Lam Dong Makes Its Mark on the National Dancesport Stage
Through the dedication and determination of both athletes and coaches, Lam Dong’s youth dancesport team has consistently won hundreds of medals at national dancesport competitions each year.
Promising Young Talents
Elegant, self-assured, and composed, Tran Dong Nghi (born in 2012), currently a ninth-grade student at Le Hong Phong Secondary School in Duc Trong Commune, consistently shines during training with Lam Dong’s youth dancesport team as they gear up for significant national competitions.
Few realize that Dong Nghi began her journey in dancesport in the first grade under unusual circumstances. Her mother, Ngo Thi Thu Huyen, reveals that Nghi had struggled with chronic respiratory issues as a young child and often needed medical attention. Following a doctor's advice, her family encouraged her to engage in sports to improve her health.
After watching children practicing dancesport in Duc Trong, Huyen decided to enroll her daughter in a class. Since then, Dong Nghi has shown unwavering commitment to the sport.
To facilitate their children's training, Huyen's family moved from Nam Ban Lam Ha to Duc Trong Commune, where they started a business and committed time to support their daughters. Both Dong Nghi and her younger sister, Tran Tieu Lam An (born in 2013), who is currently an eighth-grade student at Le Hong Phong Secondary School, commenced their dancesport lessons in first grade.
Currently, both sisters uphold impressive academic achievements, engage enthusiastically in school activities, and are outstanding members of the youth dancesport team in Lam Dong. They have claimed multiple medals in national contests, including youth championship competitions.
When asked how many medals she had won, Dong Nghi chuckled and said, “There are so many that I can’t recall them all.”
Aside from Dong Nghi and Lam An, the group includes several other talented athletes such as Ho Thi Ha Linh (born in 2011), Vu Duc Thien (born in 2012), Phan Huy Khanh, and Huynh Le Anh Vy.
Of these, the collaboration between Dong Nghi and Duc Thien has been particularly noteworthy over the years. Recently, the duo achieved success at the 2026 National Dancesport Club Championships and National Dancesport Cup in Dien Bien, earning a gold medal and a bronze medal in the juvenile championship category.
A “Gold Mine” for Provincial Sports
According to Luu Phi Long, the head coach of Lam Dong’s youth dancesport team, the team was formed in 2018 and currently comprises ten official athletes along with a number of reserve competitors. The majority of the members hail from Duc Trong Commune and the Da Lat region.
“The team evolves every year. We choose new talents to enhance the squad for national competitions based on the athletes’ performances,” Coach Long shared.
Every year, the team concentrates on gearing up for three key national tournaments: The National Dancesport Club Championships, The National Youth Dancesport Championships, and The National Dancesport Championships.
In addition, the team engages in chosen provincial and regional contests to gain experience and enhance their performance. Due to consistent investment and training, dancesport enables Lam Dong to secure hundreds of medals annually in both amateur and elite divisions at national competitions.
Not only has the number of medals increased year after year, but the quality of those medals has also improved significantly
Luu Phi Long, Head Coach of Lam Dong’s Youth Dancesport Team
Despite these accomplishments, Coach Long pointed out that most team members are young athletes. As a result, most of its achievements have come in youth and junior-level competitions, while significant titles at the national championship level remain somewhat scarce.
However, dancesport is rapidly gaining popularity in areas like Da Lat, Phan Thiet, Duc Trong, and Bao Loc, where numerous clubs are operating effectively. This growing grassroots movement provides an important foundation for identifying talent and fostering the ongoing development of the provincial team.
As stated by Le Tri Dung, Acting Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Sports Training and Competition Center, dancesport, in addition to chess, ranks among the province's top sports for winning medals. “This is a priority sport for us and will be the focus of substantial investment and support in the coming years,” Dung confirmed.