The performance group
The lion dance team
A group of students ages 12 and up who learn the lion, the drum and the cymbals together. The team practices on Tuesday evening and Saturday morning, and shows its work at neighborhood events through the winter season.
The lion
Two dancers move as one lion: one carries the head and one follows at the back. It begins with the stances students already learn in class.
Learned in pairs
Stances from class carry over
Drum and cymbals
The drummer sets the pace and the cymbals and gong follow it. Learning to listen to the drum comes before learning to dance.
Timing before steps
Open to students who do not dance
Forms on the floor
Short hand forms and staff forms, shown one at a time with the coach announcing each one. Students choose a form they have practiced in class.
Hand forms and staff forms
Chosen with the instructor
Practice
What a team practice is like
The team warms up with stances, then splits into the lion, the drum and cymbals, and the forms group. Everyone rotates, so a dancer also learns the drum.
A practice, in order
A warm-up of stances and footwork
The lion learned in pairs, slowly at first
Drum and cymbal timing for everyone
A run of the day's piece before a bow out
Joining
How a student joins the team
- 01
Step 1: Train in class first
Team members are students ages 12 and up who already come to classes, so the stances are familiar before the lion is.
- 02
Step 2: Talk with Nghia
Nghia leads the team. A short conversation covers which part a student wants to learn and which practice times fit.
- 03
Step 3: Practice with the team
A new member starts on the drum or the cymbals and learns the lion in pairs as the team's pieces allow.
- 04
Step 4: Show the work
When the team and Nghia agree a piece is ready, it goes to a neighborhood event. The team never names a student with a photo.
The team
Questions about the team
Can younger children join?
Team members are ages 12 and up. Younger students are welcome to watch an event and to train in the juniors' class.
Do I need to dance?
No. The drum and the cymbals are part of every piece, and some students stay with them.
Can the team come to our event?
Send a message with the kind of event, the month and the place, and Nghia will write back. We talk through what the team can do before anything is agreed.
Will my photo be shared?
Only with your written permission, and never with a name beside it.
Invite the team
Planning a celebration, a school visit or a neighborhood event? Tell us about it and we will reply.