open training courses, re-enacting many traditional cheo melodies and excerpts. Along with that, the clubs have been also guided on how to organise training activities and plans.

Since the beginning of June 2022, the Bac Giang Cheo Theater has organized seven classes to teach cheo singing in seven districts and city. Each class drew 40-50 people who have talent in performing cheo at the grassroots level. It has also supported and guided the cheo club in An Ha commune (Lang Giang) and the folk singing and cheo club in Bac Giang city.

Meritorious Artist Ta Quang Lam, Director of the Bac Giang Cheo Theater, commented: “In training classes, everyone showed their excitement, actively practiced cheo and made great progress. In particular, this activity attracted the attention and participation of a large number of people from all walks of life in many rural areas in the province. The good thing is that activities of cheo clubs in districts such as Yen Dung, Hiep Hoa, Viet Yen, and Lang Giang have seen the participation of many students."

Strong spread

In the province, there are nearly 30 cheo clubs with more than 800 members. In addition, many cultural and art clubs in communes and villages also have core cheo singers who regularly participate in contests, festivals and exchanges.

This activity attracted the attention and participation of a large number of people from all walks of life in many rural areas in the province. The good thing is that activities of cheo clubs in districts such as Yen Dung, Hiep Hoa, Viet Yen, and Lang Giang have seen the participation of many students. Meritorious Artist Ta Quang Lam, Director of the Bac Giang Cheo Theater

Not only appearing and developing in rural areas, this activity has now been spreading in urban areas thanks to the greater attention from the authorities and relevant agencies.

The folk singing and cheo club of Bac Giang city was established in 2020. From over 10 members initially, now it gathers nearly 30 people from different backgrounds.

In the coming time, the Bac Giang Cheo Theater will organize a festival for amateur cheo clubs in every two years, set up 3-4 new cheo clubs every year, and open classes to teach the art to 500 to 600 people from cheo clubs across the province.

The theatre will develop teaching plans and methods to implement a programme to bring cheo into schools in Bac Giang province. In the immediate future, from 2022-2025, it will pilot cheo teaching at some schools in Bac Giang city and Yen Dung, Hiep Hoa and Tan Yen districts, and consider performing cheo at historical sites, tourist attractions and typical festivals of the province.

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