Malaysian lion dancers bring new spirit to ancient tradition
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Loading... - Amina Bakar
- 24 Jan 2023
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World-beating Malaysian troupes are drawing dancers from all ethnicities and innovating routines to wow audiences
When her maternity leave ended, Mariam Abdul Nazar returned to work and her passion, lion dancing.
A Malaysian Muslim, she started learning lion dancing when she was 13, after accompanying her then 14-year-old brother to his training sessions.
“I was drawn to the energy from the music, especially the drums. And I thought the lions were cute, with their big, big eyes,” Mariam, a 27-year-old content reviewer, told Al Jazeera.
In multiracial Malaysia, lion dancing has become so popular that it is not just the country’s ethnic Chinese taking up the art.
The Muhibah Lion Dance Troupe, established in 1984, is the first multiracial lion dance group in the country. Its name, Muhibah, is from the Malay word “muhibbah”, which means a feeling of friendship or camaraderie. Read More…
