KUANTAN: The ‘green lion’ looked so agile as it pranced and leapt from one pole to another while executing various choreographed acrobatic moves in tandem with the beat of the drum.
Throughout the exciting performance, the boys behind the costume - best friends Muhammad Saifuddin Abdullah and Muhammad Irfan Hariss Yusnizamri - stayed focused on the beat of the drum performed by 14-year-old Hillary Ng Jing Xi to ensure they never missed a step.
Muhammad Saifuddin, 17, who is a member of the Kuantan Builders Association Dragon and Lion Dance Club, admitted that his schedule, especially on weekends, was full ahead of the Chinese New Year celebration, adding that this could go on for up to three months after the celebration.
“We train every night so that we are in sync. The lion dance requires teamwork because safety is paramount, especially when we stand on the poles. This means we must have a good understanding and communicate throughout our performance.
“If we miss a beat or are injured while performing, we must quickly find a way to inform our drummer to change the tempo for us to continue dancing without the spectators realising that we are in a difficult situation,” he told Bernama here today.
Muhammad Saifuddin, who takes the lead at the head of the lion, said that trust was the most vital aspect because the one in front will have to fully rely on his partner at the tail section to lift him during the performance.
In addition, there must be compatibility between the “head and tail” because their dance movements require them to stand on poles that are between 1.3-metre (m) and 2.5m high and placed about 140 centimetres (cm) to 180cm apart.
Seventeen-year-old Muhammad Irfan Hariss became interested in lion dance after regularly watching the performance when he was a small boy and, two years ago, sought his parents’ permission to join the club.
“They were so sporting and sent me to train. Lion dance also teaches me to be more disciplined. I need to revise and complete my schoolwork in the afternoon so that my studies won’t be affected even though I train every night.
“Getting to learn Mandarin is a bonus. Although I can’t converse in Mandarin, at least I understand simple words and instructions from mixing with my Chinese friends here,” said Muhammad Irfan Hariss, who added that he used to perform in other states with the club.
When asked if he had ever fallen while performing, Muhammad Irfan Hariss, who is the only child in his family, smiled and pulled up his pants to show the ankle brace he was wearing.
“I sprained my ankle once. I injured my hand when I fell from a pole. If you ask me, all of us have suffered injuries. Some were more serious as they broke their legs or hands. But this is normal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hillary, who is the second of three siblings, described the club as a ‘gymnasium’ for her and her lion or dragon dance friends because the performances are very energetic and involve a lot of movements.
Playing the drum is akin to exercising for the petite Hillary as she has to hit it harder to match the boys’ efforts.
“For the lion dance, I am not strong enough to lift my friend if I am placed at the tail end. However, being in front also needs a certain amount of strength as you have to lift the lion’s ‘head’, which is quite heavy,” she said.
Hillary, who joined the club when she was in primary school, also admitted to having to be aware of every movement of the lion dancers if she’s tasked with playing the drum because the tempo has to be in sync with those in action.
“We can know if they are in trouble from the way they perform. But the show must go on and we can change the rhythm to help them out. The lion dance is based on the spirit of friendship and that determines the success of the performance,” he said. -Bernama
