At Le Quy Don High School in Bo Trach, a student group is learning traditional theatre with help from teachers and members of the Khuong Ha theatre group, who have guided them in acting.
The challenge is to turn that experience into learning that can continue over time.
Tran Xuan Dinh, who leads Khuong Ha, says its members have also worked with a local secondary school and nursery school, teaching children the basics of traditional singing, dance and theatre. Elsewhere, contact with schools has been limited to visits or rehearsals ahead of festivals and competitions.
There are practical obstacles too. Dinh says the group needs new audio equipment, costumes, props and, above all, musical instruments for rehearsals.
Time matters just as much. Nguyen Thanh Hong, who leads the Song Hien folk singing group, says students are interested in local traditions, but school commitments leave little room for activities outside lessons. Schools also tend to approach groups for festivals, performances or events outside school hours, making regular work harder to plan.
Nguyen Thi Ly, who leads the Le Thuy folk singing group, remembers a period when schools held singing lessons and formed their own groups, while festivals gave students opportunities to perform. She still works with schools in the area, and around ten students regularly take part in her group’s activities and performances. Ly says the age and health of some people who practise and teach these songs make it harder to pass them on.
Music teachers may help provide continuity. By taking part and learning melodies and performance techniques, they can carry on work begun with local groups after a visit or festival rehearsal is over.
