Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - As many as 5,000 people will perform ’xoe’,a traditional dance of Thai ethnicity people, to set a GuinnessWorld Record, at the opening ceremony of Muong Lo Culture and TourismFestival on September 20 in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai.

Arepresentative of the Guinness World Records will attend the festival torecognise this performance, Le Hai Yen, director of the ceremony, said during apress conference in Hanoi on September 10.

Thefestival is held annually to introduce beautiful landscapes, culture andpromote tourism in the province.

This yearthe highlight of the five-day festival is the ’xoe’ dance,during which people hold hands and perform six traditional acts includingwelcoming, clapping hands, performing in a group of four, moving back andforth, waving scarves and offering wine.   

They willshape a circle symbolising solidarity, a pattern on brocade, terraced fieldsand orchid flowers, all highlights of the northern region.

“Duringthe festival in 2013, we set a Vietnamese record with a ’xoe’ danceperformed by 2,013 people,” Yen said.

“Thisyear we try to make something bigger as authorities in the northern mountainousprovinces are working on a dossier for recognising ’xoe’ danceas a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of humanity. During the process ofpreparing for the festival, we have received much support from the localauthorities and people, so we decided to set a new record.”

When Yencontacted Guinness World Records, her ambition was encouraged as theorganisation also wants to honour traditional values and cultural heritage.

“However,they sent me many criteria and regulations, for example 5,000 participants haveto perform the dance at the same time and venue, in the same kind of costumes.Their representatives will attend and count carefully with electronicdevices,” Yen said

She saidit's a big challenge, but the people’s support motivated her.

“Thiswill be the first time a folk dance of Vietnam is recognised by GuinnessWorld Records. All of the people are proud and eager for it. It’s notdifficult to find 5,000 people because all locals know how to dance andvolunteer to join."

“‘xoe’ isa unique type of traditional dance of ethnic Thai communities in the northernregion of Vietnam,” said folk artisan Lo Van Bien, who has preserved muchcultural heritage of the Thai and has composed songs for the Muong Lofestival.

“Itdepicts the daily lives of Thai people and shows their wish for a peacefuland prosperous life. It has a strong attachment that and plays a significantrole in our lives. There is no border between classes, ages and genders. Whenmusic starts, all people dance together hand in hand.”

Duong VanTien, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, agreed.

“For thepeople, ’xoe’ dance is very popular, it’s performed in allfestive activities. People have developed, protected and handed down throughgenerations over hundreds of years.

“Settinga record ’xoe’ dance is very meaningful because it may be afactor for UNESCO to consider recognising it as world intangible heritage,” Tiensaid.

He saidhe expected the festival will attract 750,000 visitors./.