Argentinean tango maestro to perform and teach in city

Martin Villafane, an internationally-acclaimed tango dancer and teacher from Argentina, will begin his performances and teach tango for Vietnamese fans in HCMC as part of a project entitled “Casa De Tango” of Ta. Tango and Saigon Belly Dance Club from tomorrow.

The project includes a tango class for beginners from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a Milonga (a tango party) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Tuesday at The Cube Bar, 31B Ly Tu Trong Street in HCMC’s District 1.

A tango class from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for beginners and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for intermediate dancers and a Milonga from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. will also be held every Saturday at the Press Café at 14 Alexandre  De Rhodes in HCMC’s District 1.

The Casa De Tango comprises a free class of authentic Argentinean tango for Vietnamese people at The Cube Bar tomorrow.

Villafane was born in Cordoba and started to dance tango at three. His teachers consisted of Adriana Martin, Jessica Grumberg y Gustavo Benzencry Saba, Daniel Lapadula.

Villafane lived and danced in Buenos Aires for almost ten years. He is renowned for very natural and elegant moves. He performed in many theatres in Buenos Aires with the company Alive Tango and has extensively toured around Latin America with the company America Joven.

Villafane was twice semifinalist in the World Tango championship and once in the Metropolitan Tango championship. For many years, he has taught and danced tango in Europe.

Villafane is expected to transmit the passion and emotion of the real Argentinean tango dance to fans in HCMC.

For further information, contact 0912 466 181, email to [email protected] or visit www.facebook.com/casadetangovn.

Largest carp lantern in Vietnam recognized

The carp lantern set to debut on August 20 at Vincom Mega Mall – Times City in Hanoi has officially been recognised by the Vietnam Guinness Record as the largest in the nation.

Over 5,000 lights in the huge lantern –15m high and 32m long – are choreographed to blink to joyful Mid-autumn festival melodies as a herd of colourful smaller carp swirl around it symbolizing "Lý Ngư Vọng Nguyệt" (Carp Looking at the Moon).

It took more than 100 artisans 18 days to make the lantern.

A ceremony to present the Vietnam Guinness Record grants record certification is set for August 21 at the Times City Mall.

VStyle launches private sale this weekend

A private sale consisting of about 50 top brands in fashion and beauty sector is to be organized by VStyle Magazine on August 17 and 18 at the Sofitel Hotel in HCMC.

This is a chance for fashionistas and makeup addicts to shop and get dressed in luxury-branded items with up to 70% discount. The private sale features well-known brands from high-class beauty items such as Shiseido, Clede Peau Beaute, and Benefit Cosmetics, to high-end fashion products of Gucci, Dolce & Gabana, Nine West, Nautica, etc. Moreover, Citibank, ACB, ANZ and VPBank cardholders will get an extra 5% off on any items.

Joining the event, customers will receive an opportunity to win many prizes from the Wheel of Fortune upon any purchase from VND2 million. Besides, makeup artists from Shiseido will be available to give customers a makeover with hottest beauty trends in Fall/ Winter 2014.

The event will start from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in just two days. The Sofitel Hotel is located at 17 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1, HCMC.

“Vietnam Youth - The Story of Peace” is the name of a meaningful, yet totally free concert that will take place on August 28 at Hoa Binh Theater in HCMC. The concert is held by the Vietnam National Union of Students, Tuoi Tre Newspaper and Viet Vision Company, featuring 18 prominent Vietnamese artists such as Hong Nhung, Ho Ngoc Ha, Phuong Vy, Uyen Linh, Doan Trang, Ha Anh Tuan and other popular ones.

With the theme of showing love for the people, the country, and for peace, the concert is aimed to send out a strong message, encouraging youth to connect with the world and most importantly, arousing the love for peace. The show is also planned to be performed in Japan this October, according to Pham Hoang Nam, director of the show.

Korean dance comes to Ha Noi

Wearing colourful costumes and wonderful masks, South Korean artists thrilled Vietnamese audience with performances of a traditional dance, Talchum, on Sunday to mark the nation's culture week at the Viet Nam Women's Museum.

Made from wood, pasteboard, feathers and dried gourds, the masks reflect the faces of people, gods and animals.

Through masks and dance, the artists told tales relating to life and production and sent messages to the gods for prosperity and happiness.

Fourteen artists from Jeju Doorunanum folklore art troupe also performed Pungmul (peasants' dance), which is often performed in spring.

For seven days, visitors will get the chance to learn about the dances through an indoor exhibition of photos, musical instruments, costumes, masks and props. Musicians will also offer dance and drum lessons.

Visitors can also learn how to make masks and try on South Korean costumes.

During the festival, visitors can try Korean food such as kimchi, gimbab (rice rolled with beef and vegetables) and tokbokki (made from soft rice cake, fish and sweet red chilli sauce).

"South Korea is a developed country with a dynamic and modern culture," said Park Nark-jong, director of the Korean Cultural Centre. "We still possess a unique, age-old culture that has been developed over thousands of years."

"Modern South Korean culture, such as K-pop, is wildly popular with young Vietnamese, but this is the first time traditional culture has been performed on a large scale," said Park.

"We are not professional artists, we are ordinary South Koreans, that's the reason why I think we can communicate easily with Vietnamese people and share our heritage," leader of the troupe Shim Kyo-ho said.

The South Korean Culture Week is ongoing at the Vietnam Women's Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Ha Noi until Saturday. 

Korean painters stage fine art exhibition in Hue

Art lovers and visitors alike were impressed by an exhibition “Point of Intersection” presented by artists Eugene Jung and Kim Sung Mi from the Republic of Korea (RoK), held in Hue city from August 12-18.

The artworks reflected those unexpected events which happen in everyday life, Korean traditional rituals and included seven video clips focusing on the role of women in society.

The two Korean painters visited Hue under a cooperative programme between Hue’s New Space Arts Foundation and Hive Camp from the RoK.

Temple holds celebrations for Trung sisters

Several activities will be held to celebrate the 2,000th birthday of the national heroines Hai Ba Trung (literally "the two ladies Trung"), who led the first resistance movement against Chinese occupation in the first century.

Known as Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, the two sisters led their troops on elephant back to repel Chinese invasions for three years. Their victory brought the liberation for Dai Viet (an old name for Viet Nam) after 247 years of Chinese domination.

From August 22 to 24, the celebration will be held at the Hai Ba Trung Temple in Ha Noi's Me Linh district, featuring an incense offering ceremony and a workshop promoting the historical values of the sisters' victory.

Artists from the Ha Noi Cheo Opera Theatre will stage a special art performance entitled 2,000 Nam Vuong Nu Dat Rong (Queens of the Dragon Land) on August 23.

The agenda will also include an exhibition by the Vietnamese Women's Museum.