#hoa hoa music plays in the background

[diamondcitydarlin]

               "I am gonna make you so happy." 🪲🪳

[we-return-in-waves]

turns out going on exceedingly long walks around random neighbourhoods is really good for emotional wellbeing

[frobisher-smythe]

House of Cameras/House of Numbers

HOA Rewatch - Episodes 18/19

oh my god I forgot how sad trudy leaving was I’m crying

“it’s my own fault for believing you silly stories” CRYING IN THE CLUB

I think this is when I Truly starting hating victor like I always thought he was a bitch but this fully proves it like he’s just hitting All the bad boxes

and his cooking is shit so take that too victor

god I would become so disrespectful if I lived in that house I need to chill

you know when mick won’t eat it it’s bad

literally disgusting move with the cameras mate

I will admit victor in an apron is amusing

look at mick, getting after his dreams, I’m so proud

sexism in the boys, not okay, dw that will soon be stomped out of you when you realized how useless you are in comparison

the noise when jerome hears the word bet is funny tho that must be how his brain is going all the time just wii music until key words pop up

I feel so bad for mara literally no matter what she does she’s underestimated :(((

I love alfie so much, he knows no toxic masculinity

“alfie if you stretch my shoes”

dumb mick like seriously just because you lost doesn’t mean you should have a tantrum

mara is so well rounded, she knows like everything

and I fully support patricia calling out mick I really miss their duo, mara and patricia seemed like such good friends pre-sibuna

“a really dull reality show” well nina I’m afraid all of us here on hoa tumblr would have to disagree

Love me some house solidarity, when they all took the blame for the attic, when they all protested the cameras, these are my favorite moments

another duo I so wish we saw more of: fabian and mick. they look like such pals in background moments but the only front movement was when mick thought he was dating nina

bro do you know how fucking annoyed I be if I was asleep in that house and a fucking intercom can on about victor threatening to expel someone?? instant complaint to mr. sweet

also??? they were just downstairs??? all you had to do was yell from your window??? fucking extra

also pt2 does this bitch Ever sleep in a bed????

lmaoo fabian playing guitar to himself in front of the mirror, iconic

bro if I found out the pieces I had were thousands of years old I would Not be throwing them around in a bag they would be in a locked safe have some Respect

lmaoo fucking boarding school kids not knowing how to make fucking toast like y’all are gonna die when you have to feed yourselves “we’re gonna starve” please most people don’t even eat more than a granola bar for breakfast

y’all these are a bunch of wimps, me and my friends protest with police telling us to back down. a glorified handyman?? no chance.

casual joy disappearing jokes lmaoo

“my parents are pushy as well” iconic

I love amber so much she’s so confident everyone around her just goes with it

fabian’s lil eeeeyeah is the most attractive he’s ever been, the One moment I’ve been like oh? maybe nina and joy were onto smth?

“shh they still think I might be” 12/10

yesterday always follows tomorrow is actually pretty clever, most of the clues are pretty obvious but that one is a thinker

a pretty good episode if I do say so, I am a Sucker for any and all house solidarity and victor bashing and this episode has both 10/10

[ron-stepupable]

Reblog with your favorite HHA/DHA/HOA moment (s)

For me it’s:

HHA:

Appie x Amber scenes. Period.

Fabienke feels

When Fabian throws a dictionary at Mick’s head

Fabian calling Patricia a bitch (nice twist from the docile English version)

When Mara left and was actually happy (don’t ask, I really didn’t like Dutch Mara)

When Jeroen deadass leaps from the building in S2

Jason eating his script during the play

Jason deadsprinting from backstage to the bathroom, vomiting then sprinting back in stage and taking a bow.

When Amber and Ellie were shoved awkwardly into a bathroom stall in S1

When Ari asked Ellie to dance in S2 finale and the background music was once apon a dream.

Patricia reuniting with Joyce.

“prutser!”

When Zeno dies—I hate him

Mick getting run over by that scooter (don’t ask I found it really funny)

“Banana banana banana, Mick can do this!”

When Nienke sees Fabian again after the funeral.

Jeroen just striping in the bathroom for his gym teacher as one would.

Whenver Patricia and Robbie hug (even though I staunchly ship patty and Joyce)

When the goat ate Trudie’s flowers and she was not having it.

When Patricia walked in on Fabian and Nienke under the covers (I DIED)

And much more

DHA:

*disclaimer: this will be short because I’m learning German at university and am putting off watching DHA in its entirety till I’m More fluent.

This isn’t really a moment, but when you can clearly hear Daniel singing on the recording of Pfad der seiben Sünden.

Daniel and Nina, though not alway together.

Von Minkmar (self explanatory)

When Magnus apologies to Felix and gets an adorable brotp hug in return.

I really enjoy Luzy being as tall as she is in DHA.

HOA:

Patricia and Eddies conversations

Season 2 Jara scenes

Jerome’s interactions with his family

Whenever eddie called Jerome jerry.

The dance (the bet, the collector, the tunnel, the dejavu, the everything)

A blind Patricia going after Sibuna to warm them

Sibunas reactions when Nina fell

Nina and Fabian blackmailing Jerome for the gem

When Jerome and poppy put the gem back in the sheild

“Inferno—place of fire!”

“English please.”

“Hell...the clue means down in hell.”

Nina having a C1 moment during Alfie’s initiation

Alfie tackling Andrews, believing she’s an alien

Patricia on a date while on a Sibuna task

Jason’s betrayal (somehow it stuck in HOA more than the other two)

Jerome’s S1 arc

KT and Eddies brotp

Walfie

“And that joke isn’t funny anymore”

Sibuna being completely in the dark about Sophia even though she was pretty blatant.

The staff actually helping team evil

Robert being a sassy little shit.

Frombie

“Now you’ve got a funny color too”

“Well I guess you know how it feel cause your dad thought you were a real disappointment too, didn’t he?”

House of yesterday. I live for victor and Sarah interactions/ headcannons about their past.

Fabian lying about having a mark

Senkhara being an awesome villain

Thinking the collector is Vera, only to realize it Rufus, my second fav villain

Rufus panicking and kidnapping people (yes I believe he panicks)

All the jelfie one-liners

Trudy investigating Vera

Jasper struggling to decide what to do

Robert’s riddles

Lots more

[seochangbean]

SAGE HANEUL LEHN   ★ 07.10.99 ★ "SAGE”

Barista, Student, Dancer, Self-Employed (Detailed Below) 

personality ― ★ )  esfj / chaotic good / type 3 (the achiever) / image-conscious / adaptable / driven /  energetic / ambitious / poised / charitable / exhibitionist / jealous / reckless / devious / loyal / sensitive / clingy / sociable / impulsive / too needy / too selfless / loving / materialistic 

likes ― ★ ) hot chocolate / disney movies / pillow forts / praise / validation / public displays of affection / cuddling / mint chocolate chip ice cream / vanilla lattes / cloud watching / dancing / whiskey / small diners / sweet foods / dungeons and dragons / video games / people watching / candles / rain showers / playing in puddles / good sex / cute boys / poetry / reading / flirting / conspiracy theories / being wanted + needed 

dislikes ― ★ ) seafood / his parents / needles / the dark / getting scared / horror movies / liars / bad tinder dates / being late / heights / roller coasters / homophobics / being judged / being criticized / arguments / sudden loud noises / facial hair / trivia (he’s terrible at it) / swimming (he never learned how) 

appearance whatnot ― ★ ) 5′7 / naturally black hair dyed blonde / green or grey circle lenses / button ups with skinny jeans / chunky sweaters / pastels / combat boots / perfectly styled hair 

quirks & habits ― ★ ) changes his hair whenever he gets bored / interjects into stories to offer up facts he knows / uses pet names / talks to himself when nervous / nervous laughs / plays with his hair / plays with other people’s hair / talks loud / overall loud af / swears when it is the least appropriate time 

aesthetics ― ★ )  late night strolls / hot chocolate by a warm fire / pillow forts / staying up late and exchanging secrets / soft pillows / vanilla scents / bubble baths / lofi music / messy hair / small tattoos / cozy apartments / glittering lights / dyed hair / ripped jeans / stolen glances / pencil drumming / handwritten love letters / cherry lollipops / 

background ― ★ )  

tw: mentions of homophobia, camming 

Sage Lehn is the son of two wealthy Korean Immigrants. His father is a well known plastic surgeon with a practice in Boston (he would commute from Salem), while his wife owns a popular restaurant with her hands in pretty much every committee a person could get involved in - from the HOA to the PTA. They had four children that they held to high standards. The four Lehn children were sent to language school every Sunday, and were subjected to a variety of lessons in music, dance, manners, and other assorted behaviors that the Lehns thought would be beneficial to their children. 

The Lehn’s goals for their children was simple. Get good grades, become a doctor, a lawyer, or a politician. They weren’t really asking for much, in their opinion. They were the kinds of parents that loved bragging about how well their children were doing at parties and proving that their children were the best. 

Sage was sent to the best schools money could buy. He went to private school in Boston, and from an early age developed a sense of independence because he was responsible for getting himself on the train and to and from school because his parents didn’t have time to take him themselves. He was usually accompanied by one of his siblings, of course, but the train was still a dangerous place for a kid. 

At age thirteen, he started to realize how different he was from his siblings. While all of his siblings had been in relationships at that point, he had not. He was coming to terms with the fact that, rather then wanting to date girls like his brothers, his eyes had always been on boys. Namely, his best friend’s much older brother. His heart would always beat faster when he was in the room, he couldn’t help it. 

He tried confiding in his mother about this, having told her everything else. He asked if it was normal for guys to like guys instead of girls, and the response he received was not what he had been hoping for. Being gay was disgusting, his mother said, and pointedly told him that she would not be accepting of having a gay son. 

So he decided that he wouldn’t be gay. Like that is a thing that a person could really decide. 

This involved a lot of attempting to ignore his obvious feelings for guys and try dating girls. All of these relationships crashed and burned because Sage just couldn’t become interested in them. 

Finally, he gave in and dated a boy for the first time. And it was like letting a large part of himself out of prison for the first time. He was seventeen at the start of this relationship, and as secretive as he tried to be .... his parents found out shortly following his graduation from high school. They cut him off and kicked him out, leaving him on his own. 

His boyfriend’s parents were accepting and allowed for him to move in with them. The first couple months of this arrangement were nice, but being rejected by his parents the way he had caused for Sage to go through some emotional struggles that caused for him to lash out at his then-boyfriend. Realizing he wasn’t in a good place, he broke things off and moved out. 

He answered a want ad on craigslist for a roommate, and he quickly discovered that adulthood was difficult. He grew up  with a silver spoon in his mouth, and was used to getting whatever it was he wanted. Even living with his boyfriend, he didn’t have to worry about much because he had a roof over his head and food to eat. Now living on his own, he began struggling to put food onto the table. 

He got a job as a barista at a local coffee shop, but quickly learned that rent is expensive. He could get the very basic of bills paid but as for food on the table? He was lucky if he could afford instant noodles. He missed being able to buy himself nice things, let alone eat real food. 

It was a late night with his roommate that gave him the idea on just how he could make a living for himself without being so fucking poor all the time. Well, his roommate suggested becoming a stripper. But the idea of complete strangers being able to touch him was repulsive. He’d been to gay bars, he’d seen some of the weirdos that went to those kinds of places. 

Camming, on the other hand, seemed safer. It turned out there was a market for it, since there was a large gay / curious community and mostly girls in camming. It made him quick money, and he was able to return to the comfortable lifestyle he was accustomed to. 

He’s traded up from the shitty apartment with his former-roommate to a nicer apartment with his childhood best friend. His former-roommate and his best friend are the only ones that are aware of the secret as to where his money comes from. As far as everyone else knows, he just does really well for himself as a barista. Admitting to what he actually does is truly the most humiliating thing to him.... but the pay keeps him from stopping. Will probably die if someone he knows finds out. 

existing connections ― ★ ) artemis campbell - has had a crush on him since he was in middle school 

needed connections ― ★ ) his best friend (artemis’ younger brother), ex boyfriends, people that know his secret, enemies, rivals, dance buddies, pretty much everything 

[paracosmcentral]

DGRM

is a 12-member girl group under AWOL Entertainment. The group has a Chinese zodiac concept where each member represents an animal on the zodiac wheel. Its members are:

Moya (Akamatsu Momoe) - Rat

Leader, Subvocalist

Jung-ah (Kim Jung-ah) - Ox

Main Rapper, Lead Dancer

Duanphen (Duanphen Anuwat) - Tiger

Lead Vocalist, Lead Dancer

JD Fang (Xie Fang) - Rabbit

Lead Rapper, Subvocalist

Xiulan (Wang Xiulan) - Dragon

Main Vocalist, Visual

DaO (Đào Hương) - Snake

Vocalist

Aika (Ito Aika) - Horse

Visual, Vocalist

Doyeon (Jung Doyeon) - Goat

Lead Dancer, Lead Vocalist

Yifei (Tang Yifei) - Monkey

Lead Vocalist

RJ (Luo Juan) - Rooster

Lead Rapper

Hoa (Nguyễn Tuyệt) - Dog

Main Dancer, Subvocalist, Face

Yuyan (Chen Yuyan) - Pig

Lead Vocalist, Maknae

DGRM debuted (or will debut, I guess) on January 25, 2020, and AWOL introduced the group saying that they would start off their musical career with a “vignette” concept. Each music video would contain a story, but each story would be unconnected to the others. However, many fans were skeptical, believing that an overarching story would reveal itself.

The first couple of vignette stories followed as such:

(Each song is listed as its title track name, not as the name of the release per se.)

1. New Now (single): It’s the lunar new year. DaO is counting down the days to… something, something big, but her friends convince her to let go for be time being and just enjoy the festivities. There are plenty of fireworks, they get caught out in the rain, it’s all real sweet. The video is shot at night, mostly filmed to look like a normal person’s video recording, but with a few cinematic shots. The song is uplifting electro-pop-rock, like if LOONA yyxy’s Frozen were a Taeyeon song.

2. Midnight Girl (single): The girls are together at a slumber party, and after Hoa falls asleep, the rest stay up to play “horror games” like Light as a Feather, Catscratch, Bunshinsaba, etc. Things take a dark turn when Yuyan gets involved, and as Hoa discovers, all the others have been put into a nightmarish trance state by Yuyan. The video is shot in high-contrast black and white, with occasional scribble animation and one shot in color. The song is something like a tropical house/electro swing version of Sunmi’s Noir.

3. Found (EP): The girls are castaways on some remote island. At first, they’re looking for rescue, but they later find that there’s way more to the island than they thought (with references to the TV show Lost), and by the time rescue comes, they’ve found ways to thrive there. The video is bright and saturated, with lots of drone shots. The song is tropical house with emotional chords and a pounding beat, like Key’s I Wanna Be but at a faster tempo.

4. What? (single): All the girls are happily in love, but Moya suspects that her boyfriend is seeing other people. Going full detective mode, she finds out that indeed, he’s dating several of the other members on the side, and Moya helps them find this out. The video tells the story in a comical way, with brightly-colored sets and exaggerated acting. The song has a fun and cute jazz-ish feel, similar to Key’s The Duty of Love or SNSD’s Lion Heart.

Midnight Girl soon becomes DGRM’s most popular song. Fans are attempting to connect the dots between the stories, but there aren’t many dots to connect.

The series continues:

5. At Your Door (single): Jung-ah attempts to meet her boyfriend and apologize for some conflict between the two of them. She ends up lost and even more distraught, as the neighborhood he lives in has turned into an surreal suburban dreamscape (of her own making? When her tears dry, she starts to see clearly.) The video is light but dull in color, with lots of fog and quick flashing shots of things like roses and flames. The song is a slow ballad, not unlike LOONA’s Sonatine.

6. For Love (EP): Aika is a rich woman, and JD Fang is her bodyguard. The two are secretly lovers, and have to keep their relationship on the down-low, but eventually decide to forego that and to be out and proud about their being in love. The video is shot alternatively in a mansion set, with some pretty cool pets, and a purple box set with odd lighting for the choreography. The song is bright and sassy, similar to Brown Eyed Girls’ Brave New World and SNSD’s Paradise, but with more of a punch to it.

Critical reception of For Love gets DGRM more popular in the US. During a fanmeet after the release of the EP, RJ comes out as lesbian.

Meanwhile, #letdgrmhaveanalbum starts trending on Twitter.

The series continues:

7. 5,4,3,2 (EP): The girls are on two competing lacrosse teams, an underdog team and a team that remains undefeated. Doyeon is on the underdog side, and rallies the rest of her team to train even harder, to where they defeat the other team for the first time. The video is shot on constructed sets rather than real-life settings for the aesthetic, with bold lighting and plenty of dance footage. The song is pop with a lot of spoken word and chopped-up samples, like Leikeli47’s Post That or Little Mix’s Strip.

8. Remade (single): Aika has been kept inside a stained-glass church/prison, with a microchip inside her. Other people often visit the “church” and think it’s a beautiful place, but never really notice Aika and her suffering—until Yifei does and attempts to help her escape. When she finally does, the world still appears like stained glass to Aika. The video is shot almost entirely within the stained-glass set, and utilizes bright colors and glowy lighting to contrast the dark story, as well as the Deep Dream Generator to achieve the final stained glass shot. The song is a consistent 80’s-ish pop song, like new by Yves.

9. Sky High (EP): RJ and her friends go rollerblading together in the city. One day, while taking a detour through an alleyway, they find something unexpected—a small, blue alien with wheel-like feet. They “adopt” the alien as a part of their crew, teaching them rollerblading tricks, and they go on to become even more stellar than before. The video is bright and a bit flashy, and implements different frame and exposure rates either to slow down portions or speed them up in a choppy way. The song is energetic hip-hop with a focus on the drums, much like LOONA’s favOriTe but with more rap.

Due to the consistent release of singles and EPs, #letdgrmhaveanalbum and #letdgrmtakeabreak become competing tags on Twitter. AWOL announces that DGRM will release an album after the vignette series is over.

The series continues:

10. You Want, I Need (single): Duanphen is in an unhealthy relationship with someone else. The two have on animal masks (a tiger and lion respectively), and the music video shows them fighting in different scenarios, before Duanphen takes hers off, being her authentic self, and beats the shit out of the lion guy. The other members are background characters with masks of their Chinese zodiac animal. The video is on a dark set and all done in one shot, with choreo interspersed throughout the story as if it were a musical. The song is a bold jazz-pop piece, like Lee Hi’s 1, 2, 3, 4, or Ailee’s Mind Your Own Business.

11. Strange (EP): Hoa goes to the aquarium and, while inside the tunnel exhibit, sees a few human-like figures inside the tank. They are sirens, and she warms up to them quickly; it seems that only she can see them. When she arrives another day to release them from the aquarium, they start to cause havoc, and Hoa wonders if she was just being used. The video is shot in a cool-colored tone and with slow narrative shots, interspersed with the individual members singing. The song has a chill house/hip-hop vibe, like Olivia Hye’s Rosy or Tinashe’s 2 On.

On a V-Live, fans overhear Doyeon ask RJ “Does Track 19 have a title yet?” The fanbase starts hyping up this potential album, and theorists note that 12 vignettes would make the most sense.

The series continues:

12. Beautiful Danger (single): The story takes place sometime in the past, where Xiulan is mostly-happily married to one man and secretly in love with another. She internally decides to stay with her husband, but her other lover murders the husband so that he and Xiulan can be together. The video is dark in color and cinematic in style. The song is a ballad in ¾ time with an older feel, like Haseul’s Let Me In or Reol’s fall glow (without the trap drums).

After some time, DGRM releases their 24-track album, Lookout.

13. Look Out (LP): One member from the previous vignettes have woken up in a bright and colorful world that is definitely not their own. They encounter each other, and shenanigans ensue. The video implements techniques from the previous videos as well: shots at weird sweeping angles, drone shots, scribble animation, flashing montages, etc. The song has a fun and funky vibe, like if Feel It Still were a Red Velvet track.

New Now - DaO

Midnight Girl - Yuyan

Found - Yifei

What? - Moya

At Your Door - Jung-ah

For Love - JD Fang

5,4,3,2 - Doyeon

Remade - Aika

Sky High - RJ

You Want, I Need - Duanphen

Strange - Hoa

Beautiful Danger - Xiulan

The theorists are like “I KNEW IT”

Track 19 (aka. Geddit) gets the love it deserves.

And DGRM takes a nice long break.

[indochinavoyages]

Water Puppet show – the uniqueness of North Vietnam Tours

Water Puppet show – the uniqueness of North Vietnam Tourshttps://http://bit.ly/2Rjhvio

Nowadays, among the domination of modern types of entertainment, water puppet still has its own role in the life of people in Tonkin that can’t go away. That’s why in the North Vietnam tours, travelers shouldn’t miss enjoying a water puppet show in Hanoi.

What is the water puppet?

You are probably familiar with a puppet show but a little bit strange with the term “water puppet” which North Vietnam tours recommend. It can be literally understood “making puppets dance on water” or “puppet show on water” which is one of the most distinctive features in Vietnamese cultural identity.

  [caption id="attachment_13761" align="alignnone" width="960"] One of the typical scenes in water puppet show in Hanoi[/caption]

Vietnamese water puppets history

Dating back as far as the 11th century, even it could go back further by a few hundred years, the water puppet was born right on rice paddies in the villages of the Red River Delta located in the north of Vietnam. In the past, the daily life of Vietnamese people was closely linked to the water rice civilization and rice paddies. Therefore, there are many festivals and traditions showing itself “the breath” of the agricultural culture. After the hard working time on the field, farmers could sit right on the banks of the field; they relax, come up with as well as enjoy some “little festivals” performed by real artists; who are actually simple-hearted people a few minutes ago such as singing, dancing, and especially water puppet show.

How to control

The puppets are made from wood which is available in every village, then they are lacquered and decorated as well. The shows are performed on water like pools, ponds or rice paddies. A large bamboo rod is used by puppeteers who normally stay behind the stage in order to support and control the movements of puppets.

  [caption id="attachment_13762" align="alignnone" width="960"] It’s not easy to take a control of puppet[/caption]

It is believed that the shows were not originally meant just for the entertainment of the local rice farmers; but also as a way to keep the spirits amused so that their crops would be prosperous.

How a water puppet is performed?

As it is said above that the original water puppet shows were performed in actual rice paddies; moreover the simple stages were built around flooded fields. Later, to make it more convenient, some expert puppeteers performed a water puppet show on the village’s public pond; so that it could attract more audience to come on special occasions like traditional festivals, Tet holiday, Mid-Autumn, etc. Furthermore, the best North Vietnam tours such as a Hanoi city tour of  Splendor of Vietnam and Cambodia 17 days tour will take you to a theatre in Hanoi, so that you can watch a show without traveling to the field.

“Thuy Dinh” - the stage

Nowadays, many things have changed but the heart of the water puppet hasn’t changed so much, only the settings and locations. Artists now commonly perform modern water puppet in a pool of water which is miniature of a pond with 4 meters square. On the water surface, people build a stage which is decorated to resemble a temple façade or called “Thuy Dinh” to hide puppeteers who stand in the waist-deep water. However, performance still occurs in traditional venues—on traditional ponds in villages where a staging area has been set up, especially on village’s traditional festivals, on portable tanks built for mobile performers besides a specialized theatre where a pool stage has been constructed.

  [caption id="attachment_13764" align="alignnone" width="960"] In the puppet show, the stage will be called “Thuy Dinh”[/caption]

Puppeteers

There are up to 8 puppeteers or more in big shows standing behind a split-bamboo screen in order to control the puppets. They use long bamboo rods and string mechanism hidden beneath the water surface; so that the puppets can move smoothly on the water. When you attend a show of water puppet, you are definitely surprised at how people can bring the “soul” for lifeless puppets just by their hands.

  [caption id="attachment_13765" align="alignnone" width="960"] The puppeteers control the puppet behind the scene[/caption]

What is the content of a typical water puppet show?

Can you guess what a water puppet represents for? One hint for you is the original water puppet shows were literally originated and held on the rice paddy.

That’s right. Water puppet shows are staged basically in the daily life of Vietnamese farmer in the past in which their life is closely engaged in a rice paddy, buffalo, plough, and farm work. Therefore, the main content of the water puppet show represents for the life of Vietnamese people that also reflects the unique folklore in Tonkin. Specifically, puppets will simulate the ordinary activities such as farm work, frogs, fox catching ducks; festivals like dragon dance, lion dance, procession, wrestling, buffalo fighting or legendary stories which have been passed down from generation to generation.

  [caption id="attachment_13766" align="alignnone" width="960"] A music band playing “Cheo”[/caption]

Interestingly, puppets dance on the background music accompaniment of “Cheo” – a kind of opera in the north of Vietnam; whose instruments are typically vocals, drums, cymbals, horns, bamboo flutes, and monochord. Therefore, a water puppet show is the great combination of different elements in traditional Vietnamese culture; that is one of the highlights of the North Vietnam tours.

Puppets. Who are they?

Firstly, the puppets are made from fig wood which is a light wood floating on the water surface. It will be carved and chiseled in its own stylized feature, then sharpened, polished and decorated with many different colors to make the character closer for each character. The shape of the puppet is usually funny, humorous and highly symbolic. However, a puppet can be weighed up to 15kg. Here is the most typical in a water puppet show:

“Teu”

  [caption id="attachment_13767" align="alignnone" width="960"] “My name is Teu”[/caption]

TEU is considered as a representative of the farmer in Tonkin. Based on the shape of the character, Uncle Teu is about 7, 8 years old with a full body, pink and white skin and always happy. Mr. Teu often wears loincloths, exposing his chest and belly. In order to make the audience laugh, Uncle Teu waves and swing his head upside down. Mr. Teu was a bold character, always mocking. Teu is the launcher, the commentator, the narrator, and the one who reprimands corrupt mandarins in many plays.

Where you can find the water puppet shows in Hanoi?

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre: 57B Dinh Tien Hoang street, Hoan Kiem

This theatre is located near Hoan Kiem Lake so it is easy for you to access this prestigious address. Before you come, remember to check the schedule of shows in advance and choose the best one for you.

You can check the schedule here: thanglongwaterpuppet.org

Lotus Water Puppet: 16 Le Thai To street, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi

More detail here: bongsenwaterpuppet.com

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Nguyen Van Huyen street, Quan Hoa, Cau Giay District

You not only attend a water puppet show but also have a great chance to discover the fabulous collection relating to Vietnam’s ethnic minorities features.

Today, Vietnam water puppets have been performed in many countries around the world. From 1984 up to now, the water puppet show has been performed in the Netherlands, Australia, America, Japan, etc. Many foreign newspapers have highly appreciated the art of water puppetry, putting it in the line of the most important forms of puppet theater in the world. Therefore, don’t forget to enjoy a water puppet show in Hanoi city tour while you are on Vietnam Cultural Highlights 14 days.

  Le Huu Dan - Travel Lover

#Indochinavoyages #Indochinatours #Timlee #Vietnamtours

[colloquium-thoughts]

Journal #1

————————————

Pre-Conceptions and Introduction

I’d known about the environmental nature of University Colloquium’s field trips, but I didn’t know much else besides from that. I knew the class consisted of primarily writing, but I didn’t know what of. I definitely wouldn’t have expected the writing to wind up as a blog on Tumblr, but here we are.

I am an environmental studies major with a concentration in ecology so I expect to learn much of the same things I have heard already. I expect to learn a lot about environmental justice and environmental concentrated organizations in our local area, and most likely lessons associated with the topics of our field trips.

Sense of Place

The closest thing I have to a sense of place would be back in my childhood home in Illinois. My backyard was connected to a stretch of woods, so I was always surrounded by greenery and large, established trees. It was peaceful to sit outside during the spring and summer seasons to listen to the birds and the sounds of leaves brushing against each other as gentle winds moved their branches. We had a pool as well, so we were always accompanied with the sound of moving water. In the summer my parents would sometimes rent chickens to provide us with fresh eggs. I was always the animal-girl growing up, so I was elated to share my space with some feathered friends.

(Above photo taken by me)

I would often sit in my backyard with one of the chickens on my lap. That, accompanied with the previous sounds and sights I described, was truly peaceful. I miss those days a lot, especially nowadays as many neighborhood HOAs down here in Florida prohibit keeping chickens and the like. One day, when I’m living on my own, I’d like to find a home that would allow me to recreate my Sense of Place. Surrounded by trees, shade, and feathered friends.

It was interesting to listen to my group members’ described Sense of Place. Some were not specific locations, but a setting and a feeling, such as enjoying walking the beaches at night alone with one’s thoughts. Whereas some were very specific locations, like the acres of fields connected to an old church where they could play golf with their father. Many of these locations, as one would expect from this lesson, were out amongst nature. However, one member of my team described their Sense of Place as a music studio where they could create music and release their emotions. I found that choice to be particularly memorable.

Closing Thoughts

I definitely expect this course to be an interesting one, considering I am surrounded by people of all different backgrounds, majors, and experiences. I think it will be healthy for me to be around people that have different preferences and passions, and have the opportunity to go places out of the classroom to learn with them.

[vietnamtour-blog]

Top 5 MVs that make you want to visit Vietnam

Top 5 MVs that make you want to visit Vietnam

Music is fascinating. We all have experiences of being emotionally moved after listening to music that we have strong personal memories of or to seeing an image that captures particular places. Every song can take you on a journey and when you add charming travel imagery to it, it’s enough to make you want to book a flight and pack your bags.

Here are top 5 music videos that inspire you to get out and explore a beautiful Vietnam and their links will be listed at the end of the blog.

1. Vũ Cát Tường – Dream (Mơ)

Location: Dalat – Lam Dong Province

In this song, it depicts the couple’s love and the story of young people who are confused between many paths of their lives.

The MV was filmed in Da Lat with dreamy frames, impressing with the image of the brilliant sunflower hill that stretches as far as the eyes can see. “Dream” is carefully elaborated on the image from shooting angle to the post-processing stage that many viewers commented that “Dream” is like a movie. You can spot numerous stunning frames like the campfire scene, chatting on the roof under the starry sky, waterfall jumping, playing on a sunflower field, etc.

With the slow-motion shots of the pine forest and epic scenery from the sunflower hill, this MV by Vũ Cát Tường no doubt leaves you wanderlust and have you book a flight to Dalat immediately.

Some attractions spotted in the MV:

Lang Biang Forest Trail

Pongour Waterfall

Mộng Mơ (Dreamy) flower hill

About Vu Cat Tuong: A runner up in Vietnam The Voice Season 2, she was in Top 30 under 30 2018 by Forbes Vietnam. A talented composer, singer, Cat Tuong could be described as a rising star in the music industry in Vietnam.

2. Bích Phương – Nếu Thương Nhau Thì Đừng Làm Trái Tim Em Đau (Please don’t break my heart if you love me)

Location: Ban Gioc Waterfall – Cao Bang Province

This is the first song of “VIỆT NAM VIỆT NAM’ Project, a series of 3 MVs brings national music, bold Vietnamese culture and harmonious mixes to catch up with world music movements.

The MV tells a romantic love story of a modern girl with a guy from the Dao ethnic group. Throughout their story, viewers gently admire the culture and exotic landscape of Northwest Vietnam. From the beautiful waterfall, the epic view of the highland to customs of the Dao ethnic group, it gives you a real taste of what you can expect when visiting there.

The MV was shot in Bản Gioc Waterfall, one of Vietnam’s most impressive natural sights. Located in the northeastern province of Cao Bang, the fall is 30 metre high and 300 metre wide, making it the widest (but not the highest) waterfall in Vietnam. Although it may not convince you to jump off the edge of the waterfall, it will certainly make you cross the globe to observe its natural beauty.

About Bich Phuong: With a beautiful voice, Bich Phuong owns many hit records that speak the insight of the youth in Vietnam. Are you getting a lot of annoying questions during the Tet holiday about your marital status? Then let’s listen to her song “When will you get married?” to be sympathized.

3. Hoàng Thùy Linh – Bánh Trôi Nước ( Glutinous Rice Cake)

Location: Ninh Bình and Long An

Hoang Thuy Linh’s MV once again amazed us with the fanciful look of Ninh Binh – the “Halong Bay on land” because of the same view of dotted mountains as Halong bay with sheer limestones rising up from the river. Below are highlighted must-see attractions in Ninh Binh that appeared in the video.

Situated near the southern margin of the Red River Delta, the Trang An Landscape Complex contains striking mountains, majestic limestone caves and wild streams flowing through the caves, making this place become one of the most attractive karsts in the world.

Mua cave is a small cave in Mua ecoresort, where you can reach to the mountain’s peak for a great panorama of Ninh Binh mountainscapes. It is good to link your visit to Trang An or Tam Coc with a trek to Mua cave if you like trekking & having awesome photos.

Located in Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Bai Dinh Pagoda is 15 km from Ninh Binh city, located in the west of Hoa Lu ancient capital. It is considered the largest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam and has become a popular site for Buddhist pilgrimages from across the country.

Besides some majestic scenery in Ninh Binh, appeared in the MV is Tan Lap floating village in Long An, southside Vietnam. It’s being nominated as one of the top 10 most popular ecotourism areas in Vietnam. Exploring this floating village and you will be amazed by the exotic nature of the Southern Vietnam River.

About Hoang Thuy Linh: Hoang Thuy Linh is a talented MC, actress and singer. Her latest album, Hoang, a combination of culture material and folk music, has won the Album of the year Dedication Music Awards in Vietnam.

4. Bích Phương – Gửi Anh Xa Nhớ ( To my love)

Location: Hoi An ancient town

Gửi Anh Xa Nhớ, another song by Bich Phuong, tells us a love story between two childhood friends. Comfortably known as one of the most travel-inspiring music videos, the MV’s plot evolves since the moment the couple started having feelings for each other and when they finally reunited years later in the background of the poetic Hoian ancient town.

Located in the coastal plain of Quang Nam province, the only way to get to Hoi An is by road. You can hire a taxi/shuttle bus from the neighbouring city of Da Nang, which does have an airport with daily flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other large Vietnamese cities.

Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was one of the most crowded trading ports in Southeast Asia from the 15th to the 18th century. Nowadays, this city is well-preserved with merchant houses, temples, and ancient buildings that remind us of its glory days. The ancient, nostalgic and romantic beauty of Hoi An makes it become one of the most popular destinations for not only domestic travellers but also foreigners.

5. Mr. T ft Hoàng Minzy – Ăn gì đây (What To Eat)

Location: The Old Quarter, Hanoi city

Filmed in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, “Ăn gì đây” gives the viewers a brand new, youthful look at Hanoi Cuisine and the sidewalk culture in the capital.

Regarded as the most iconic place of Hanoi, the crew then thought out of the box by bringing some western culture superheroes like Spiderman feature in must-visited sites, thereby blowing a wind of changes to this music video. Through the appearances of the popular character, “Ăn gì đây” wants to tell us that no matter who you are and where you from, you are gonna deeply fall in love with Vietnam as well as its street foods.

Right from the very beginning of this project, Mr. T, the composer, wanted the video to contain as much Vietnamese material as possible. Hence he chose to use two hues of red and yellow, the national flag colour of Vietnam as the main tone for the MV. Besides, the crew also included iconic images of Vietnam, such as conical hats, street vendors as well as familiar stuff in the MV to spread these ambassadors to international visitors.

The Old Quarter is filled with specialty restaurants and popular stalls that have been around for years. Spotted in the MV are some of Hanoi signature dishes like Bún Đậu (noodles with deep-fried tofu and shrimp paste), Bánh Giò (pyramidal rice dumpling), Bún riêu (river crab noodles), etc.

About Mr. T & Hoa Minzy: Mr. T is a well-known rapper in Vietnam. With diverse experience as a reporter, MC, actor, he finally made a career in rap music. Hoa Minzy is a singer/actress that is famous for her inspirational and energetic voice. She has won first place in the national TV competition “Star Academy Vietnam” in the first season.

Link to music videos featured in this article:

Vũ Cát Tường – Dream (Mơ): Link

Bích Phương – Nếu Thương Nhau Thì Đừng Làm Trái Tim Em Đau (Please don’t break my heart if you love me): Link

Hoàng Thùy Linh – Bánh Trôi Nước ( Glutinous Rice Cake): Link

Bích Phương – Gửi Anh Xa Nhớ ( To my love): Link

Mr. T ft Hoàng Minzy – Ăn gì đây (What To Eat): Link

Feeling a little bit of wanderlust? Visit Evivatour Vietnam to start planning your adventure later.

Research, Script & Voice over: Vuong Gia Linh Video Editor & Blog Writer: Nguyen Nhu Nghia Idea & team management: Cao Trang

Source: https://blog.evivatour.com/top-5-mvs-that-make-you-want-to-visit-vietnam/

[archived-watercress-blog]

Cautionary Tale Interviews! Hoa the Writer!

Which one of the three games did you work on?

“If in Your Dreams; The Flood”, specifically Oliver’s route.

How did you get started in your field?

Well, in 2012 a certain visual novel was released and I had the bright idea of making a VN myself. I joined an IRC channel someone posted in a thread on 4chan and it was all downhill from there. 6 years later and I’m still writing VNs.

What was the most difficult part of the process?

GETTING STARTED. I’m so jealous of writers who can just pick up a pencil or open [insert favored word processor here] and just start writing. Occasionally I’m able to just go, but with “Flood” I wasted most of my time pulling my own hair out before that sweet sweet panic set in and I could get it done.

How are Visual Novels different from other forms of writing?

Well, for starters you shouldn’t really spend the time describing the scene in the scripts because you’re going to have backgrounds, sprites, etc. The whole “show, don’t tell” saying become much more important and you’ll be spending a lot more time than you think you will in non-script documents detailing assets. When you’re writing a VN you’re not just a writer; you’re the director of your section. Sprite poses, expressions, backgrounds, music, etc… that’s all on the writer to list and work with other people on. I didn’t know that coming into this and made a fool of myself more than once over it. (lol)

What advice would you give someone entering your field?

Turn your brain off and just start talking to the paper. The more you worry about the quality of your writing the more time you’re going to spend on just one page. Editing is for after you’re done, not during the process! It’s like pulling the dough out of the oven while the cookies are still baking.

What did you gain from the experience?

I wish I had done this years ago; there’s only so much you can learn going solo or with your own little group of devs. I’m coming out of this much more prepared to finish my own VN than I was coming in. I’m definitely doing another NaNoRenO project next year.

Where do you write your first drafts? Do you like to outline, or just head in blind? Do you have any sort of writing ritual?

I hate using googledocs so I use openoffice instead. Having other people watch me as I type or seeing my revision history kills me inside.

I like to jot down things about the story and characters before I outline. Once the outline is done I’ll start drafting the actual script.

A pack of smokes and my usual spotify playlists get me in the mood real fast.

Why did you dedicate so much time, effort, and passion to this project for no monetary reward? What fueled your creativity and drove you to keep pushing?

Truthfully, a good friend of mine died recently and I needed something to keep my mind busy. I couldn’t work up the energy for my own project (as an artist) so I figured I’d go back to my roots (as a writer) and just finish a game already. I’ve always worked on VNs for free, but one day making some money off it is my ultimate goal. I’m really happy that this is what I got to work on as many of the themes align with my current situation. Best therapy ever.

Which character is your favorite?

The ghost bees.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to do NaNoRenO for the first time?

Just do it and go with the flow. Collabing with other studios is a fantastic way to learn and make friends.

Like what you heard? Consider playing Cautionary Tale when it is released, or check out Hoa on twitter here or here! 

[berlysbandcamp]

Saigon Super Sound is the story of a musical era that was almost lost. The selection of tracks is limited to the period between 1965 and 1975, the so-called “Golden Era” in the South ofVietnam, where – under difficult circumstances – a lively pop culture had developed. The music of Vietnam in the sixties was shaped by three currents: Nhạc đỏ (“red music” or communist revolutionary music) had developed around the beginning of the 20th century in opposition to the French colonization of Indochina. It usually promoted independence, socialism and anti-capitalism in its lyrics and was the dominant genre in the communist North. These were mostly heroic songs celebrating the men and women who left their families to bravely fight against the French and, soon enough, also the US Army. This collection focuses on the South, where under “imported” western influence a new kind of pop and rock music had developed: Nhạc Vàng (“yellow music” or “golden music”), Nhạc Trẻ (“young music”). Nhạc Vàng are poetic, often sentimental and sad love songs (Tình Khúc) as well as simple, easily accessible compositions which praised the beauty of the homeland (Quê hương). This genre had also developed since the 1920’s under French colonial influence, namely the chanson that was much appreciated by the growing Vietnamese bourgeoisie. Latin rhythms and dances such as the Bolero, the Rumba, Tango and Cha Cha Cha as well as Slow Rock were also integrated into the standard repertoire.

When the Americans entered the war, they also brought rock- ́n’-roll and soul music to Vietnam which became quite influential for local artists. “Young music” (Nhạc Trẻ) was performed by newly formed bands like Dew Drop, The Dreamers, CBS Band and The Strawberry Four. There were all female bands too, such as the Blue Stars (of whom, unfortunately, no usable recordings have survived) who performed at the G.I. Clubs. They covered American rock and soul hits, translating or simply making up new lyrics in Vietnamese. Very few of these were even recorded, but many popular singers – including Hùng Cường, Mai Lệ Huyền and Carol Kim – added “imported” styles like Twist, Soul, Agogo, Surf and Mashed Potatoes to their repertoire of popular ballads. The third, very popular form was Cải Lương, best translated into “theater music” in which pieces of music alternate with spoken word passages to form a kind of radio play. The last title of this collection, “7 câu vọng cổ chúc Tết“ gives you an idea of this genre. Its musical structure is based on a Vietnamese composition from the early 20th century, the Vọng Cổ which was (and is) very popular in Cải Lương as well as in Vietnamese chamber music. In the 1950’s, a lively music scene began to develop in the South, mostly in and around Saigon: In addition to various nightclubs and salon de thé ́s, music labels like Sóng Nhạc, Việt Nam, Dư Âm, Nhạc Ngày Xanh, Sơn Ca, Capitol and Continental were churning out a multitude of releases, mostly on 7“ vinyl singles. These were often made from colored vinyl: yellow and red or brown and sometimes multi-colored, when the raw material became scarce during wartimes. Such a record usually featured up to four songs, often by different artists and thus can be seen as a kind of mini compilation. Individual artist albums were the exception rather than the rule. Often only one of the featured artists was visually represented on the cover. The bands were confined to the background, although they really were the backbone and constant of the entire scene. This became even more obvious with the rise of reel to reel tape recordings from the early seventies onward. From now on, most recordings were released on tape or on Compact Cassettes, and rarely on vinyl. Tape series like Song Ngọc (1-4), Trường Hải (1-14) and Shotguns were highly successful, the latter producing over 30 volumes by 1975. Shotguns was actually not a label in the classic sense, but probably the most popular “backing band“. The Shotguns played the clubs of Saigon, in front of (South Vietnamese) soldiers as well as civilians, featuring nearly all the popular singers of the era. Like the earlier vinyl singles, the tape series were also mostly compilations, not unlike the Motown principle, employing one and the same backing band for different featured artists. Well-known and popular compositions were often recorded in various versions, featuring different singers. Even the 20 volumes of the tape series “Thanh Thuý” – named after and produced by the eponymous singer – consists of compilations. The individual releases were often based on a theme... “songs for spring“ (xuân), “love songs“ (tình ca), “dance music” (nhạc khiêu vũ) or they included songs by a certain composer. The “Sơn Ca“ series constitutes the notable exception to the rule, focusing on indivdual artists in each of its eleven volumes. It also represents a more discerning approach – both musically and with regards to sound quality. The song “Diễm Xưa“ was originally recorded for the “Sơn Ca” series. It was performed by Khánh Ly and written by Trịnh Công Sơn. He is often referred to as the “Vietnamese Bob Dylan“ and – along with Phạm Duy – is seen as one of the most important composers of the South. His poetic folk tunes were anti-war songs, unlike those of many other composers who often included a pro-war message in their songs.

Like the “red music” (Nhạc đỏ) of the North, the South also used music, literature and film to encourage and entertain the troops as well as tools for propaganda. The Americans ran the program under the acronym PSYOP (“psychological operations”). Of the many popular singer and songwriters who participated in the program, most left the country at the end of the war to avoid persecution. This exodus in April 1975 meant nothing less than the end of the South Vietnamese music industry. The remaining bits and pieces were seen as “decadent” by the communists, were disgraced and maginalized and ultimately disappeared from everyday life. Records surviving from this era are often in a sad and pitiful state, heavily scratched and full of dust so deeply engrained in the grooves as to render them virtually unplayable. Even more so, since the paper sleeves were mostly burnt or recycled in the early 1980’s. Due to the lack of paper, many vinyl records were left unprotectd in dusty corners. The few records surviving in reasonably good shape are in the hands of a small group of collectors and protected like treasures. Those recordings which were originally released on tape are often more easily accessible and in better shape. To this day, the socialist government is not interested in an archival and discographical appraisal, since it had abolished “yellow music” immediately after reunification. Master tapes are non-existent. The fear that these songs might have a corrosive effect on the people of South Vietnam was just too deep-seated. The promotion of immoral attitudes and behavior was another aspect disturbing the new authorities, and western influences did not fit into their socialist view of the postwar world.

Nevertheless, the songs persist. Particularly among the many Vietnamese who fled their homeland these songs became classics or even hymns that were re-recorded again and again in the diaspora.

Unlike the “red music” of the North, the music of South Vietnam in all its simplicity speaks directly to the hearts and souls of people in the city as well as in the countryside. In recent years, the old songs are finding their way back into the awareness of more and more Vietnamese, although a number of songs can still not be performed publicly. Thousands of compositions are effectively “illegal” to this day. But thanks to the internet and passionate collectors, many of these songs are now available either on Youtube or on Vietnamese websites Even some of the artists who fled right after reunification in 1975 have since returned to Vietnam or have received official permission to perform live. This development created some controversy. Within the exiled Vietnamese community, where many believe that exiled artists who play concerts in Vietnam authorized by the socialist government are actually committing an act of treason. Censorship is still omnipresent, and certain “songs of praise” commending the pre- 1975 South Vietnamese government are still an absolute “no-go”. Even today, the lyrics for each and every new song must be authorized by the ministry of culture and information before it can be recorded or performed publicly. The selection of tracks for this compilation is a subjective sample of popular music in that era, informed – of course – by personal likes and influences.

[marketingadvisorvietnam]

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/lgbt-troupes-set-saigon-stages-alight-with-cabaret-bingo-shows-13/

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

A popular cultural entertainment event presented by LGBT people mocks social evils often, but it is not officially recognized.

A group of gay and transwomen are making up, but this is not your typical drag queen show. Their cabaret act incorporates a form of bingo, which is popular in this country.

The members of Huong Nam loto troupe are in a room on the second floor at Kasa Café, District 10, HCMC, immersed in their usual weekly pre-show routines. 

Some focus on drawing precise brush lines on their cheeks, others rehearse while putting on foundation, and there is non-stop banter. They are all gay men or transwomen, and they pitch their deep voices higher and their body language is overtly feminine. 

The two oldest performers, Nga (mirror in hand, left) and Phung (to her left) are getting dolled up for the show and so is a young performer sitting on stage. He will be the only one going up on stage with a pixie cut.  

Bingo or loto, as it is called in Vietnam, is especially popular in the southern countryside.

The Huong Nam troupe chooses a different theme for every show. Before the performance, they sell to the audience a paper with a jumble of bingo numbers for VND10,000 or $0.43 each. The performers then sing songs based on the theme of that day’s show – acoustic or ballad night, for instance – interspersed with the bingo numbers.

The audience listens attentively to the lyrics and crosses out the numbers the performers call out. The person with the winning number is called to the stage and given a gift. The process is then repeated.

In France, the game is known as le lotto (or loto). In Germany, this game (called tombola) was used in the 19th century as an educational tool to teach children math, spelling and even history.

Loto originated in the 16th century as the Italian game of bingo, which then spread to England, France and other parts of Europe in the 18th century. It came to Vietnam with the French in the 19th century. Those were also its heydays, especially in the southwestern provinces, when everyone played it during the Lunar New Year festival.

SuSu, leader of the Huong Nam troupe, told VnExpress International: “Bingo or loto performances initially involved just traditional music. They would play traditional instruments like the drum and flute. Today, modern music has been added.”

In southwestern rural areas, troupes would simply find a vacant spot and set up a loto stage and perform. City-based troupes like Huong Nam (meaning Scent of the South) mainly perform in cafés, public fairs or stadiums.

The amount of work and creativity that goes into each show is enormous since it is hard enough to engage the audience with just the performance. Putting random numbers into the music is much harder.

Back in the ‘green room,’ the artists make fun of each other’s attractive and not-so-attractive features, but also empower each other. The camaraderie and affection are palpable.

Rising millennial

“Slim” Little Tu, as everyone in the troupe endearingly calls the chubby 20-year-old, is the youngest performer in the group. Tu has been in loto for two years. But he already boasts an impressive CV: he played a supporting role in “TransViet Laugh”, a stars-only version of Vinh Long Television’s popular comedy reality show and has been on “Ganh Hat Ngan Hoa”, Vietnam’s first ever TV loto show.

Describing himself as “peculiarly unattractive,” Little Tu says other intriguing things too.

“My parents have come to see me perform a couple of times. My mom is very proud of me. One time she posted a picture of me dressed up as a woman on Facebook with the caption ‘My dear son’.” He wondered with a giggle how people reacted to that post.

As he spoke, the banter continued.

“Do I look like a girl now?” he asked after the last brush of powder.

“You look like a girl even without makeup,” the makeup artist responded.

When asked about his romantic interest, he said: “I go with my emotions. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a boy or girl.”

Yumi, 27, has been a loto artist for seven years. She came to Saigon from An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta five months ago.

“I came across loto by chance; there was a loto group near my house,” she said.

“I have artistic blood in me, so I accompanied the group. At first I was just a ticket seller, but one day they were short of performers and asked me to audition. My interest in loto began then.”

She also sells stuff on social media for some extra income.

Like any struggling artist, she was unable to make ends meet at first. She used to get paid VND60,000 (less than $3) for a night’s performance. She makes VND500,000-600,000 ($21.40 – $25.70) now.

“When I was learning how to do this, I had to go to an Internet café and download music on my phone to learn the songs. I didn’t have easy access to the Internet.”

Yumi’s parents were not happy with her decision at first. For a change in Vietnam, she is referring to her job rather than gender or sexual orientation: “My mother wanted me to have a steady job like teaching. But then once they saw I’m destined to be a loto performer, they approved and encouraged me.”

Revered senior loto artists

While the youngest artist is relaxed about the show coming up, the two oldest performers are not. They are meticulously rehearsing their lines, improvising, accompanied by the guitarist. They debate when to hit a high note and when to stress the lyrics, and jot down the changes on crib sheets.

Nga is one of them.

With a background in reformed theater (cai luong), she has been a performing artist for 30 years, and doing loto for over 20. She was swept off her feet by a group of male loto artists playing the song lang, a percussion instrument used in traditional music.

That was the moment that marked her switch to loto from traditional folk music.

She says: “I first performed loto in Tay Ninh city [in the southwestern]. And then I went all the way to the north and back to perform.

“There was a hiatus after a while when loto performances with traditional music was not as popular and it fizzled out. Then troupes formed by young people brought life back to the loto scene and people started to be curious about it again. One of them is Huong Nam. They invited me to join, and here I am.”

Nga and Phung, the other senior, were first invited to be guest performers, but they decided to stay after taking a great liking to the group members.

Nga continues: “I was planning to be a guest performer, but then I began to adore the Huong Nam loto artists and their stories and how they are dedicated to the craft and willing to listen and learn from their seniors.”

Nga’s family – parents and other relatives – attends her shows when they can.

“Because I’m like this, I can’t have a family of my own,” she says, gesturing at herself with her eyes. She identifies herself as a woman without revealing her sexual orientation.

In all her years in the business Nga has thought the biggest challenge as a loto artist is getting recognition and respect, especially from officials.

The art of loto is received positively by audiences and often employed as a tool to ridicule social evils. However, it has not been officially recognized for several reasons, including possibly its LGBT links.

The late Professor Tran Van Khe once said: “Loto is not purely entertainment but also meets the demand for cultural enjoyment of the Vietnamese, thereby contributing to transmitting and preserving proverbs, idioms, folk songs which are considered cultural heritages and preventing them from dying out.”

Khe, a revered icon on the musical landscape, was a musicologist and an honorary member of UNESCO’s International Music Council.

Trans or not

Linh Anh (sitting, right) is fully supported by her partner.

“My family knew I was a girl. They encouraged me to be true to myself. When I was 18, my mom asked whether I wanted to get a wife.

It was clearly a rhetorical question because her mother already knew the answer. “I want to BE a wife, I told her.”

When she is not singing Loto on stage, Linh Anh is a student at the HCMC Dance School majoring in choreography and gives dance lessons to kids in elementary and middle schools.

The 27-years-old hugely admires transpeople who have undergone surgery, some of whom are her fellow performers in Huong Nam. 

Boi Nhi (sitting, left) is a favorite performer of Huong Nam troupe. When she is not busy with loto, Nhi also works as a freelance actress and health consultant at My Home Clinic, an LGBTQI-friendly clinic.

At an LGBT event hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in August, she said that hormones used by transgender individuals are not regulated in Vietnam. “Transgenders like me who use these hormones are not protected by law,” Nhi said. Homosexuals who want to become transgenders often look up to those who have already had sex reassignment surgery and seek their advice on hormone use, the actress said.

“We have no idea what these pills contain. Because the Ministry of Health does not inspect and supervise these hormone pills, we as transgenders have to resort to advice from successfully transgendered people for medical advice and support so that we can eventually find ourselves just like they did,” Nhi said.

“I seriously cannot go through what they went through. But I’m a woman anyway, so I don’t feel the need to have surgery. Besides, I like to transform myself and make others eager to see my transformation. If I have surgery, I won’t have that ability,” Linh Anh added.

Unlike many other 20s-something artists, she cannot sing modern music. “I am trained in cai luong (reformed theater), so I try to do contemporary dance to cai luong music.”

After everyone puts on their best dress and completes their rehearsal, they go backstage. Yumi prays to the tutelary gods of the arts before every show, a spiritual practice that is believed to sustain the artists during their performance.

Individual performers walk out to the stage and bow to and wave at the audience gracefully as the host introduces each of them as if it were a pageant. The audience greets them with raucous cheers.

Yumi and some of the others sell loto tickets to the audience, walking down the aisles between chairs, running into many obvious regulars.

About a decade ago loto tickets were only VND1,000-2,000 each. At Kasa café, a ticket is VND10,000  ($0.43) and there are people who buy many tickets.

The show begins.

In the art’s heydays, Loto artists performed around the clock across the country. They dived into the heat of melodies and chants to the cheers of the audience, mostly farmers and children.

In a modern show, the audience members are from all walks of life and of all age groups. Every five minutes or so there is resounding laughter as the artists make a joke amidst a song or stage a comedy skit.

A kid in the audience, eyes wide, asks loudly: “Why are those men wearing dresses? It’s so weird!”

His father admonishes him: “Don’t say that. They are women.” 

Story by Sen 

Photos by Thanh Nguyen

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Houses For Sale in Wildwood, FL

100 S Old Wire Rd, Wildwood, FL

Price: $110000

Older home on very nice lot in the City of Wildwood. House has character but needs some upgrading and a personal touch. Zoning is R3 (9 units per acre) which allows for ALF, daycare, and other uses with special variance.

9060 NW 19th St, Wildwood, FL

Price: $99999

Build your Custom Dream Home on this Gorgeous 10.08 Acres in the Prestigious Gated PRESERVE AT OAK HILL Equestrian Community! Lot 78 is a Cul de Sac lot. The Deed Restrictions allow for your barn and horses. The Preserve at Oak Hill offers quiet country living right in the Heart of Sumter County. Conveniently located just minutes from the Downtown Brownwood Shopping Center, I-75 and the Florida Turnpike and a short ride to the Gulf Coast and Disney Parks. The Preserve offers beautiful oak trees, open pastures and horse farms, plenty of wildlife, four board fencing, 100 acres of Equine r iding trails, underground utilities and street lights, cable, internet and phone. Call today to see this Beautiful property.

7170 County Road 213, Wildwood, FL

Price: $79900

Priced For Quick Sale! French Doors separate the Kitchen, Dinette & Gathering Room from the Formal Area. Master Bedroom with walk-in-closet plus Master Bath with Dual Sinks, Garden Tub and separate Shower. New Heat Pump 05/16, New 2 car carport 10/17, New upgraded kitchen sink and faucet, New Dinette Room fixture, New carpet and laminate flooring and more. Front and Rear Steps to be replaced. Outside shed less than a year old. Close to park with ball field, play ground equipment, etc. You Must See This Home To Appreciate It!

109 Cypress Rd, Wildwood, FL

Price: $119900

This charmer is a must see! Oversized great room, open to dining room and kitchen. Dry wall, 6 panel doors, newer light fixtures in bathrooms, newer ceiling fan in living room. Fabulous large kitchen which has newer solid surface counters and newer sink with newer garbage disposal, all newer stainless appliances too! A newer sky light has been added. AC replaced 2016! Resident Owner Certificate and Charter Golf Certificate along with golf cart with newer batteries are included. G4838466 Over 700 homes available at https://www.fourstarhomes.com

7246 E State Road 44 #59, Wildwood, FL

Price: $10500

This Mobile/Manufactured located at 7246 East State Road 44 #59, Wildwood, FL is currently for sale and has been listed on theochomesearch for 21 days. This property is listed by Listing Agent for $10,500. 7246 E State Road 44 #59 has 1 bed and 1 bath. The property was built in 1985. 7246 E State Road 44 #59 is in the 34785 ZIP code in Wildwood, FL.

709 Ironwood Ln, Wildwood, FL

Price: $31900

FOR SALE (owner’s son is licensed agent: 401-527-4391). Buyer’s agents 4% commission paid on closing! FULLY FURNISHED & TURNKEY 2br/2ba home has that “WOW factor” sure to impress. Split floor plan provides plenty of privacy for family & guests, a chef’s delight kitchen, inside laundry, newer laminate & carpeting, freshly painted interior (Jan 2017), very LARGE storage shed, PRIVATE backyard, vinyl siding, nice lanai, and large bedrooms and closets. Short walk to the beautiful clubhouse and heated pool. Brownwood’s Paddock Square in The Villages is just 9/10 mile away. Pay ONE-THIRD OF THE HIGH VILLAGE PRICES and still enjoy what The Villages has to offer. This is a quiet 55+ community but full time residents can be between 40-54. Parking for two cars under carport and an additional spot to the left of the home. Land lease. Land not part of sale. Application with background check must be made to the HOA– Parkwood Communities/Wildwood.

914 Powell St, Wildwood, FL

Price: $84900

Get two for price of one. Two lots for one low price! Nice home on Powell St in Wildwood. This property has been upgraded with-in the last two years. Home is very nicely decorated and comfortable. Roof was replaced about 2 years ago. Value is in the extra lot that comes with this house. Already showing as two lots in public records. Each lot is about 10,000 sq feet. Come take a look today.

28 N Bobwhite Rd, Wildwood, FL

Price: $62000

Home is updated with newer appliances, range is a glass top with double ovens, neutral paint and laminate flooring in the living area. Newer 2 inch blinds and shades are at most windows. Utility building has separate laundry facility and another entrance for the work shop. The glass enclosed lanai off the living room is a great place to view the outdoors while having your morning coffee or you can sit outside under cover at the entrance door. Continental Country Club has so much more. G4839196 Over 700 homes available at https://www.fourstarhomes.com

2948 County Road 509, Wildwood, FL

Price: $500000

Nearly a half acre with a single wide mobile home. This parcel is located near one of the fastest growing communities in America; “The Villages.” The Village of Fenney which is adjacent to this parcel will soon be a epic center for entertainment, recreation, restaurants, and so much more.

116 N Timber Trl, Wildwood, FL

Price: $64900

This updated 2 bedroom 2 bath home is just minutes to Brownwood Square in The Villages. The home is very near the rear gate to the community giving you easy access to CR 468 Morse Blvd and the new turnpike entrance which is under construction. Beautifully updated kitchen with Corian counter tops, open floor plan, Florida room with AC plenty of storage space with built ins and large closets inside the home plus 2 outside storage buildings. Newer central heat and air and appliances. G4838469 Over 700 homes available at https://www.fourstarhomes.com

4822 County Road 466a, Wildwood, FL

Price: $890000

Zoned Commercial Premium Corner Lot. Frontage on CR 466A is 177′. Corner of One block to The Villages major corner of CR 466A and Powell Rd. Near Brownswood retail location at Powell Rd and SR44.

4972 NE 73rd Dr, Wildwood, FL

Price: $525000

Enjoy your very own private family compound with 2.5 acres on an approximate 750 acre clear spring fed Lake Deaton, with some 238’ of lakefront. Enjoy lakeside living in a wonderful 3bd/2bath wheelchair access home. With nearly every room overlooking the lake, you can lie in bed and enjoy the view or play your grand piano in the master bedroom music room. Please contact us: Phone – 352-446-9264 or 352-446-9247 Email: fllakefrontproperty@gmail.com n addition there is a in law/guest home for independent living or added space when needed, Plus RV cover with hook-up an d a barn for storage, tractor, boat and toys.

38 Magnolia Ln, Wildwood, FL

Price: $59900

The kitchen features an abundance of cabinets, a pantry or storage closet and is open to the dining area, which has a built in cabinet. The large living room I airy and bright with lots of windows with awnings and has a screen porch off of it. The master bedroom is spacious and has a separate and private bonus room with windows and AC. Perfect for an office or TV room. Metal roof over with lifetime warranty was replaced in 2006. Home comes with an RO Certificate. G4837781 Over 700 homes available at https://www.fourstarhomes.com

508 Magnolia Ln, Wildwood, FL

Price: $8000

A GREAT BUY IN WILDWOOD (PARKWOOD VILLAGE) THIS VERY WELL MAINTAINED HOME IS LOCATED IN A 55+ COMMUNITY. The Villages Brownwood Square is just two miles away where you will find many restaurants, shopping, movie theater and nightly live entertainment. Additionally, I75 is just minutes away for an easy commute to Tampa or Orlando in an hour! Beautiful clubhouse, pond area, swimming pool, and is pet friendly. All applicants must be approved by Parkwood Communities for residency. Stop by their office at 414 Spring Lake Rd, Wildwood, FL 34785 [Phone: (352) 748-6133] to pi ck up an application.

107 Timber Way, Wildwood, FL

Price: $40000

continental country club 2bdrm/2ba manufactured home on corner lot. home features living room with built in shelves, dining area with hutch, florida room and workshop.

1034 Lakeshore Dr, Wildwood, FL

Price: $54900

Beautiful, spacious and newly remodeled home on a quiet, lakefront, cul-de-sac in a lovely mobile home park less than 5 minutes from Brownwood Square (The Villages) with shopping, restaurants, movies, etc. A million dollar view for $60K!

78 N Bobwhite Rd, Wildwood, FL

Price: $62900

This is the home you have been waiting for! A MUST SEE! Beautifully kept and decorated too! Home comes fully furnished, turn key!!! Laminate flooring in living area, tile in kitchen. Kitchen has been totally update with newer cabinets, solid surface counters, stainless sink, stone back splash and newer appliances and a pantry closet. Newer comfort height toilets and bathrooms have linen storage. Golf cart garage, work shop and laundry entrance from lower screen Florida room. There is a large lanai off living room for your enjoyment, a large lower screen room plus an outside open patio. Newer washer and dryer. Home comes furnished with decorator furnishings: solid cherry master bedroom suite, office set up, walk-in shower and a large walk-in closet. Both bedrooms have designer carpeting. AC is only 7 years old. All TVs stay too! Resident Owner Certificate is included. Come live the Continental Country Club life style where you can enjoy the 18 hole championship golf course, full restaurant/lounge, tennis, pickle ball, shuffle board, heated swimming pool, soft ball and much more. The Villages just 2 miles away where you will find restaurants, shopping, movie theater and nightly free live entertainment. Don’t miss out on this beautiful home, call today for your private showing.

82 Robin Rd, Wildwood, FL

Price: $60000

This Continental Country Club home with a Golf Course View has Laminate flooring, two walk in closets, dual sinks in Master, comfort high toilets, new dishwasher, glass top stove, and extra freezer in kitchen. The outside utility/workshop also has Golf Cart Garage with electric garage door, and the home comes with a Resident Ownership Share and Golf Certificate Share. Continental Country Club is a gated community with security, lake access and boat ramp, Championship Golf Course, heated swimming pool, restaurant and lounge; everything you would want in an active community; just a few mi les from The Villages and the new Brownwood Town Center with shopping & entertainment seven days a week. Enjoy all the neighboring hustle & bustle, then come home and relax in peaceful and tranquil Continental Country Club.

5477 Lansing Dr, Wildwood, FL

Price: $48000

Just needs a little TLC. Tucked away for optimum privacy is a 2 bedroom 2 bath Jacobson model with two lanais. One enclosed over looking a peaceful setting of pasture land and the other screen on the opposite side of the home. Have a pet, this house is perfect, it has a fenced in side and back yard for your dog to frolic. GREAT OPPORTUNITY. Maintenance includes BASIC CABLE, TRASH PICK UP, TWO POOLS, ONE HEATED, JACUZZI, SAUNA, small gym, rec center, shuffle board, road repairs and on sight management. LESS THAN 5 MINUTES AWAY FROM BROWNWOOD’S PADDOCK SQUARE IN THE VILLAGES for NIGHTLY O UTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT, MOVIE THEATER, RESTAURANT AND SHOPS.

4571 E County Road 468, Wildwood, FL

Price: $2500000

Beautiful 3BR/3BA concrete block home sitting on nearly two acres. This home is located near one of the fastest growing communities; “The Villages.” The Village of Fenney which is adjacent to this home will soon be a epic center for entertainment, recreation, restaurants, and so much more. This home is highlighted by granite kitchen countertops, tile floors, stainless steel appliances, whole home generator (never be without power), ADT security, concrete swimming pool w/ waterfall, screen inclosure, outdoor kitchen w/ bar and dining area, (3) carports, covered motorhome parkin g, and enough covered parking for any other toys. The patio and pool is a must see! Do not miss out call today!

from Houses For Sale – The OC Home Search http://www.theochomesearch.com/houses-for-sale-in-wildwood-fl/ from OC Home Search https://theochomesearch.tumblr.com/post/158079793610

[marketingadvisorvietnam]

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/lgbt-troupes-set-saigon-stages-alight-with-cabaret-bingo-shows-2/

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

A popular cultural entertainment event presented by LGBT people mocks social evils often, but it is not officially recognized.

A group of gay and transwomen are making up, but this is not your typical drag queen show.

Their cabaret act incorporates a form of bingo, which is popular in this country.

The members of Huong Nam loto troupe are in a room on the second floor at Kasa Café, District 10, HCMC, immersed in their usual weekly pre-show routines. 

Some focus on drawing precise brush lines on their cheeks, others rehearse while putting on foundation, and there is non-stop banter. They are all gay men or transwomen, and they pitch their deep voices higher and their body language is overtly feminine. 

The two oldest performers, Nga (mirror in hand, left) and Phung (to her left) are getting dolled up for the show and so is a young performer sitting on stage. He will be the only one going up on stage with a pixie cut.  

Bingo or loto, as it is called in Vietnam, is especially popular in the southern countryside.

The Huong Nam troupe chooses a different theme for every show. Before the performance, they sell to the audience a paper with a jumble of bingo numbers for VND10,000 or $0.43 each. The performers then sing songs based on the theme of that day’s show – acoustic or ballad night, for instance – interspersed with the bingo numbers.

The audience listens attentively to the lyrics and crosses out the numbers the performers call out. The person with the winning number is called to the stage and given a gift. The process is then repeated.

In France, the game is known as le lotto (or loto). In Germany, this game (called tombola) was used in the 19th century as an educational tool to teach children math, spelling and even history.

Loto originated in the 16th century as the Italian game of bingo, which then spread to England, France and other parts of Europe in the 18th century. It came to Vietnam with the French in the 19th century. Those were also its heydays, especially in the southwestern provinces, when everyone played it during the Lunar New Year festival.

SuSu, leader of the Huong Nam troupe, told VnExpress International: “Bingo or loto performances initially involved just traditional music. They would play traditional instruments like the drum and flute. Today, modern music has been added.”

In southwestern rural areas, troupes would simply find a vacant spot and set up a loto stage and perform. City-based troupes like Huong Nam (meaning Scent of the South) mainly perform in cafés, public fairs or stadiums.

The amount of work and creativity that goes into each show is enormous since it is hard enough to engage the audience with just the performance. Putting random numbers into the music is much harder.

Back in the ‘green room,’ the artists make fun of each other’s attractive and not-so-attractive features, but also empower each other. The camaraderie and affection are palpable.

Rising millennial

“Slim” Little Tu, as everyone in the troupe endearingly calls the chubby 20-year-old, is the youngest performer in the group. Tu has been in loto for two years. But he already boasts an impressive CV: he played a supporting role in “TransViet Laugh”, a stars-only version of Vinh Long Television’s popular comedy reality show and has been on “Ganh Hat Ngan Hoa”, Vietnam’s first ever TV loto show.

Describing himself as “peculiarly unattractive,” Little Tu says other intriguing things too.

“My parents have come to see me perform a couple of times. My mom is very proud of me. One time she posted a picture of me dressed up as a woman on Facebook with the caption ‘My dear son’.” He wondered with a giggle how people reacted to that post.

As he spoke with VnExpress International, the banter continued.

“Do I look like a girl now?” he asked after the last brush of powder.

“You look like a girl even without makeup,” the makeup artist responded.

When VnExpress International asked about his romantic interest, he said: “I go with my emotions. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a boy or girl.”

Yumi, 27, has been a loto artist for seven years. She came to Saigon from An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta five months ago.

“I came across loto by chance; there was a loto group near my house,” she said.

“I have artistic blood in me, so I accompanied the group. At first I was just a ticket seller, but one day they were short of performers and asked me to audition. My interest in loto began then.”

She also sells stuff on social media for some extra income.

Like any struggling artist, she was unable to make ends meet at first. She used to get paid VND60,000 (less than $3) for a night’s performance. She makes VND500,000-600,000 ($21.40 – $25.70) now.

“When I was learning how to do this, I had to go to an Internet café and download music on my phone to learn the songs. I didn’t have easy access to the Internet.”

Yumi’s parents were not happy with her decision at first. For a change in Vietnam, she is referring to her job rather than gender or sexual orientation: “My mother wanted me to have a steady job like teaching. But then once they saw I’m destined to be a loto performer, they approved and encouraged me.”

Revered senior loto artists

While the youngest artist is relaxed about the show coming up, the two oldest performers are not. They are meticulously rehearsing their lines, improvising, accompanied by the guitarist. They debate when to hit a high note and when to stress the lyrics, and jot down the changes on crib sheets.

Nga, one of them, is getting dolled up for the show.

With a background in reformed theater (cai luong), she has been a performing artist for 30 years, and doing loto for over 20. She was swept off her feet by a group of male loto artists playing the song lang, a percussion instrument used in traditional music.

That was the moment that marked her switch to loto from traditional folk music.

She says: “I first performed loto in Tay Ninh city [in the southwestern]. And then I went all the way to the north and back to perform.

“There was a hiatus after a while when loto performances with traditional music was not as popular and it fizzled out. Then troupes formed by young people brought life back to the loto scene and people started to be curious about it again. One of them is Huong Nam. They invited me to join, and here I am.”

Nga and Phung, the other senior, were first invited to be guest performers, but they decided to stay after taking a great liking to the group members.

Nga continues: “I was planning to be a guest performer, but then I began to adore the Huong Nam loto artists and their stories and how they are dedicated to the craft and willing to listen and learn from their seniors.”

Nga’s family – parents and other relatives – attends her shows when they can.

“Because I’m like this, I can’t have a family of my own,” she says, gesturing at herself with her eyes. She identifies herself as a woman without revealing her sexual orientation.

In all her years in the business Nga has thought the biggest challenge as a loto artist is getting recognition and respect, especially from officials.

The art of loto is received positively by audiences and often employed as a tool to ridicule social evils. However, it has not been officially recognized for several reasons, including possibly its LGBT links.

The late Professor Tran Van Khe once said: “Loto is not purely entertainment but also meets the demand for cultural enjoyment of the Vietnamese, thereby contributing to transmitting and preserving proverbs, idioms, folk songs which are considered cultural heritages and preventing them from dying out.”

Khe, a revered icon on the musical landscape, was a musicologist and an honorary member of UNESCO’s International Music Council.

Trans or not

Linh Anh (sitting, right) is fully supported by her partner.

“My family knew I was a girl. They encouraged me to be true to myself. When I was 18, my mom asked whether I wanted to get a wife.

It was clearly a rhetorical question because her mother already knew the answer. “I want to BE a wife, I told her.”

When she is not singing Loto on stage, Linh Anh is a student at the HCMC Dance School majoring in choreography and gives dance lessons to kids in elementary and middle schools.

The 27-years-old hugely admires transpeople who have undergone surgery, some of whom are her fellow performers in Huong Nam. 

Boi Nhi (sitting, left) is a favorite performer of Huong Nam troupe. When she is not busy with loto, Nhi also works as a freelance actress and health consultant at My Home Clinic, an LGBTQI-friendly clinic.

At an LGBT event hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in August, she said that hormones used by transgender individuals are not regulated in Vietnam. “Transgenders like me who use these hormones are not protected by law,” Nhi said. Homosexuals who want to become transgenders often look up to those who have already had sex reassignment surgery and seek their advice on hormone use, the actress said.

“We have no idea what these pills contain. Because the Ministry of Health does not inspect and supervise these hormone pills, we as transgenders have to resort to advice from successfully transgendered people for medical advice and support so that we can eventually find ourselves just like they did,” Nhi said.

“I seriously cannot go through what they went through. But I’m a woman anyway, so I don’t feel the need to have surgery. Besides, I like to transform myself and make others eager to see my transformation. If I have surgery, I won’t have that ability,” Linh Anh added.

Unlike many other 20s-something artists, she cannot sing modern music. “I am trained in cai luong (reformed theater), so I try to do contemporary dance to cai luong music.”

After everyone puts on their best dress and completes their rehearsal, they go backstage. Yumi prays to the tutelary gods of the arts before every show, a spiritual practice that is believed to sustain the artists during their performance.

Individual performers walk out to the stage and bow to and wave at the audience gracefully as the host introduces each of them as if it were a pageant. The audience greets them with raucous cheers.

Yumi and some of the others sell loto tickets to the audience, walking down the aisles between chairs, running into many obvious regulars.

About a decade ago loto tickets were only VND1,000-2,000 each. At Kasa café, a ticket is VND10,000  ($0.43) and there are people who buy many tickets.

The show begins.

In the art’s heydays, Loto artists performed around the clock across the country. They dived into the heat of melodies and chants to the cheers of the audience, mostly farmers and children.

In a modern show, the audience members are from all walks of life and of all age groups. Every five minutes or so there is resounding laughter as the artists make a joke amidst a song or stage a comedy skit.

A kid in the audience, eyes wide, asks loudly: “Why are those men wearing dresses? It’s so weird!”

His father admonishes him: “Don’t say that. They are women.” 

Story by Sen 

Photos by Thanh Nguyen

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[marketingadvisorvietnam]

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/lgbt-troupes-set-saigon-stages-alight-with-cabaret-bingo-shows/

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

A popular cultural entertainment event presented by LGBT people mocks social evils often, but it is not officially recognized.

A group of gay and transmen are making up, but this is not your typical drag queen show.

Their cabaret act incorporates a form of bingo, which is popular in this country.

The members of Huong Nam loto troupe are in a room on the second floor at Kasa Café, District 10, HCMC, immersed in their usual weekly pre-show routines. 

Some focus on drawing precise brush lines on their cheeks, others rehearse while putting on foundation, and there is non-stop banter. They are all gay men or transwomen, and they pitch their deep voices higher and their body language is overtly feminine. 

The two oldest performers, Nga (mirror in hand, left) and Phung (to her left) are getting dolled up for the show and so is a young performer sitting on stage. He will be the only one going up on stage with a pixie cut.  

Bingo or loto, as it is called in Vietnam, is especially popular in the southern countryside.

The Huong Nam troupe chooses a different theme for every show. Before the performance, they sell to the audience a paper with a jumble of bingo numbers for VND10,000 or $0.43 each. The performers then sing songs based on the theme of that day’s show – acoustic or ballad night, for instance – interspersed with the bingo numbers.

The audience listens attentively to the lyrics and crosses out the numbers the performers call out. The person with the winning number is called to the stage and given a gift. The process is then repeated.

In France, the game is known as le lotto (or loto). In Germany, this game (called tombola) was used in the 19th century as an educational tool to teach children math, spelling and even history.

Loto originated in the 16th century as the Italian game of bingo, which then spread to England, France and other parts of Europe in the 18th century. It came to Vietnam with the French in the 19th century. Those were also its heydays, especially in the southwestern provinces, when everyone played it during the Lunar New Year festival.

SuSu, leader of the Huong Nam troupe, told VnExpress International: “Bingo or loto performances initially involved just traditional music. They would play traditional instruments like the drum and flute. Today, modern music has been added.”

In southwestern rural areas, troupes would simply find a vacant spot and set up a loto stage and perform. City-based troupes like Huong Nam (meaning Scent of the South) mainly perform in cafés, public fairs or stadiums.

The amount of work and creativity that goes into each show is enormous since it is hard enough to engage the audience with just the performance. Putting random numbers into the music is much harder.

Back in the ‘green room,’ the artists make fun of each other’s attractive and not-so-attractive features, but also empower each other. The camaraderie and affection are palpable.

Rising millennial

“Slim” Little Tu, as everyone in the troupe endearingly calls the chubby 20-year-old, is the youngest performer in the group. Tu has been in loto for two years. But he already boasts an impressive CV: he played a supporting role in “TransViet Laugh”, a stars-only version of Vinh Long Television’s popular comedy reality show and has been on “Ganh Hat Ngan Hoa”, Vietnam’s first ever TV loto show.

Describing himself as “peculiarly unattractive,” Little Tu says other intriguing things too.

“My parents have come to see me perform a couple of times. My mom is very proud of me. One time she posted a picture of me dressed up as a woman on Facebook with the caption ‘My dear son’.” He wondered with a giggle how people reacted to that post.

As he spoke with VnExpress International, the banter continued.

“Do I look like a girl now?” he asked after the last brush of powder.

“You look like a girl even without makeup,” the makeup artist responded.

When VnExpress International asked about his romantic interest, he said: “I go with my emotions. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a boy or girl.”

Yumi, 27, has been a loto artist for seven years. She came to Saigon from An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta five months ago.

“I came across loto by chance; there was a loto group near my house,” she said.

“I have artistic blood in me, so I accompanied the group. At first I was just a ticket seller, but one day they were short of performers and asked me to audition. My interest in loto began then.”

She also sells stuff on social media for some extra income.

Like any struggling artist, she was unable to make ends meet at first. She used to get paid VND60,000 (less than $3) for a night’s performance. She makes VND500,000-600,000 ($21.40 – $25.70) now.

“When I was learning how to do this, I had to go to an Internet café and download music on my phone to learn the songs. I didn’t have easy access to the Internet.”

Yumi’s parents were not happy with her decision at first. For a change in Vietnam, she is referring to her job rather than gender or sexual orientation: “My mother wanted me to have a steady job like teaching. But then once they saw I’m destined to be a loto performer, they approved and encouraged me.”

Revered senior loto artists

While the youngest artist is relaxed about the show coming up, the two oldest performers are not. They are meticulously rehearsing their lines, improvising, accompanied by the guitarist. They debate when to hit a high note and when to stress the lyrics, and jot down the changes on crib sheets.

Nga, one of them, is getting dolled up for the show.

With a background in reformed theater (cai luong), she has been a performing artist for 30 years, and doing loto for over 20. She was swept off her feet by a group of male loto artists playing the song lang, a percussion instrument used in traditional music.

That was the moment that marked her switch to loto from traditional folk music.

She says: “I first performed loto in Tay Ninh city [in the southwestern]. And then I went all the way to the north and back to perform.

“There was a hiatus after a while when loto performances with traditional music was not as popular and it fizzled out. Then troupes formed by young people brought life back to the loto scene and people started to be curious about it again. One of them is Huong Nam. They invited me to join, and here I am.”

Nga and Phung, the other senior, were first invited to be guest performers, but they decided to stay after taking a great liking to the group members.

Nga continues: “I was planning to be a guest performer, but then I began to adore the Huong Nam loto artists and their stories and how they are dedicated to the craft and willing to listen and learn from their seniors.”

Nga’s family – parents and other relatives – attends her shows when they can.

“Because I’m like this, I can’t have a family of my own,” she says, gesturing at herself with her eyes. She identifies herself as a woman without revealing her sexual orientation.

In all her years in the business Nga has thought the biggest challenge as a loto artist is getting recognition and respect, especially from officials.

The art of loto is received positively by audiences and often employed as a tool to ridicule social evils. However, it has not been officially recognized for several reasons, including possibly its LGBT links.

The late Professor Tran Van Khe once said: “Loto is not purely entertainment but also meets the demand for cultural enjoyment of the Vietnamese, thereby contributing to transmitting and preserving proverbs, idioms, folk songs which are considered cultural heritages and preventing them from dying out.”

Khe, a revered icon on the musical landscape, was a musicologist and an honorary member of UNESCO’s International Music Council.

Trans or not

Linh Anh (sitting, right) is fully supported by her partner.

“My family knew I was a girl. They encouraged me to be true to myself. When I was 18, my mom asked whether I wanted to get a wife.

It was clearly a rhetorical question because her mother already knew the answer. “I want to BE a wife, I told her.”

When she is not singing Loto on stage, Linh Anh is a student at the HCMC Dance School majoring in choreography and gives dance lessons to kids in elementary and middle schools.

The 27-years-old hugely admires transpeople who have undergone surgery, some of whom are her fellow performers in Huong Nam. 

Boi Nhi (sitting, left) is a favorite performer of Huong Nam troupe. When she is not busy with loto, Nhi also works as a freelance actress and health consultant at My Home Clinic, an LGBTQI-friendly clinic.

At an LGBT event hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in August, she said that hormones used by transgender individuals are not regulated in Vietnam. “Transgenders like me who use these hormones are not protected by law,” Nhi said. Homosexuals who want to become transgenders often look up to those who have already had sex reassignment surgery and seek their advice on hormone use, the actress said.

“We have no idea what these pills contain. Because the Ministry of Health does not inspect and supervise these hormone pills, we as transgenders have to resort to advice from successfully transgendered people for medical advice and support so that we can eventually find ourselves just like they did,” Nhi said.

“I seriously cannot go through what they went through. But I’m a woman anyway, so I don’t feel the need to have surgery. Besides, I like to transform myself and make others eager to see my transformation. If I have surgery, I won’t have that ability,” Linh Anh added.

Unlike many other 20s-something artists, she cannot sing modern music. “I am trained in cai luong (reformed theater), so I try to do contemporary dance to cai luong music.”

After everyone puts on their best dress and completes their rehearsal, they go backstage. Yumi prays to the tutelary gods of the arts before every show, a spiritual practice that is believed to sustain the artists during their performance.

Individual performers walk out to the stage and bow to and wave at the audience gracefully as the host introduces each of them as if it were a pageant. The audience greets them with raucous cheers.

Yumi and some of the others sell loto tickets to the audience, walking down the aisles between chairs, running into many obvious regulars.

About a decade ago loto tickets were only VND1,000-2,000 each. At Kasa café, a ticket is VND10,000  ($0.43) and there are people who buy many tickets.

The show begins.

In the art’s heydays, Loto artists performed around the clock across the country. They dived into the heat of melodies and chants to the cheers of the audience, mostly farmers and children.

In a modern show, the audience members are from all walks of life and of all age groups. Every five minutes or so there is resounding laughter as the artists make a joke amidst a song or stage a comedy skit.

A kid in the audience, eyes wide, asks loudly: “Why are those men wearing dresses? It’s so weird!”

His father admonishes him: “Don’t say that. They are women.” 

Story by Sen 

Photos by Thanh Nguyen

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[marketingadvisorvietnam]

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên https://www.ticvietnam.vn/lgbt-troupes-set-saigon-stages-alight-with-cabaret-bingo-shows/

LGBT troupes set Saigon stages alight with cabaret-bingo shows

A popular cultural entertainment event presented by LGBT people mocks social evils often, but it is not officially recognized.

A group of gay and transmen are making up, but this is not your typical drag queen show.

Their cabaret act incorporates a form of bingo, which is popular in this country.

The members of Huong Nam loto troupe are in a room on the second floor at Kasa Café, District 10, HCMC, immersed in their usual weekly pre-show routines. 

Some focus on drawing precise brush lines on their cheeks, others rehearse while putting on foundation, and there is non-stop banter. They are all gay men or transwomen, and they pitch their deep voices higher and their body language is overtly feminine. 

The two oldest performers, Nga (mirror in hand, left) and Phung (to her left) are getting dolled up for the show and so is a young performer sitting on stage. He will be the only one going up on stage with a pixie cut.  

Bingo or loto, as it is called in Vietnam, is especially popular in the southern countryside.

The Huong Nam troupe chooses a different theme for every show. Before the performance, they sell to the audience a paper with a jumble of bingo numbers for VND10,000 or $0.43 each. The performers then sing songs based on the theme of that day’s show – acoustic or ballad night, for instance – interspersed with the bingo numbers.

The audience listens attentively to the lyrics and crosses out the numbers the performers call out. The person with the winning number is called to the stage and given a gift. The process is then repeated.

In France, the game is known as le lotto (or loto). In Germany, this game (called tombola) was used in the 19th century as an educational tool to teach children math, spelling and even history.

Loto originated in the 16th century as the Italian game of bingo, which then spread to England, France and other parts of Europe in the 18th century. It came to Vietnam with the French in the 19th century. Those were also its heydays, especially in the southwestern provinces, when everyone played it during the Lunar New Year festival.

SuSu, leader of the Huong Nam troupe, told VnExpress International: “Bingo or loto performances initially involved just traditional music. They would play traditional instruments like the drum and flute. Today, modern music has been added.”

In southwestern rural areas, troupes would simply find a vacant spot and set up a loto stage and perform. City-based troupes like Huong Nam (meaning Scent of the South) mainly perform in cafés, public fairs or stadiums.

The amount of work and creativity that goes into each show is enormous since it is hard enough to engage the audience with just the performance. Putting random numbers into the music is much harder.

Back in the ‘green room,’ the artists make fun of each other’s attractive and not-so-attractive features, but also empower each other. The camaraderie and affection are palpable.

Rising millennial

“Slim” Little Tu, as everyone in the troupe endearingly calls the chubby 20-year-old, is the youngest performer in the group. Tu has been in loto for two years. But he already boasts an impressive CV: he played a supporting role in “TransViet Laugh”, a stars-only version of Vinh Long Television’s popular comedy reality show and has been on “Ganh Hat Ngan Hoa”, Vietnam’s first ever TV loto show.

Describing himself as “peculiarly unattractive,” Little Tu says other intriguing things too.

“My parents have come to see me perform a couple of times. My mom is very proud of me. One time she posted a picture of me dressed up as a woman on Facebook with the caption ‘My dear son’.” He wondered with a giggle how people reacted to that post.

As he spoke with VnExpress International, the banter continued.

“Do I look like a girl now?” he asked after the last brush of powder.

“You look like a girl even without makeup,” the makeup artist responded.

When VnExpress International asked about his romantic interest, he said: “I go with my emotions. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a boy or girl.”

Yumi, 27, has been a loto artist for seven years. She came to Saigon from An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta five months ago.

“I came across loto by chance; there was a loto group near my house,” she said.

“I have artistic blood in me, so I accompanied the group. At first I was just a ticket seller, but one day they were short of performers and asked me to audition. My interest in loto began then.”

She also sells stuff on social media for some extra income.

Like any struggling artist, she was unable to make ends meet at first. She used to get paid VND60,000 (less than $3) for a night’s performance. She makes VND500,000-600,000 ($21.40 – $25.70) now.

“When I was learning how to do this, I had to go to an Internet café and download music on my phone to learn the songs. I didn’t have easy access to the Internet.”

Yumi’s parents were not happy with her decision at first. For a change in Vietnam, she is referring to her job rather than gender or sexual orientation: “My mother wanted me to have a steady job like teaching. But then once they saw I’m destined to be a loto performer, they approved and encouraged me.”

Revered senior loto artists

While the youngest artist is relaxed about the show coming up, the two oldest performers are not. They are meticulously rehearsing their lines, improvising, accompanied by the guitarist. They debate when to hit a high note and when to stress the lyrics, and jot down the changes on crib sheets.

Nga, one of them, is getting dolled up for the show.

With a background in reformed theater (cai luong), she has been a performing artist for 30 years, and doing loto for over 20. She was swept off her feet by a group of male loto artists playing the song lang, a percussion instrument used in traditional music.

That was the moment that marked her switch to loto from traditional folk music.

She says: “I first performed loto in Tay Ninh city [in the southwestern]. And then I went all the way to the north and back to perform.

“There was a hiatus after a while when loto performances with traditional music was not as popular and it fizzled out. Then troupes formed by young people brought life back to the loto scene and people started to be curious about it again. One of them is Huong Nam. They invited me to join, and here I am.”

Nga and Phung, the other senior, were first invited to be guest performers, but they decided to stay after taking a great liking to the group members.

Nga continues: “I was planning to be a guest performer, but then I began to adore the Huong Nam loto artists and their stories and how they are dedicated to the craft and willing to listen and learn from their seniors.”

Nga’s family – parents and other relatives – attends her shows when they can.

“Because I’m like this, I can’t have a family of my own,” she says, gesturing at herself with her eyes. She identifies herself as a woman without revealing her sexual orientation.

In all her years in the business Nga has thought the biggest challenge as a loto artist is getting recognition and respect, especially from officials.

The art of loto is received positively by audiences and often employed as a tool to ridicule social evils. However, it has not been officially recognized for several reasons, including possibly its LGBT links.

The late Professor Tran Van Khe once said: “Loto is not purely entertainment but also meets the demand for cultural enjoyment of the Vietnamese, thereby contributing to transmitting and preserving proverbs, idioms, folk songs which are considered cultural heritages and preventing them from dying out.”

Khe, a revered icon on the musical landscape, was a musicologist and an honorary member of UNESCO’s International Music Council.

Trans or not

Linh Anh (sitting, right) is fully supported by her partner.

“My family knew I was a girl. They encouraged me to be true to myself. When I was 18, my mom asked whether I wanted to get a wife.

It was clearly a rhetorical question because her mother already knew the answer. “I want to BE a wife, I told her.”

When she is not singing Loto on stage, Linh Anh is a student at the HCMC Dance School majoring in choreography and gives dance lessons to kids in elementary and middle schools.

The 27-years-old hugely admires transpeople who have undergone surgery, some of whom are her fellow performers in Huong Nam. 

Boi Nhi (sitting, left) is a favorite performer of Huong Nam troupe. When she is not busy with loto, Nhi also works as a freelance actress and health consultant at My Home Clinic, an LGBTQI-friendly clinic.

At an LGBT event hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in August, she said that hormones used by transgender individuals are not regulated in Vietnam. “Transgenders like me who use these hormones are not protected by law,” Nhi said. Homosexuals who want to become transgenders often look up to those who have already had sex reassignment surgery and seek their advice on hormone use, the actress said.

“We have no idea what these pills contain. Because the Ministry of Health does not inspect and supervise these hormone pills, we as transgenders have to resort to advice from successfully transgendered people for medical advice and support so that we can eventually find ourselves just like they did,” Nhi said.

“I seriously cannot go through what they went through. But I’m a woman anyway, so I don’t feel the need to have surgery. Besides, I like to transform myself and make others eager to see my transformation. If I have surgery, I won’t have that ability,” Linh Anh added.

Unlike many other 20s-something artists, she cannot sing modern music. “I am trained in cai luong (reformed theater), so I try to do contemporary dance to cai luong music.”

After everyone puts on their best dress and completes their rehearsal, they go backstage. Yumi prays to the tutelary gods of the arts before every show, a spiritual practice that is believed to sustain the artists during their performance.

Individual performers walk out to the stage and bow to and wave at the audience gracefully as the host introduces each of them as if it were a pageant. The audience greets them with raucous cheers.

Yumi and some of the others sell loto tickets to the audience, walking down the aisles between chairs, running into many obvious regulars.

About a decade ago loto tickets were only VND1,000-2,000 each. At Kasa café, a ticket is VND10,000  ($0.43) and there are people who buy many tickets.

The show begins.

In the art’s heydays, Loto artists performed around the clock across the country. They dived into the heat of melodies and chants to the cheers of the audience, mostly farmers and children.

In a modern show, the audience members are from all walks of life and of all age groups. Every five minutes or so there is resounding laughter as the artists make a joke amidst a song or stage a comedy skit.

A kid in the audience, eyes wide, asks loudly: “Why are those men wearing dresses? It’s so weird!”

His father admonishes him: “Don’t say that. They are women.” 

Story by Sen 

Photos by Thanh Nguyen

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