In traditional bright-colored dresses, about 20 Vietnamese students twirled umbrellas and spun bamboo hats Saturday night to celebrate their culture.
The Vietnamese Student Organization hosted their annual cultural show, “Tết,” or Vietnamese New Year, at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom. About 450 people attended to see historical skits, colorful fans and Vietnamese pop music, marking the start of a new year.
“Tết” is Vietnam’s most important holiday and marks the beginning of spring and the lunar new year, said Kim Vo, VSO’s internal vice president. The UF organization has been putting on celebrations for the holiday for more than 40 years.
“Every year’s show is different, and we want to showcase our culture,” Vo, a UF health science junior said.
This year’s theme was “EmBARK on a New Year,” celebrating the zodiac’s Year of the Dog, the 20-year-old said.
Performances included various dances from the organization’s traditional and modern dance groups and alpha Kappa Delta Phi. Different skits discussed how the holiday originated, including the importance of rice in Vietnamese culture.
Guests ate cultural food, and children received “lì xì,” or lucky money, which brings good fortune.
Jacqueline Egelfeld, a 19-year-old UF health science freshman, said she finds Vietnamese culture fascinating and has learned the basics of the language. She also went to the celebration to support a friend who was performing.
“Even though my friend is in it, I’m excited to see (the modern dance), it shows the culture in a unique way,” Egelfeld said.
The Vietnamese Student Organization’s traditional dance group waved their fans for their performance on Saturday night for the organization's “Tết” celebration, or the Vietnamese New Year. They also performed with umbrellas and bamboo hats as part of the holiday tradition.
