Dancing to the beat of the drum

The Tianhe Lion King Cup started in August 2016 and has been held for six consecutive years. In 2016, Chen Huijun, who studied martial arts, started a class in Liede village. In 2018, the competition added a primary school category, and Chen contacted Liede Kindergarten to select children to form a team to participate. Unexpectedly, the Liede Dragon and Lion Youth Team, which incorporates dance elements, were an outstanding success and their performance resonated with the audience.

For Chen, the most noteworthy achievement is to keep lion dance relevant. She came from a family of martial arts in Zhaoqing, Guangdong. After relocating to Liede, every time she heard the drums of the village troupe, a sense of excitement arose. Every Friday and Saturday night, Chen leads the Liede Dragon and Lion Youth Team for intensive training, and her two children also join in. There are gongs and drums from the quaint ancestral hall, and across the road is Guangzhou's elite central business district. In recent years, many government units, schools and social organizations have invited Chen to teach lion dance, and she often holds charity classes in the streets and communities.

The dragon and lion team opened its door to welcome interested teenagers. Up to now, the Chebei Dragon and Lions Sports Association has trained more than 100 team members without charging tuition fees. Su Mingxin, the person in charge, says that the team is sponsored by the elders and people who care about the art in the village, and is allowed to train in Qingchuan Sugong Temple in Chebei village. The daily operation cost is mainly maintained by commercial performances.

As the Spring Festival approaches, Su has received many performance invitations and is currently stepping up her training. Su realizes that without newcomers, it will be difficult to pass on the lion dance.