Say hello to the team powering up this year’s conference! From programming and logistics to design and outreach, our staff is made up of dedicated leaders committed to creating an unforgettable experience. Get to know the people behind the scenes who make every level of this conference possible.
The University of Iowa proudly presents an original fan dance choreographed to Kẽo Cà Kẽo Kẹt by Hoàng Thùy Linh. The song captures themes of perseverance and resilience in the face of hardship. The performance begins with traditional short fans and transitions into long, flowing fans, whose elegant movements mirror the music’s powerful rhythms and entrancing melodies.
In 2017, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Vietnamese Student Association started its first traditional Vietnamese dance team. Today, the UW Traditional Dance Team brings together students with various dance experiences to honor Vietnamese heritage. Through a combination of traditional dance, such as múa nón lá and múa quạt, and modern Vietnamese Pop music, the team hopes to capture the beauty of Vietnamese culture, both new and old, through their graceful, sharp movements.
Michelle Nguyen and Kane Khammanh are students at The Ohio State University who share a passion for dance. They will perform a contemporary modern piece which features original choreography, using expressive movement to convey a story that can be understood beyond language barriers.
Tien VoNguyen and Hieu Nguyen are Loyola University Chicago alumni and will perform a piano/voice cover of “From The Start” by Laufey, with a slight lyrical twist. From almost forgetting Vietnamese to bringing it to the stage, preparing this performance has been a long but rewarding journey for Tien to level up. For Hieu, learning new jazz styles has required stepping outside the comfort zone of his classical piano training. Through this popular song, Tien and Hieu hope to unlock a new connection with the audience across English, Vietnamese, and the universal language of music.
DTG Lions is a nonprofit Lion Dance Group under the Church of St. Anne and St. Joseph Hien founded in 2010. Their mission is to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture in our community through collaboration, dedication, and integrity. Their eam consists primarily of youth within the Vietnamese church community. They strive to teach both our team members and our audiences about what lion dancing is, as an outlet to Vietnamese culture. As a nonprofit, the funding they make through their services are utilized to purchase new equipment and lions of higher quality, as well as support the members through training and excursions such as public performances. Through DTG Lions, they hope to bring Vietnamese culture to people of various backgrounds throughout Minnesota.
Day turns night as a group of foxes step out, shapes shifting like shadow. Who will they play with tonight? One by one, eyes sharpen and focus narrows... so begins the fun. The taste of hope is in the air— hope of something new, something unknown on the horizon. But beware, before the next sun rises, we will all be CLUB RED.