Vietnam Dance Academy

Vietnam Dance Academy (Vietnamese: Học viện Múa Việt Nam, commonly abbreviated VNAD) is a public educational institution in Vietnam's national education system, operating under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and subject to state management by the Ministry of Education and Training. It is based in Hanoi and is widely regarded as the cradle of Vietnamese dance art, having trained generations of dancers, choreographers, researchers and cultural administrators. The institution traces its origins to the founding of Trường Múa Việt Nam (Vietnam Dance School) on 25 October 1959. Over decades of development it was upgraded to Trường Cao đẳng Múa Việt Nam (Vietnam Dance College) in 2001, and by Decision No. 01/QĐ-TTg dated 3 January 2019 of the Prime Minister it was re-established as Học viện Múa Việt Nam (Vietnam Dance Academy). The academy has received numerous state honours, including Independence Medals (First, Second and Third Class) and Labour Medals, as well as Ho Chi Minh and State prizes in literature and arts. VNAD offers specialised training in dance at intermediate and university levels. Its main programmes include Dance Training (university level), Dance Choreography (university level), and Dance Performance with in-depth tracks for dance-drama performers and folk-ethnic dancers at intermediate level. The academy also engages in performance, research and criticism in dance art, and maintains a public presence through its website, admissions announcements, photo and video archives, and student activities. As a state-owned institution, VNAD is funded and supervised by public authorities. It has faced public scrutiny, notably in 2021 when hundreds of parents and students complained about not receiving lower and upper secondary graduation certificates despite completing their studies, because the school had registered for vocational education activities from 2017 without a linked general education provider. The Ministry of Education and Training stated it was seeking solutions to protect students' rights. Today VNAD continues to position itself as the leading dance education institution in Vietnam, recruiting students through annual entrance examinations and contributing to the country's cultural and artistic life.

The institution that became Vietnam Dance Academy was founded on 25 October 1959 as Trường Múa Việt Nam (Vietnam Dance School). From its earliest days it received special attention from the Party, the State and President Ho Chi Minh, who visited the school twice to encourage it and assign it the task of training young artistic talents in dance for the country. Over the following decades the school went through many historical ups and downs and several stages of development. In 2001 it was upgraded to Trường Cao đẳng Múa Việt Nam (Vietnam Dance College). On 3 January 2019, by Decision No. 01/QĐ-TTg, the Prime Minister approved the establishment of Học viện Múa Việt Nam (Vietnam Dance Academy) on the basis of the college. The year 2019 thus marked a significant milestone for the entire staff, teachers, workers and students of the school. Throughout its 60-year history, the academy has been described as maintaining the position of the 'leading bird' and as deserving the title 'cradle of Vietnamese dance'. It has trained many generations of artists and dance talents who went on to work in performance, composition, research, theory and criticism. Many alumni have taken on important responsibilities in the state management apparatus of the culture sector, including becoming National Assembly delegates and Director of the Performing Arts Department, and many have been awarded professorial titles and honours such as People's Teacher, People's Artist, Meritorious Teacher and Meritorious Artist. For its efforts, Vietnam Dance Academy has been awarded by the Party and State the Independence Medal First, Second and Third Class; the Labour Medal First, Second and Third Class; and various literature and arts prizes, the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize. It is hoped that the more than 3,000 students trained at the school who are working in performance, composition, teaching and research criticism in dance art will continue to write golden pages of history and contribute to the academy's growth. In 2021 the academy faced a public controversy when, on 31 March 2021, hundreds of parents and students sent appeals because they had not been granted lower and upper secondary graduation certificates after leaving school despite having completed their studies and having grades. The cause was that from 2017 the school had registered for vocational education activities, and its list of activities did not include teaching general culture subjects. Instead of partnering with another educational unit to teach culture subjects, the school continued to teach them as before without linking to an external educational provider, resulting in the absence of an identification code to issue graduation certificates to students. When a parent asked how to resolve the issue, the only way mentioned was to 're-study culture from grade 7'. The Ministry of Education and Training later said it was seeking solutions to ensure students' rights.

• 2021

  On 31 March, hundreds of parents and students appealed because they had not received secondary graduation certificates.

• 2019

  By Decision No. 01/QĐ-TTg dated 3 January, the Prime Minister approved the establishment of Vietnam Dance Academy on the basis of the college.

• 2017

  School registered for vocational education activities, which later led to issues with issuing secondary graduation certificates.

• 2001

  Upgraded to Vietnam Dance College (Trường Cao đẳng Múa Việt Nam).

• 1959

  Vietnam Dance School (Trường Múa Việt Nam) founded on 25 October.

Vietnam's leading public dance education institution, described as the cradle of Vietnamese dance art.

• Dance Training (university level)

  University-level programme in dance training.

• Dance Choreography (university level)

  University-level programme in dance choreography.

• Dance Performance (intermediate level)

  Intermediate-level programme with in-depth tracks for dance-drama performers and folk-ethnic dancers.

• 2021 graduation certificate controversy

Read more

• Prime Minister's Decision No. 01/QĐ-TTg (3 January 2019)Other

1. 1VNAD official websitevnad.edu.vn
2. 2Wikidata entry for 越南舞蹈學院wikidata.org
3. 3Học viện Múa Việt Nam - Wikipedia (Vietnamese)vi.wikipedia.org