The child street vendor who found dance through a movie

Vietnamese choreographer and dancer Danny Nguyen's life changed overnight after the fall of Saigon in April 1975 when he was just 11 years old. His father, who had worked as a secretary for the former South Vietnamese government, was imprisoned by the new Communist authorities, forcing Danny to work as a street vendor to help support his family. A few years later, faced with the prospect of being made to join the military, Danny's family decided that his best hope for the future was to escape Vietnam and start a new life in the United States. It took him 32 attempts but he eventually managed it. Soon after arriving in the US, Danny spotted an advert for the dance movie Fame. Despite having never danced before, it ignited a passion that led him on a career path that would eventually take him back to Vietnam years after he fled. He now runs his own dance company.

Sally Huband had dreams of hiking the coastlines of Shetland, the Scottish archipelago she called home. But when she got sick and her world shrank, she turned to beach combing, becoming transfixed by what the ocean would bring to her shores. There was one particular treasure that she set her heart on finding – a 'sea bean' – a large brown seed from a tropical plant that makes its way across the oceans to remote northern islands. They are very rare and are steeped in magic and folklore. Sally's book is called Sea Bean. This interview was first broadcast in 2024.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Emily Naylor

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(Photo: Danny Nguyen is in a dance pose wearing a dark sleeveless leotard, indoors on a carpeted floor. He is muscular and barefoot, crouched forwards with his legs crossed at the ankles and knees bent. Both arms are extended with elbows slightly bent. Credit: Courtesy of Danny Nguyen)