EIX2002 SOCIOLOGY E-BLOG CASE STUDY
LION DANCE
REFLECTIVE
Current state of lion dance
Lion dance is a significant location for the development of culture. Lion dance stands for longevity as well as for the adaptation of a tradition that embodies the transforming cultures of the Chinese in the subcontinent.
An significant time in our past, lion dance performances were not allowed in Malaysia except during the Chinese New Year for around two decades after the May 13 police brutality of 1969, as they were not considered part of Malaysia's cultural heritage and exempt from cultural identity policy.
In 1974, when then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak visited Mao Zedong in Beijing, he was invited to a lion dance performance as part of the welcoming ceremony. This led some influential Malaysian Chinese politicians to begin by expressing their encouragement for lion dance to be accepted as part of our national culture, with the endorsement of Malaysia's Selangor & FT Dragon and Lion Dance Federation, the oldest in the world.
A lion-dance federation in Kuala Lumpur was formed in 1974 after the Prime Minister visit to China with the aim of preserving bilateral relations between Malaysia and China. The federation has boosted its renaissance and the proposed methodology. The Malaysian Federation of Chinese Martial Arts Associations also organized national lion dance competitions. More Mandarin and Cantonese schemes are broadcast nationally and privately owned television. Lion dances are part of the National Day processions and stage presence for international visitors.
Malaysian troops have attained an outstanding results. Since 1996, they have championships at international tournaments held at the Genting Highlands, organized by the Gabungan Tarian Naga and Singa Malaysia (Malaysian Federation of Dragon and Lion Dance). Lion heads made in Malaysia by the East Ocean Trading Co. in Johore (established in 1983) are known to be of top quality, sophisticated and much lighter. They're being exported to other parts of Asia.
Today with an effort to boost national unity, the Dragon and Lion Dance Federation of Malaysia wants the traditional Chinese performing arts to be promoted as national sport.
Lion dance today in community
Young Chinese people have fallen out of love with lion dance. People in the past excited to read, maybe because there's little work to be done, or perhaps because television isn't as much as there is today, but for sure they're interested in learning how to represent their personality and community. So, this is the community they bring to society.
Contrarily to the people in the past, there are currently just a few teens who are still participating in lion dance, and there are still those who are not involved.
For those who are curious, it's because they've been educated by their family support since childhood. Some of them have also adopted Chinese culture from their ancestors. In order to guarantee that the heritage does not become extinct, parents ensure that the history and culture is passed on to their children before the next generation. Any interest in lion dance is also attributed to their understanding of the philosophy of Chinese culture. They consider lion dance to be a special style of sport. The longer a person learns to dance to the lion, the more experience he can gain.
Some people are losing confidence in lion dancing because of a few obstacles. For eg, restricted services, parental restriction, complicated methods and obsolete. Old people believe that only someone of good will, zeal and patience can learn the dance properly. Lion Dance is a practice or performance that you can't learn halfway, so you have to thoroughly learn about it, and it may take several years.
Suggestions
(1) Promote parent-child class
For parents who are nervous about the welfare of their children, by promoting parent-child community sessions, they can watch their children during the session and, at the same time, they can attend the class and practice lion dance techniques.
(2) Support the Genting Highlands International Tournament
The 14th Genting World Lion Dance Championship will take place in 2020. Resorts World Genting wishes to advise that the 14th Genting World Lion Dance Championship 2020 proposed for 10 – 12.07.2020 at the Stars Arena will instead be scheduled for 2021 in view of COVID-19.
(3) Making up much of the social media
Social media is the best medium for promoting lion dance, particularly among teenagers. The power of social media will affect and attract them to be involved in pursuing this athletic activity. Also, we should spread the techniques of lion dance and some interesting information about it, since many of us really have no understanding of what lion dance is all about. The method of creating a lion's head can also be marketed as a special art requires more community focus.
(4) Squad or case of the Group
Apart from the current organisations, Malaysia's Selangor & FT Dragon and Lion Dance Federation, there are apparently only a handful who are still participating, such as the Kun Seng Keng Lion & Dragon Dance Association. Thus, by forming a group team or hosting a special lion dance event, people can take advantage of this chance to participate and practice lion dance in their own communities. They should train a strong team work, and they could also tighten their ties.
(5) Collaborate for school or universities;
Local schools are an important venue to foster the tradition of lion dance. We have a significant role to play in educating children about their customs. Local schools should employ a lion dance master to teach students the correct knowledge of lion dance. Lion dance will also be a co-curricular sport in local schools. For eg, the University of Malaya is developing a community, the Um Lion Dance Troupe, to encourage lion dance. Students who have learned well on lion dance will instruct high school students.
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