Last night was Tết Trung thu – the Mid-Autumn Festival – in Vietnam (and China and elsewhere in this part of the world). In Vietnam, I associate this traditional holiday with the Lion Dance more than anything else. The neighborhood dancers that came to our home, schoolboys who all live nearby, stopped by last night to perform and bring Minh and I good fortune in the year to come. Plenty of neighbors were on hand to watch – Lion Dance performances are great fun for all. For the record the boys have been practicing their drum act for the last six weeks or so about 50 meters from my house in a place used by the government’s neighborhood committee. Rehearsals finally came to an end with last night’s performances. Another reason to welcome the arrival of Tết Trung thu.
After the drum concert concluded, the lions arrived to do their dance. Some of the troupes that tour downtown areas do elaborate acrobatic acts that draw large crowds. The dance at my home was much simpler, but also considerably more intimate and no less enjoyable than slicker acts elsewhere.
After performing in the courtyard outside my home, the lion’s moved inside for a brief tour of the house to spread good fortune throughout. Some neighborhood kids grabbed front row seats for the festivities.
Finally, the dancers concluded their performance with a bright send-off, before moving on to the house across the street.
