Arts & Entertainment

Learn About Vietnamese New Year at the Library

Kids will learn unicorn moves and drumming to drive off bad luck, listen to zodiac tales, watch and dance along with a cultural dance group and enjoy a martial arts demonstration at Ridgedale Library on Sunday, Feb. 3.

Schoolage children will learn about the Vietnamese New Year holiday known as Tet or Tet Nguyen Dan, the biggest and most popular festival of the year in Vietnam, at free programs in January and February at Hennepin County libraries.

Tet is celebrated on the first day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which is Feb. 10 in 2013. In the Vietnamese zodiac, years are associated with animals; 2013 is the Year of the Snake. Snakes are considered symbols of luck in Vietnam, so 2013 is anticipated as a year of prosperity and peace.

Kids will learn unicorn moves and drumming to drive off bad luck, listen to zodiac tales, watch and dance along with a cultural dance group and enjoy a martial arts demonstration. Participants are encouraged to wear traditional clothing.

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Performers

Hoang Anh Dance Group

Hoang Anh Dance Group, a troupe of nine Twin Cities students ranging in age from fifth grade through the third year of medical school, will perform and teach simple dance moves. Led by co-founders and choreographers Thuy Duong Nguyen-Tran and Hai Duong Nguyen-Tran, the dance troupe has performed at the Minnesota History Center and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, as well as at many events throughout the area, including the Mall of America’s annual Pride of Vietnam event and Mid-Autumn Festival, World Refugee Day and Twins Fest.

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Anh Ha Kieu Nguyen

Anh Ha Kieu Nguyen, an award-winning soloist and dancer who studied traditional music at the National Music School in Vietnam and the New Stage Performance High School in Vietnam, will perform on the T’rung, a suspended bamboo xylophone. For 25 years she performed at community and holiday events throughout Vietnam and abroad. In 2007 she emigrated to Minnesota, where she continues to perform traditional Vietnamese music for diverse audiences.

Asian Storytellers Alliance

Asian Storytellers Alliance will enthrall with traditional Vietnamese and Asian folk tales that foster communication and understanding across generations and cultures. The professional storytellers have performed “The Tet Pole,” “The Legend of the Watermelon” and other folk tales for all ages at Landmark Center, Mall of America, World Refugee Day, the Dragon Festival, the Minnesota History Center and elsewhere.

Martial Arts Demonstration

Enjoy a martial arts demonstration by masters Hua Truong and Mac Le, plus students from the Hung Vuong Association of Minnesota, a Twin Cities nonprofit organization that provides cultural and social activities for Vietnamese American youths to empower them to become active citizens and future leaders.

Programs are presented in collaboration with Hung Vuong Association of Minnesota and are funded by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Call the libraries for more information or go online to www.hclib.org.

“Tet: Vietnamese New Year 2013” Programs

Hennepin County Library - Southdale
Saturday, Jan. 26, 10:30 a.m. 

Hennepin County Library - Sumner
Saturday, Jan. 26, 1:30 p.m. 

Hennepin County Library – Brooklyn Park
Sunday, Jan. 27, 1:30 p.m.

Hennepin County Library – Augsburg Park

Saturday, Feb. 2, 10:30 a.m.

Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central

Children’s Library

Saturday, Feb. 2, 1:30 p.m.

Hennepin County Library – Ridgedale

Sunday, Feb. 3, 1:30 p.m.


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