Kaohsiung Lion Dance 2019: International Lion Dance Competition
The lion roars loudly on land and in the water.
Let’s cheer together for the Taiwanese lion dance teams.
As a special traditional cultural festival in Kaohsiung, the lion dance competition originated in the area of Si Shi Jia, the earliest industrial park in Taiwan (now around the Guangji Temple, Cianjhen District). Since 2010, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of Kaohsiung City Government has successfully organized the event as an annual event of international lion dance competition and traditional Taiwanese parade. Each competition attracts more than 10,000 participants. After years of development, now Kaohsiung Lion Dance is not only an activity, but also a part of cultural heritage and an international competition.
After two years of preparation and training, the lion dance teams will pour all their efforts in this tournament! The preliminary competition will be held in Kaohsiung International Swimming Pool on November 16. In a standard swimming pool of 1,250 square meters and 3 meters depth, the competition combines the "water" elements of the symbolic port city and erects a floating stilt of 5.5 meters from the bottom of the pool. The athletes need to overcome the threat of water glare, the fear of high stakes in the water and avoid wetting their customs. The balance, stability, concentration and other aspects of the contestants will be tested in the competition, which is the most interesting and exciting aspect of the water stilt lion dance competition. The final on November 17 at Kaohsiung Arena is another highlight of the event. The final competition is composed of 21 international standard stilt teams to deliver the most challenging lion dance performance. The stepped seats on the ground at the venue enable the audience to get closer to the lions and feel the shock of the lion dance more vividly. Both water and land events include jumping and the traditional custom of "plucking the greens". The lion dance is combined with sports and performing art, which makes the competition even more exciting.
In order to present the unique and rich folk culture in the south, the Chio Tian Folk Drums & Art Troupe is invited to introduce magnificent art and culture of Taiwanese parade during the two-day competition. For the first time, the top three lion dance teams in the world will compete with teams from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, mainland China and Taiwan for the title of 2019 lion king. The exciting lion dance competition in the two venues will bring the audience visual and auditory treat. We invite everyone to join us to cheer for the lion dance teams of Taiwan!
