The lion dance is something that is probably ingrained in every Malaysian’s mind as we see it multiple times every Chinese New Year in shopping malls.
With the pandemic, the lion dance has been a rare commodity and we start to really appreciate them as they are works of art.
One of the things that really pop out when you’re talking about the lion dance, is how they are able to jump from pole to pole and not even fall.
A lion dance troop in Kota Kinabalu has recently gone viral for faking a fall and making it the highlight of their show.
IMAGO KK superb Lion Dance Perfomance
First time admin watch this kind of “lion dance landing”. AWESOME!! U got me there! Thought of they falling down ?
Credit to the video owner & Persatuan Tarian Singa Dan Naga Keong Fatt
Posted by Kinabalu Gem on Wednesday, 2 February 2022
In the video that has been shared across multiple pages and social media platforms, we see a lion dance being performed at the Imago Mall in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
The lion jumps from pole to pole and the hind legs seem to have fallen from one of the poles, however, we see the force of the fall is used to rotate the lower body of the lion and to land on the ground.
The upper body then “falls” off the pole with a flip and the lower body lands in a somersault which causes the crowd of 3 floors to let out a deafening applause.
This certain routine was performed by KK-based Persatuan Tarian Singa Dan Naga Keong Fatt.
Initially, they had other shows slotted for 5 & 6 February at the same mall but it was cancelled, so it might be hard to catch this routine again.
The lion dance is definitely entertaining to watch but it also shows us the amount of expertise and training that the lion dancers go through just to keep the art alive.
So if you have a chance to hire a lion dance troop, go for it!
Also read: “When you celebrate CNY in hostel” – Group of Malay Boys Performs Their Own Version of “Lion Dance”
