Teaching lion dance to the Vancouver community is something that Chau Luen Athletics has championed for years. As much as we love to perform in front of massive community events or even the big-name corporate gigs, spreading our traditional art form is much more rewarding.
We have taught countless workshops in Chinatown, at schools across Metro Vancouver, and even at major businesses’ Lunar New Year celebrations. Here are some examples of workshops that stood out to us, as well as why we do it.
Why we teach lion dance and kung fu workshops
If you have had the privilege of watching a live lion dance performance, then you know how fun and exciting it is to witness the energy that merely being present for a lion dance is.
However, not many people have ever had the opportunity of getting into the lion and experiencing the cultural practice of traditional lion dance first-hand. The team at Chau Luen Athletics aims to change that.
“In the past, lion dancing was a closely guarded secret, taught only in kung fu schools to the most senior of their disciples,” said Sifu Michael Tan.
We believe that lion dancing is best experienced by doing it and trying it. At Chau Luen Athletics, anyone who wishes to learn lion dance and kung fu can do so.
Some examples of community lion dance workshops across Vancouver
With so many workshops under our belt, here are some examples of some that stood out to us. Maybe they’ll inspire you to organize a workshop for your community group!
Public lion dance workshop in Chinatown
Chau Luen Athletics has been based in Chinatown since its inception over 30 years ago. We are proud to represent and bring life to such a historic neighbourhood.
We’ve partnered with organizations like the Fire Dragon Festival and Chinatown Together and attended numerous events to perform lion dances in the past. But we’ve taught free lion dance and kung fu workshops in public spaces on multiple occasions as well.
For the Fire Dragon Festival, we’ve taught lion dancing inside Chinatown Plaza, inspiring kids of all ages (and a few seniors as well).
We’ve also taught even more accessible public workshops outdoors as well. For example, here are some photos from a Chinatown event that sought to engage the community and bring life to Chinatown.
These are always fun because they take place right on the street. This way, more passersby will see and hopefully engage with our colourful and flashy lions. In the end, hundreds of people stopped by to check out our workshop and many got the chance to hold a lion head with their own two hands. It’s actually quite rare – when was the last time you held a lion head?
School lion dance workshops and other workshops for kids
Leading lion dance workshops at schools are probably our favourite to do. Kids have so much more energy and aren’t embarrassed to try new things, which is a breath of fresh air for us to see. We often start out by doing a full, authentic performance in front of the entire school as part of an assembly.
We then teach a few basic moves to the students, such as how to hold the lion and how to move around.
And ever since we got the kids’ lions (mini versions of the lion heads), we’ve been able to pass them around to the students so they can give it a go like some of our kids class members.
Before you ask, the teachers and staff aren’t immune to the lion dance bug either. We’ve caught many of them participating (and trying to keep up with the energy of the kids!). One of the greatest memories we’ve had was when we selected 5 teachers (and the principal) to go up to the front of the school to show off their moves. The kids cheered and screamed like it was some sort of rock concert, and if the gym roof wasn’t screwed down, it would have been blown off.
We’ve also hosted special workshops at our home base, the Chau Luen Tower. One example includes the time where students from Burnaby’s Byrne Creek Mandarin class came to visit us and learn some moves.
If you have some kids who want to learn but aren’t part of a school where we're hosting a workshop, we also conduct workshops for other childrens’ organizations. For instance, we had a blast teaching kids kung fu and lion dance at Born to Shine Summer Camp. As a Chinatown-based summer camp, it gave them the opportunity to connect with their surrounding culture.
Company events
If your company is looking for something more hands-on and culturally engaging for their next “lunch and learn”, then give us a shout. We’ve held both in-person and virtual lion dance workshops, complete with history lessons and hands-on lessons where your employees can feel the lion heads and move them to the beat just like we do.
Case in point, our well-received lion dance workshop with Sony Pictures Imageworks. Instead of just animating the action heroes, they were able to actually feel like them when they got to don the lion head for the first time. It’s a lot better than being given a presentation about becoming an MBA or a seminar on how to juggle.
Ready to book your own lion dance workshop?
If you’re interested in setting up a workshop for your school, company, or friends, drop us a line. We are happy to help you organize it and will ensure that we have a top-notch group of experienced lion dance instructors sent your way. And of course, we’ve got some tricks up our sleeves to make these fun and engaging as well!
We’re excited to work with you and give your students, employees, or friends a memorable experience!
Bonus: Free kung fu and lion dance trial classes
If you don’t really have the time or space to hold a workshop, why not join us for 2 free trial classes? In your 2 weeks with us, you’ll learn the basics of kung fu, including basic moves, stances, and self defence, as well as an introduction to lion dancing.
We are proud to be one of the few kung fu and lion dance clubs that offer free trial classes to the public. The leadership team at Chau Luen Athletics is proud to do anything they can to remove any barriers to learning traditional martial arts, so naturally, we have been offering free trial classes to anyone who is interested in learning, regardless of fitness level, age, gender, or background. Click the button below to get in touch about trying to hit a few targets or nailing that perfect lion dance jump and we’ll find a date that works for you!
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