As the world continues to modernise, many forms of traditional art are eroding. Thankfully, that does not seem to be the case with lion dancing, as can be seen from the plethora of young talent at the World Dragon and Lion Dance Extravaganza 2026 Finale, held at Lalaport Bukit Bintang City Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

The two-hour show saw close to a dozen troupes from all over Malaysia performing, including several world champions. Their amazing acrobatic feats elicited collective gasps and thunderous applause from the crowd.

Facts About the Malaysian Lion Dance

Lion dances are a common sight in Malaysia approaching the Lunar New Year. Usually performed for business blessings or for cultural entertainment, the dances often feature spectacular stunts, with dancers leaping and jumping precariously on high stilts measuring anywhere from 1 to 3.5 metres above ground.

What some people may not know, however, is that while the lion dance has been a part of Chinese culture for centuries, the high pole performance is a uniquely Malaysian invention.

Credited to one Master Siow Ho Phiew of the Wan Seng Hang Dragon & Lion Arts Society, the style was pioneered in the 1990s and has since become the gold standard for international southern lion competitions and performances.

In fact, Malaysia is a world champion at lion dancing, with troupes such as the Kun Seng Keng from Muar, Johor having clinched multiple titles. Malaysian troupes are so experienced that they regularly train lion dance teams in other countries. The Genting World Lion Dance Championships is considered the pinnacle of lion dance contests, attracting dozens of troupes from all around the world.

What makes for a ‘good’ lion dance? Martial art and acrobatic moves aside, the lion should be expressive and have lifelike movements. Some performances may feature a storyline, as we saw during the event. Using props such as blue fabric and stuffed pandas to set the scene of a traditional Chinese mountain, this purple ‘little lion’ (brought to life by very young performers – it’s amazing to see how fluid their movements are despite their age!) showed grace and courage as it navigated numerous obstacles.

Due to its physicality, lion dancing is a male-dominated field – but there are more women taking up the sport today. The above performance by two female dancers from the Serdang Hua Ti troupe was my personal favourite. Even though they did not perform on stilts, the lion was extremely lifelike and expressive . I especially liked how the girls put a coy spin on the lion by fluttering the ‘eyelashes’.

The female lead of the green lion also performed in a black lion costume, supported by a male dancer. For this particular show, the lion was much more powerful and aggressive in its movements. While we missed the dancer’s name, I think she can go really far in the sport with that kind of talent!

You may see the lions ‘chewing’ on a head of cabbage and ‘spitting’ out the leaves – a practice known as ‘choi cheng’ (plucking the greens) in Cantonese / cai qing in Mandarin. It’s a homonym for gathering and spreading fortune, and we Chinese do love our symbolisms!

Apart from lettuce, Mandarin oranges (another homonym that sounds like gold) is often passed (or thrown) into the crowd.

Aside from lion dances, the Extravaganza also featured a Qilin show, a traditional Hakka folk performance of a mythical Chinese unicorn (qilin). Similar to the lion dance, it is performed by two dancers, although the costume is spaced much further apart to accommodate the qilin’s long body. The qilin is a benevolent creature in folklore and is meant to bring good fortune and wealth.

There was also a dragon dance, featuring a pink serpentine figure on poles supported by a group of dancers. Watching the circular motions and the patterns rippling as the dragon ‘chased’ the pearl was mesmerising.

It’s heartening to see that the lion dance tradition remains strong among the Malaysian Chinese community, and continues to evolve with the times with the inclusion of new routines such as contemporary music and dance moves. It’s also a testament to the resilience of the local Chinese, and how they’ve fought to preserve a culture that ties them back to their roots and heritage.