A group of students from a university in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday night organized a wedding ceremony for handicapped couples who had got married many years ago but had been unable to have an official wedding ceremony.

The mass wedding ceremony was held by students from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City.

After being married for 20 years, Vo Nguyen Thi Thao, 48, residing in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, finally had a chance to wear a wedding dress and hold the hand of her husband, Lam Tan Canh, as they walked down the aisle.

The couple makes ends meet by selling lottery tickets.

“I am extremely happy and content because I am able to wear a suit for the first time and see my wife in a wedding gown,” Canh emotionally said.

“My feeling is the same as it was 20 years ago.”

Nguyen Vu Son, 36, and his 33-year-old wife Nguyen Thi My Dung were also among the couples at the collective wedding ceremony.

They live in a boarding house in District 12.

Son uses a wheelchair while his wife walks with crutches.

The couple’s unstable incomes from lottery ticket sales and odd jobs have caused them to put off having a wedding reception for the past 12 years.

Holding his wife’s hand to enter the hall, Son smiled happily in tears, while the bride also cried happily.

“Finally, I can give the ring to my wife. The moment was sacred,” Son said.

During the mass wedding ceremony, couples watered tree pots instead of pouring wine as per convention.

Each guest attending the ceremony was given a pack of seeds with a message of contributing to nurturing the happiness of the couples.

Ho Le Anh Nguyet, head of the organizing board of the wedding ceremony, shared that the packs of seeds symbolized the community’s wishes to the couples and were expected to grow and bloom.

They chose to hold the wedding ceremony for the disabled couples because, no matter what a person looks like, love is always beautiful and worth honoring.

They wanted to realize the dream of the disadvantaged.

Vo Van Anh, chairman of an association of handicapped people in Ho Chi Minh City, said the mass wedding coincided with the 31st anniversary of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, so it was more humane.

He hoped that similar ceremonies would be held in the future.

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Mai Whelan, a 55-year-old woman of Vietnamese descent, recently emerged victorious in the inaugural season of streaming pioneer Netflix’s ‘Squid Game: The Challenge,’ securing a cash prize of US$4.56 million, the highest in reality TV history.

Following nine intense episodes, the reality competition unveiled its ultimate victor among 456 participants.

Whelan, who is currently residing in the U.S. state of Virginia, was named the winner in the final episode that aired on Wednesday.

A reality series adapted from the 2021 South Korean blockbuster drama ‘Squid Game,’ it engaged contestants in challenges reminiscent of the original, including the iconic Red Light, Green Light, and the nerve-wracking glass bridge. 

In addition, the show intensified the challenges by eliminating the contestants or offering advantages for each episode via other novel games and rules.

Outshining 453 other competitors, three finalists — Whelan No. 287, Phill Cain No. 451, and Sam Lantz No. 016 — featured in the program’s concluding episode, engaging in two final games of chance to determine the fortunate winner. 

Eventually, Mai emerged as the lucky one, consistently triumphing in different rounds to secure the key to open the coveted prize vault containing the record-breaking prize of $4.56 million.

“It was a relief to go back to normal life and not worry about getting eliminated,” Whelan told Netflix’s official companion site Tudum. 

“I needed that after two and a half weeks of intense go, go, go, and emotional ups and downs.

“But the person that came into [the competition] is me. 

“I’m still Mai, and she hasn’t changed — except that I came out stronger.”

While winning is nice — life-changing, even — Mai is ultimately more concerned with just how far the $4.56 million could reach beyond her own backyard. 

Once she has done renovating at home, ideally including building a small dock for a boat, she is setting her sights elsewhere, according to Tudum. 

“My heart is with people, animals, and climate change,” she told Tudum about how she plans to spend her winnings.

Following the conclusion of the inaugural season, Studio Lambert, the producer of the show, has initiated casting for the next season, slated to air in 2024.

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A contemporary ballet that incorporates the harmonious fusion of traditional Vietnamese instruments and Japan’s Taiko drums, ‘Senzen’ marks the return of choreographer Nguyen Tan Loc and Arabesque Vietnam, a neo-classical and contemporary dance company, after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jointly organized by Arabesque Vietnam and performance art theater Saigon Concert, the gig is set for December 16 and 17 at the Municipal Theater, also known as the Saigon Opera House, in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City.

During a briefing for ‘Senzen,’ Tan Loc, the art director of the show, reflected on his past experience as an international student in Japan nearly 30 years ago, his sentiments about his profession, and the challenges he faced during the pandemic.

“After the struggle between life and death, I’ve gained an appreciation for what I have, cherishing every encounter and every opportunity to pursue my passion,” Loc said.

“A dancer must practice every day to keep in form.

“Amidst chaos, maintaining calm is essential to excel in your pursuits.”

Those inner reflections served as inspiration for him and his colleagues to create the contemporary ballet ‘Senzen’ in celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

The play’s title unveils themes shared by Japanese and Vietnamese cultures, where ‘sen’ symbolizes the lotus flower and ‘zen’ represents meditation.

The piece is likened to a voyage of exploring the philosophy of mindfulness, offering each individual the chance to observe and understand themselves.

The performance is meticulously curated, from stage design and lighting to the serene fusion of timpani, Japanese drums, and traditional Vietnamese musical instruments.

It involves a modest cast of seven to eight dancers but has demanded the dedication of a crew of nearly a hundred over the past six months. 

Among them are those who tirelessly commute between Vietnam and foreign countries, working both online and offline, such as choreographer Ngoc Anh.

The ballet will also feature the renowned Japanese drum master Kensaku Satou, who performed in prestigious events such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony, FIFA World Cup editions, and various international programs.

This will mark his debut in Vietnam. 

In a video message, the artist conveyed his enthusiasm and anticipation for a harmonious performance, blending Arabesque Vietnam dancers with the energetic rhythm of Japanese Taiko drums, for the Vietnamese audience.

A performance for contemporary dance lovers

Giving details on ‘Senzen,’ Tan Loc recalled his beginning as a Vietnamese student in Japan in 1994, where he received immense support from his Japanese friends, shaping him into the person he is today. 

Tan Loc also shared a special connection with dancer Chika Tatsumi, whom he met when she was just seven years old. 

Now grown up, Chika has stayed in Vietnam to dance for Arabesque Vietnam. 

The choreographer said he and his dancers, each with their unique ties to the play, have faced various challenges, including anticipated financial losses for the two upcoming performance nights. 

Despite the difficulties, Tan Loc and his colleagues continue to exert their utmost effort in ‘Senzen,’ envisioning it as a cultural and artistic bridge fostering the emotional connection between the peoples of Vietnam and Japan. 

Tan Loc also expects the play to bring harmony and empathy, not only to the artists involved but also the audience. 

While Loc expressed concerns about the selectivity of contemporary dance and the potential deterrent of the meditation theme for younger audiences, the first two premieres of ‘Senzen’ have surprisingly attracted interest from many young individuals in Generation Z and enthusiastic engagement from young TikTokers.

Looking ahead to 2024, Arabesque Vietnam has received orders from Saigon Concert for works for teenagers and children, the two age groups often overlooked in artistic endeavors.

Tan Loc emphasizes that the dance company’s approach will always be distinct.

“We strive to maintain our artistic identity in the eyes of the audience,” the artist stated. 

He confides that despite being questioned multiple times about the challenges and losses associated with their artistic pursuits, he persists because he believes in the transformative power of art. 

Arabesque Vietnam has contributed to the community by organizing numerous gratis shows for students in Ho Chi Minh City. 

One of those students, inspired by one of his plays, developed a deeper love for his hometown in Vietnam’s central region and dedicated themself to studying to contribute to the homeland.

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