World Hong Kong Luminous Dragon Dance & Lion Dance Championship
The Luminous Dragon Dance and Lion Dance Championship displays some of the best martial artists from around the world. The mythical beasts, and the teams that bring them to life, travel from as far as the US and Germany to vie for the title.
Lion Dance has come a long way since the 1950s and 60s, when gang violence fueled a ban on performances in Hong Kong. The martial art, which pits kung fu schools' best against other schools, was tarnished by dagger-touting performers slashing at competitor's legs to gain a competitive edge. Nothing so brash is intended to take place at the world championship, with artists performing gymnastic feats while cloaked as the fantastic felines.
The highlight of the weekend will be Saturday night's performance, when dragons get lit-up in a competitive dance as teams of up to 50 bring their beasts of aluminum and plastic to life in the dimly lit arena, illuminated by ultraviolet light.
Both dance forms are customarily performed during festive occasions such as Chinese New Year and are believed to bring good fortune to all. So cheer on our very own mystical serpent and big cat and let luck be a lion (or a dragon) tonight.
Andrew James
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