Melaka team with Gamelan groove crowned Asian dragon dance champions
THE STAR
Sunday, 29 Dec 20195:55 PM MYT
By R.S.N.Murali
MELAKA: A group of boys from the historic city of Melaka emerged champions in a dragon dance competition in China with a performance that incorporated Gamelan and other traditional Malay music.
Melaka Gao Feng Lion and Dragon Dance Athletic Association came out on top in the Luminous Dragon Dance category at the fifth Asian Dragon and Lion Dance Championship in Chongqing in November.
Secretary-general of the Dragon and Lion Dances Federation of Malaysia, Yong Kheng Chien, said the award was the best possible Lunar New Year gift for the country.
"We won despite facing stiff competition from Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Singapore and China.
"We had the advantage of being a multi-ethnic team and impressed the international judges," he said in an interview here on Sunday (Dec 29).
"This biannual championship was represented by all the official and national champions of countries affiliated with the Dragon and Lion Dances of Asia, a member of Asia's Olympic Council," he said.
Yong said Team Gao Feng did not disappoint the nation despite a tough competition that saw them going up against the best teams in Asia.
"Winning in this championship was difficult as the powerhouses of dragon and lion dance have traditionally been from China.
"Many in the team were sitting for their SPM examinations this year, but they still sacrificed time and commitment to train," he said.
"One of the athletes was down with fever and later developed to seizure a day before the event.
"However, he still managed to be part of the final performance.
"It's never easy to win in China as they are the leaders in dragon and lion dance and also have home advantage" Yong added.
Meanwhile, president of the association Datuk Gilbert Goh Kian Puay said the performance in China was specially choreographed to incorporate Malaysian flavours.
He said the boys went through a special training in Malay traditional music.
Sunday, 29 Dec 20195:55 PM MYT
By R.S.N.Murali
MELAKA: A group of boys from the historic city of Melaka emerged champions in a dragon dance competition in China with a performance that incorporated Gamelan and other traditional Malay music.
Melaka Gao Feng Lion and Dragon Dance Athletic Association came out on top in the Luminous Dragon Dance category at the fifth Asian Dragon and Lion Dance Championship in Chongqing in November.
Secretary-general of the Dragon and Lion Dances Federation of Malaysia, Yong Kheng Chien, said the award was the best possible Lunar New Year gift for the country.
"We won despite facing stiff competition from Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Singapore and China.
"We had the advantage of being a multi-ethnic team and impressed the international judges," he said in an interview here on Sunday (Dec 29).
"This biannual championship was represented by all the official and national champions of countries affiliated with the Dragon and Lion Dances of Asia, a member of Asia's Olympic Council," he said.
Yong said Team Gao Feng did not disappoint the nation despite a tough competition that saw them going up against the best teams in Asia.
"Winning in this championship was difficult as the powerhouses of dragon and lion dance have traditionally been from China.
"Many in the team were sitting for their SPM examinations this year, but they still sacrificed time and commitment to train," he said.
"One of the athletes was down with fever and later developed to seizure a day before the event.
"However, he still managed to be part of the final performance.
"It's never easy to win in China as they are the leaders in dragon and lion dance and also have home advantage" Yong added.
Meanwhile, president of the association Datuk Gilbert Goh Kian Puay said the performance in China was specially choreographed to incorporate Malaysian flavours.
He said the boys went through a special training in Malay traditional music.
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