Weisheng Sports Association Welcomes New Young Lion Troupe to Promote Traditional Culture

(Miri, 13th) The lion dance culture is no longer exclusive to adults; children can also wear lion dance pants, raise the lion head, and excellently complete the caiqing performance.

The Miri Wai Sheng Dragon Unicorn & Lion Dance Association has officially welcomed a new group of young lion troupe members aged 7 to 12. There are over 20 members, primarily of Chinese descent, including about 10 girls. This young team continues the tradition of Chinese culture by promoting lion dance as a sport that combines athletics and culture.

Vincent Chee, the co-founder and chairman of the Miri Wai Sheng Dragon Unicorn & Lion Dance Association, stated that many of these members joined through introductions by relatives and siblings. The young lion troupe has been practicing since after last year's Lunar New Year, now for nine months, with two-hour training sessions from Friday to Sunday, conducted at SJKC North, Miri.

To focus on practice, the young lion troupe has strict rules. During training, phones need to be placed in a storage box and are not allowed to be used. Vincent Chee said that introducing lion dance to the next generation from a young age is to prevent the traditional culture from being lost and to ensure its authenticity. They also focus on teaching basic etiquette to preserve the traditional spirit.

Integrating Lion Dance into the Sports Field

Vincent Chee revealed that the Miri Wai Sheng Dragon Unicorn & Lion Dance Association is registered under the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and has established a Weisheng Dragon Lion Sports Association recognized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS). There is hope that lion dance and dragon dance will soon be included as official sports.

Vincent Chee said that dragon dance and lion dance are not only crucial components of Chinese culture but also a perfect combination of sports and culture. The transmission of this culture relies on the persistence of the predecessors and requires the relay development by the younger generation.

To attract more children to participate, Weisheng has purchased three small lion heads and other lion dance equipment for the young lion troupe. In the future, they plan to introduce mini forms such as "Baby Dragon" and "Small Green Lion," allowing children to engage with dragon and lion dance from a young age and providing opportunities to learn drumming and compete.

Apart from the young lion troupe, Weisheng currently has Southern Lions, Hakka Green Lions, Qilin, Dragon, Zhan Drum, etc. Vincent Chee hopes that through the combination of culture and sports, more youths from different races can understand and participate in lion dance activities.

He emphasized that dragon and lion dance is not just a sport but also an essential cultural heritage of China. Through everyone's efforts, we hope to promote and expand this traditional culture and continue the national spirit.

If parents are interested in having their children learn dragon and lion dance, they can contact the Miri Wai Sheng Dragon Unicorn & Lion Dance Association to join this meaningful activity and pass on traditional culture from generation to generation.