Portrait

Vietnam’s Talented Circus Brothers

On December 22, 2016, with skilled moves to keep their balance when putting their heads together, two Vietnamese brothers, who are circus performers, climbed all 90 steps of the Girona Cathedral Church (in Girona, Spain) in 52 seconds.

That impressive performance was made by two brothers Giang Quoc Co and Giang Quoc Nghiep, who were invited by the Directorate of the Spanish Circus to perform on the occasion of the Church’s 600th anniversary. During their performance, Quoc Co built up a support base for Quoc Nghiep to make his balanced moves. With difficult and high risk moves, their performance attracted many spectators including local officials, the church’s dignitaries, foreign circus performers and a local audience as well.

On January 6, 2017, good news was received by the two brothers. The Guinness Book of World Records officially recognised their performance in Girona as a new world record. Earlier in 2014, in Xiamen city of China’s Fujian province, two Chinese circus performers, Tang Tao and Su Zengxian, made a world record in a similar category after they climbed 25 steps in 60 seconds.



Quoc Co builds up a base for Quoc Nghiep to climb on the steps at Girona Church in Spain. Photo: File


Quoc Co and Quoc Nghiep coordinate with each other in a difficult move. Photo: File


Skilled moves to keep their balance when putting their heads together.Photo: File


Climbed all 90 steps of the Girona Cathedral Church (in Girona, Spain) in 52 seconds.Photo: File




On January 6, 2017, good news was received by the two brothers. The Guinness Book of World Records officially recognised their performance in Girona as a new world record.Photo: File


Earlier in 2014, in Xiamen city of China’s Fujian province, two Chinese circus performers, Tang Tao and
Su Zengxian, made a world record in a similar category after they climbed 25 steps in 60 seconds.
Photo: File


Their performance attracted many spectators including local officials, the church’s dignitaries, foreign circus performers
and a local audience as well. 
Photo: File


“When my brother and I reached the 90th step of the church, we could not believe that we did it in only 52 seconds, less than 60 seconds, a goal set by the organisers. So we made a new world record, which is also our own record from that point in  time,” recalled Quoc Co, with strong emotions.

Foreign mass media, including major publications such as NBC News, AFP, Strait Times, Emporda and Getty Images, published pictures of the two Vietnamese circus performers performing in Girona where they set their record.

The strong points of these two Vietnam’s “circus princes”, as nicknamed by Vietnamese circus lovers, are their circus performances which require strength and flexibility of muscles as well as their good looking bodies. Being brothers and due to their long training time together, they can coordinate perfectly each move, even in the tiniest detail. The Giang brothers have showed off many unique circus performances to both domestic and foreign spectators, of which the most famous one is the “Power of hands” that has won high praise.

The unique move of this performance is that when their heads are opposite each other, Quoc Co builds up a base for Quoc Nghiep to jump up from before placing his head on his older brother’s head. Maintaining this position with good balance, they do a backward climb on the steps. The performance greatly impresses spectators not only because of its highly artistic value, but also a manifestation of the two actors’ close coordination. Each one’s role is as important as the other’s in showing off their talent while performing difficult moves.

The two actors have performed in a circus for 15 years, and for more than ten years they have showed off their “power of hands” in more than 30 countries and territories. They have won many big prizes at home and abroad, including three gold medals and three silver medals at the International Circus Festivals held in Italy, Russia, China and Cuba and two special prizes at Monte Carlo and Monaco Circus Festivals, along with many prizes achieved at home.

In late 2016, Quoc Co and Quoc Nghiep performed a circus drama, “Brothers – Convergence of Quintessence”, in Ho Chi Minh City, which marked the 15th anniversary of their circus career. The “Power of hands” is performed as the key part, in which its level of difficulty and technique was highly increased. The circus drama attracted the attention of many spectators, impressing them with much emotion.



A circus move performed by Quoc Co and Quoc Nghiep to celebrate 15 years
of their career on November 3, 2016 in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: File





Quoc Co and Quoc Nghiep coordinate with each other in a difficult move. Photo: File




With their notable achievements, in 2011 they were selected as “outstanding young citizens” of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: File

During their performance abroad on the occasion of the Christmas and New Year 2017 holidays, the two Vietnamese “circus princes” made a big splash in the world circus community when they set a new world record performing at Girona Cathedral in Spain, as mentioned above.

With their notable achievements, in 2011 they were selected as “outstanding young citizens” of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, Quoc Co was conferred by the Vietnamese State the title “Merited Actor” when he was 28 years old, and Quoc Nghiep received the same title at 26.

Talking about their plans for the future, the two “circus princes” said that they will concentrate on improving their technique in the “Power of hands”, and want to introduce different circus performances to Vietnamese audiences.













A circus move performed by Quoc Co and Quoc Nghiep to celebrate 15 years
of their career on November 3, 2016 in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: File









The brothers perform at the street festival during the 6th Buon Me Thuot Coffee Festival
and the 2017 Central Highlands Gong Cultural Festival. Photo: Le Minh/VNP
 
Story: Son Nghia - Photos: Le Minh, Nguyen Luan and files

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