Lion dances are the main attraction of the Chinese New Year festivities, but the dance troops have been facing economic problems due to lower demand. Dance troops were elated when the government had granted permission to the troops to perform this year during the celebrations. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, troops earned a handsome amount however, due to the surge in cases, this year troops have received lesser bookings.
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Problems CNY Lion Dance Troops Are Facing This Year
The lion dance, often considered synonymous with the Chinese New Year festivities is an important part of the celebration. The troops rejoiced when they were granted permission to perform this year, but the troops have received fairly less booking this year.
Good money initially
Before the global pandemic, the troops earned a fairly good amount for performing for affluent businessmen, corporate companies, and even state VIPs, and relied on the earnings they made during festivities to survive for the rest of the year.
Dancer Chin, who leads the Kepayan branch of the Yick Nam Dragon, Unicorn and Lion Dance troop, said that the troop waited eagerly to get back to the dance routine after they couldn’t perform for a year due to the restrictions applied by the government.
“Before the pandemic, we used to perform day and night during the 15 days of the lunar new year, but this time, we were only busy for the first two days,” Chin said in talks with FMT.
Problems CNY Lion Dance Troops Are Facing This Year
The lion dance, often considered synonymous with the Chinese New Year festivities is an important part of the celebration. The troops rejoiced when they were granted permission to perform this year, but the troops have received fairly less booking this year.
Good money initially
Before the global pandemic, the troops earned a fairly good amount for performing for affluent businessmen, corporate companies, and even state VIPs, and relied on the earnings they made during festivities to survive for the rest of the year.
Dancer Chin, who leads the Kepayan branch of the Yick Nam Dragon, Unicorn and Lion Dance troop, said that the troop waited eagerly to get back to the dance routine after they couldn’t perform for a year due to the restrictions applied by the government.
“Before the pandemic, we used to perform day and night during the 15 days of the lunar new year, but this time, we were only busy for the first two days,” Chin said in talks with FMT.
Very less queries for booking for CNY dance troops
The troops were disappointed after they received only a few inquiries for the performances and even lesser bookings for the season. The sudden rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the Sabah region also further added to the problem.
“We were not able to cover our costs like fuel and Covid-19 self-test kits for our performers who took the tests on a daily basis.” He added during talks with FMT also mentioning that the troops still performed as it was their passion.
Arman Duilah, another disappointed dance troop leader from the Yick Nam branch in Inanam, said that there were more than 30 last-minute cancellations this year, which was far more than they ever received before the pandemic.
No request for Chap Goh Mei
Arman also said that they were shocked as they did not even get one single request to perform on Chap Goh Mei, traditionally one of the busiest days for them during the celebrations.
“We used to bring in more than RM50,000 throughout the Chinese New Year period previously, but this year, we didn’t even come near that figure,” he added.
Ugly Comments on social media
The dancer also said they were offended with the comments passed particularly on social media, blaming the lion dance troops as one of the main sources for the spike Covid-19 numbers in the Sabah area, arguing that they could not be held accountable for crowd control.
Relevance Of Lion Dance In Chinese New Year Celebration
In Chinese culture, the lion is considered as a symbol of power, wisdom, and superiority. The first day of the Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February. Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture.
Dancers practice for months to perform the lion dances at Chinese festivals or big occasions to bring good fortune and chase away evil spirits.
The lion dance which can be traced to ancient times is one of the most important traditions of Chinese New Year. It is performed with the belief to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year.
The lion dance is also a way to create a festive atmosphere during the start of a fresh year and bring happiness.
Very less queries for booking for CNY dance troops
The troops were disappointed after they received only a few inquiries for the performances and even lesser bookings for the season. The sudden rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the Sabah region also further added to the problem.
“We were not able to cover our costs like fuel and Covid-19 self-test kits for our performers who took the tests on a daily basis.” He added also mentioning that the troops still performed as it was their passion.
Arman Duilah, another disappointed dance troop leader from the Yick Nam branch in Inanam, said that there were more than 30 last-minute cancellations this year, which was far more than they ever received before the pandemic.
No request for Chap Goh Mei
Arman also said that they were shocked as they did not even get one single request to perform on Chap Goh Mei, traditionally one of the busiest days for them during the celebrations.
“We used to bring in more than RM50,000 throughout the Chinese New Year period previously, but this year, we didn’t even come near that figure,” he added.
Ugly Comments on social media
The dancer also said they were offended with the comments passed particularly on social media, blaming the lion dance troops as one of the main sources for the spike Covid-19 numbers in the Sabah area, arguing that they could not be held accountable for crowd control.
Relevance Of Lion Dance In Chinese New Year Celebration
In Chinese culture, the lion is considered as a symbol of power, wisdom, and superiority. The first day of the Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February. Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture.
Dancers practice for months to perform the lion dances at Chinese festivals or big occasions to bring good fortune and chase away evil spirits.
The lion dance which can be traced to ancient times is one of the most important traditions of Chinese New Year. It is performed with the belief to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year.
The lion dance is also a way to create a festive atmosphere during the start of a fresh year and bring happiness.
