VIETNAM
Vietnam’s sacred dance heritage spans a rich array of ethnic and spiritual traditions across its
54 ethnic groups. In the northwest and mountains, dances like the Dao Bell dance and
H’mong Khen engage with animist and ancestor-worship traditions connected to life
milestones. Thai Xòe and Then ceremonies blend communal celebration with shamanistic
rituals. In central Vietnam, the Cham ritual dances carry ancient sacred meanings : honoring
deities with offerings, fire, and sword. Meanwhile, among the majority Kinh, lên đồng and
chầu văn practices channel spirits in Đạo Mẫu ceremonies through trance, costume, and
dance. Each dance (though varying widely in form and region) serves as a living bridge
between the human and spiritual realms, preserving cultural identity and religious expression.
These sacred dances are not merely performances but embodied prayers, deeply woven into
the spiritual and social lives of their communities. Music, costumes, and movement act in
unison to invoke divine presence, heal ailments, and affirm ancestral connections.
Transmission often occurs orally and experientially, with elders guiding younger generations
in both technique and meaning. As modernization threatens traditional practices, cultural
preservation efforts have gained urgency to keep these intangible heritages alive. Ultimately,
Vietnam’s sacred dances reflect a profound dialogue between the seen and unseen, rooted in
centuries of devotion and cultural resilience.
List of Dances
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Bà Chúa Xứ Vietnam
Chầu văn (Hát văn) Vietnam
Cham Offering & Ritual Dances Vietnam
Dao Bell Dance Vietnam
H’mong Khen Dance Vietnam
Bà Chúa Xứ
Inscribed in 2024 (19.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
REFERENCE : Unesco
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Vietnam
Region : Sam Mountain
Spirituality : Lunar
Ethnic group : different
The festival of Bà Chúa Xứ Goddess at Sam Mountain takes place from the 22nd to the 27th day of the fourth lunar month. Observed by the Kinh, Khmer, Cham and Hoa communities in Châu Đốc city, it entails performing religious ceremonies and music and dance to express gratitude to the Mother Earth goddess, who is believed to grant protection and promote prosperity, health and peace. Some key components of the festival include a palanquin procession, a bathing ceremony to change the clothes and jewelry of the statue of the goddess, and the preparation and presentation of offerings. A management board is nominated to coordinate the festivities, and each community contributes to a key component of the event. This collaborative approach underscores the cultural integration and harmony of different communities that share a geographic location and similar beliefs. The rituals and customs of the festival are transmitted within families and communities through hands-on practice and participation in the festival. A source of cultural exchange and social cohesion, the festival of Bà Chúa Xứ Goddess at Sam Mountain is also an opportunity to transmit common values, celebrate the role of women in society, and commemorate the contributions of ancestors to the nation’s history.
Dao Bell Dance
Region : Northern mountains : Son La, Yên Bái, Hòa Bình
Ethnic group : Dao (Dao Tien)
Spirituality : Dao folk/Animist beliefs
The bell dance is often performed in sacred events of the Dao ethnic community in Son La Province, including the Cap sac or Coming-of-age ritual, and those praying for bumper harvests.
Most significantly, the bell dance is considered a ceremony to pay tribute to their ancestors.
The dance is aimed at asking the ancestors to protect family members, blessing them with health and prosperity. When dancing, performers hold a delicate bell in their hand to create a
beat, while their feet sway with enticing moves. Small drums, Vietnam’s two-chord fiddle, and a flute can also be played during the dance. A bell dance often involves a group of 8 male or female dancers, the more the funnier. They dance while singing old songs. The performances re-enact important life events, such as births and wedding days.
Bell dance is the main ritual at ceremonies such as the Fire Dance Festival, the Maturity Ceremony, and Tomb Sweeping Festival at the beginning of the year, the last farewell to the dead ceremony, and the crop praying ceremony. A bell dance group often has 8 men or 8 women standing in a circle. A dance can have many circles of men, women, and children.
The dancers hold bells in their right hand and shake three times from the inside out and back while dancing three steps from left to right and one step back, then turning around to the initial position. They keep dancing until the end of the song. At the end of the dance, they change from a circle dance to a horizontal row and howl loudly. During festival season all Dao hamlets are joyful with the sound of the bell dance which helps community bonding.
Cham Offering & Ritual Dances
Region : Central Vietnam, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Hội An/My Son, Tay Ninh, Đồng Nai
Ethnic group : Cham
Spirituality : Cham indigenous beliefs : Syncretic Hindu, Buddhist and ancestor worship traditions
The offering dance is a sacred dance to pay homage to the gods in the temples. Cham dancers often carry candles, water, fruits, betel and areca nuts on their heads to offer to the gods. The object to be carried is a 3-tiered Thong hala, also known as a “betel tray”, because the offering is mainly made of betel leaves, shaped symmetrically like a work of art. This is the symbol of the great goddess Po Bar Gina of the Cham people. In the Ka Te festival at Po Klong Girai tower, the offering dance is a very important and sacred ritual. The girls dance in front of the tower, carrying offerings on their heads, a scarf over their shoulders, and holding fans in both hands. The fan dance is also called Tamia tadik dance. The dancers follow the rhythm of drums and trumpets, their hands rhythmically controlling the fans to spread out or fold in pairs or spread out and fold one fan at a time. The offering dance has become the intangible cultural essence of the Cham people, which is why it has been staged by choreographers into unique dance performances at the My Son temple complex. Another unique dance of the Cham people is the water carrying dance or jar carrying dance, which the Cham people call Tamia dwa buk. The girls carry a ceramic pot (pu) or a tray (ka ya) containing fruit on their heads. According to researchers, this dance originated from the Thong hala (betel tray) dance in the ceremony of offering holy water to the tower, then combined with the action of carrying a jar of water in daily life. Not only do the Cham people carry offerings on their heads to walk and dance, they also often compete with each other in their talent for carrying objects. The water carrying and ceramic pot carrying game is often held during festivals.
Ritual dances also include dances such as Tamia carit : sword dance, Tamia jwak apwei-fire-stepping dance or whip dance. The dancers are usually men, performing vibrant, heroic
movements that cause great excitement, symbolizing a general rushing into battle, ready to overcome all difficulties and hardships. Ritual dances also include 3 consecutive dances in
the Cham festival called Pa dea, which means to treat – to offer gifts to thank the god Po Klong Girai and the Mother of the land Po Inư Nưng Cành. The female spirit (Mú Bajau) will worship and perform 3 consecutive dances: Lang hláu dance (closed – opened skirt dance), a dance expressing the wish for life to develop and grow with the meaning of fertility; Ke pui dance (fire-biting dance), a dance expressing the oath of lifelong loyalty to the religion and superiors; The Cho Ba Tai Dance (rice threshing dance) is a dance of a god named Po Ki Nonh Mu Tri who is threshing rice so that it falls to earth to feed people.
H’mong Khen Dance
Region : Northwest mountains : Sapa (Lào Cai), Hà Giang, Điện Biên.
Ethnic group : H’mong
Spirituality : Animist, spiritual ancestor rituals
This traditional dance from the mountains of Northern Vietnam is also called the reincarnation of the soul of the Hmong. It is a way for young boys to openly express their emotions. While body language is crucial in demonstrating the wonders of this incredible dance, Khen also allows boys to impress mountain girls. A suitable time would be during love market days. The essential musical instrument of the Khen dance is the bamboo mouth organ. Several participants come from different places: the various mountainous communes
of Sa Pa, others from several provinces (Hà Giang, Yên Bai, Lai Châu). The Khen also allows spectators to enjoy the exotic sounds of spring.
According to cultural researchers, the khèn is the important and unique musical instrument used by the H’mông in their rituals, beliefs and ethnic festivals.
Xoe dance
Region : Northwest : Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Bắc Ninh’s Thai communities.
Ethnic group : Thai
Spirituality : Animist, folk spiritual beliefs
Xòe is a form of Vietnamese dancing with movements that symbolize human activities in ritual, culture, life and work. It is performed at rituals, weddings, village festivals and
community events. There are three main types of xòe: ritual, circle and presentational. The ritual and presentational xòe dances are named after props used during certain performances.
For instance, there is scarf xòe, conical hat xòe, fan xòe, bamboo pole xòe, music xòe, stick xòe and flower xòe. But the most popular form is circle xòe, wherein dancers form a circle
and perform in harmony. The basic movements include raising and opening the hands, then lowering them and clasping the hands of the adjacent person. The dancers follow rhythmic
footsteps, slightly arching the chest and leaning backwards. Although simple, the dance movements symbolize wishes for community health and harmony.
Then ceremony dance
Region : Northeast/Northwest : Tay-Nung-Thai areas, notably in Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Cao Bằng
Ethnic group : Tay, Nung, Thai, others
Spirituality : Folk–ancestral spirit worship using shamanistic, animist practices Lau Then is a performance of arts, including singing, dancing, and acting. The Then melodies
are sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes dignified, sometimes bustling. They have both singers and viewers captivated. The musical instruments for the ceremony include the
gourd lute, the drum and the gong.
The Lau Then ritual consists of many steps. At first, the Then family organizes a ceremony to welcome the Then ancestors and the ancestors of the homeowner to the world to witness the
ritual. Next, the Then masters will count the offerings to the gods before declaring the beginning of the ritual. During this most important step, the Then masters will sing, bestow
blessings, cast spells and tie a red thread around each person’s wrist. The masters then will bestow wishes of health and peace suitable for each person. The Then masters will sing a
report about the smooth and joyful ceremony afterward.
Finally, there is a chau hau tuong (dance to worship the general). Everyone then is invited to join in the joyful rhythm of the song.
Lên đồng / Hầu bóng (Shamanic Mediumship)
Region : Nationwide; especially Northern Vietnam
Ethnic group : Primarily Kinh
Spirituality : Đạo Mẫu (Mother Goddess worship), Vietnamese folk religion, Spiritism
There is a common confusion between “lên đồng” and “hầu bóng” (which is the most prominent ritual of Đạo Mẫu). During a ceremony of “Hầu Bóng” (lit. Serving the Holy Reflections), a priest or priestess would mimic the deities by dressing and acting like them.
The priest is in full control of their body. A successful ceremony is one in which the priest feels the deities’ essences but it does not mean the deities’ spirits enter the priest’s mortal body. As a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities, the “thanh đồng” in Đạo Mẫu is more of the equivalent of a priest rather than a medium or a shaman.
Unlike other forms of shamanism where the shaman must sing, dance and contact the deities, the shaman of lên đồng only reproduces the gestures of the spirit who invests his body.
Chầu văn (Hát văn)
Region : Nothern Vietnam : Red river Delta
Ethnic group : Kinh
Spirituality : Vietnamese folk religion (Đạo Mẫu, Four Palaces worship)
Hát chầu văn or in secular form hát văn (喝文), is a traditional folk art of northern Vietnam which combines trance singing and dancing. Its music and poetry are combined with a variety
of instruments, rhythms, pauses, and tempos. Hát chầu văn originated in the 16th century and spread quickly. The main musical instrument used in hat van performance is the đàn nguyệt
or moon-shaped lute. The genre is famous for its use in rituals for deity mediumship. Chầu văn serves two purposes: to help hypnotize the medium for reception of the deities and to accompany the medium’s actions with appropriate music.The singing and dance in
non-religious form is hát văn (“sung literature”) without the word chầu (“to have an audience with someone of higher power”, “to perform a service and pay homage to a deity”).