Cirque de Hue: French dance extravanganza, La Syncope du 7, in full flight. — VNS Photo

by Khanh Chi

Thousands of people flooded the eastern ground of Thai Hoa palace in the Imperial City of Hue last night to watch "neo-circus" troupe La Syncope du 7 as the four-day Hue Festival continued.

For 70 minutes, the French company of acrobats and dancers catapulted themselves about the stage, mixing kung fu, illusion and mime, to live hip hop and techno.

"In the beginning, I was just a drummer but now I am on the stage," said troupe DJ Olivier Teneur, who has devised a role for himself and his instruments, which come on stage with him.

A third grade student from Phu Cat primary school in Hue City appeared mesmerised by the show.

"It is so marvellous, it looks like in action movie," she shouted, unable to look away.

La Syncope trampolinist Gaetan Leveque said the troupe only performed acrobatic feats they had actually mastered. "We don’t use any tricks on stage."

"Our work is quite dangerous, but we try not to frighten our audience. We want them to have peaceful moments too," Leveque said.

Bruno Asseray, the director of Ha Noi’s French cultural centre, L’Espace, said this kind of choreography represented the contemporary art society of France because it combined aerial acrobatics, illusion, comedy and dance.

"Their performance clearly indicates the liberated thinking of the artists.

"Based on the traditional techniques of their ancestors, they are offering the public a modern and unique performance, which fits well with the criteria of the Hue Festival," Asseray said.

La Syncope du 7 was formed in 2000 out of a desire to extend the idea of circus performance. In the last four years, the company has performed 150 times.

"We are not alone in performing this kind of art. There is a movement in France around this style of performance and there are several schools that are developing what they call "new circus", which is a combination of circus, dance and music," Leveque said.

The heavy rains that have disturbed much of the festival’s programme prevented La Syncope du 7 from taking the stage last Sunday.

"The rain is painful but it is nice to be here in Viet Nam," Leveque said.

Weather permitting, La Syncope was scheduled to perform on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and will return to Ha Noi later this month. — VNS