8 seasons of Let's Dance, nearly 6,000 students: Why are new students at DNU still waiting for this stage?

Nearly 6,000 students have participated, with 8 consecutive seasons. For many generations of students at Dai Nam University (DNU), Let's Dance is not simply a dance competition. It's also an activity that helps young people entering university have more opportunities to make friends, discover their abilities, and create memorable experiences together during their early days as university students.

From strangers to teammates

The first days of university often begin with many new things: new classes, new professors, new friends, and an environment different from high school. For many freshmen, initiating a conversation with a stranger is already a challenge; standing in front of a crowd, presenting ideas, or working with a group on a shared project requires even more confidence.

Let's Dance facilitates this process to unfold more naturally. Starting with a piece of music, students who had never met before sit down together and divide tasks according to their abilities. Those who know how to dance take on the performance, those with choreography skills come up with ideas; other members are responsible for choosing music, preparing costumes, props, or logistics.

A stage performance may only last a few minutes, but behind it are days of rehearsals, adjustments, discussions, and resolving differences during the process. It is this collaborative work that helps strangers gradually form connections and become a team.

Ngoc Minh, a student from the Faculty of Business Administration and Marketing, shared: “After Let's Dance, I feel more confident, have made new friends, and dare to present ideas in front of a group. I've also discovered abilities I had never tried before.”

According to Vu Dang Tuan Anh, Secretary of the University's Youth Union, Let's Dance was organized primarily to create a playground for new students. However, the goal of the activity is not only to find good dance teams, but also to create opportunities for students to overcome their initial shyness, make friends, and actively participate in university life.

Therefore, what students gain after a season of Let's Dance is not just the prize. It could be a group of new friends, the chance to perform in front of thousands, or simply an experience that helps a student realize they can do things they never thought possible before.

8 seasons that never repeat themselves

After 7 seasons, nearly 6,000 students from different generations have participated in Let's Dance. For a student-focused event to maintain its appeal for many years, sticking to the same formula isn't enough. Each season of Let's Dance needs to be refreshed to suit a new generation of students.

With each passing season, the stage has received more investment, the sound and lighting have been upgraded, and more attention has been paid to the storytelling and staging of the performances. Alongside this, the creative space for students has expanded. Students no longer simply learn a pre-made dance routine and perform it; they directly participate in the entire process of building their performances, from ideas, music, choreography, costumes, to storytelling on stage.

The school creates the stage, and the students decide what kind of stage it will have. Outstanding performances from Let's Dance have the opportunity to appear in major school events. Talented students are also discovered, connected, and nurtured to participate in clubs and cultural and artistic activities throughout the school year.

According to Ms. Cao Thi Hoa, Vice President of the University Council, universities should not only help students learn new things but also create opportunities for them to realize what they are capable of doing.

“There are abilities that students only discover when given the opportunity to try them out. Let's Dance is one such opportunity. They get to do it for real, experience it firsthand, pursue a common goal together, and most importantly, become more confident after each experience.”

After 8 seasons, Let's Dance is no longer just for students who are good dancers. The stage opens up many different roles for students to participate in, showcasing their individual abilities and talents.

Season 8: The stage is waiting for K20 to shine.

In 2026, Let's Dance enters its 8th season with completely new faces – the K20 freshmen. Outstanding performances will be selected to be showcased at the K20 Freshmen Welcome Concert. Talented individuals will also have the opportunity to participate in cultural, artistic, and student movement activities throughout the academic year.

However, before a performance is chosen, the valuable experience begins with the rehearsals. Quân, a medical student who participated in Let's Dance, remembers not the moment of standing on stage, but the feeling of "having a team to work together with."

"Through these training sessions, I learned how to cooperate, share responsibilities, and understood that when everyone works towards a common goal, the team can achieve more than we think."

Each cohort of students brings different faces, music, ideas, and styles of performance to Let's Dance. Therefore, the stage may be the same, but the story of each season is never the same.

Season 8 is no different. What kind of style K20 will bring to Let's Dance remains a question waiting for the new students to answer.

Nearly 6,000 students have walked onto that stage, each season representing a generation, each with their own unique style. Perhaps what makes Let's Dance so eagerly anticipated for eight years isn't just the dance moves, but the experience of each student, as a group, creating something memorable during their early days at university.