In Viet Nam's distant past, song and dance ceremonies honoured deities with special melodies describing their distinguished deeds. Vietnamese have handed these performances, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, down from generation to generation. Each generation has added innovative characteristics. Cheo san dinh, a popular cheo art form performed at village communal houses, springs from these spiritual and secular ceremonies. Its inherited music is rich and diverse.
The classical cheo theatrical performance of today, including its specialised music, has undergone many changes over the long course of Vietnamese history. A majority of the nearly 200 original cheo melodies originates from folksongs of northern and central Viet Nam.