Teenagers in Ningbo help revitalize lion dance

Members of a teenager lion dance team train in Qiantong town, Ningbo on Jan 20. [Photo/Xinhua News]

A group of teenagers in Qiantong town in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province have contributed to efforts revitalizing the lion dance, which was once popular in Qiantong but declined in popularity around 50 years ago.

These teenagers are all members of a lion dance team that was established in 2016 in a primary school in Qiantong by Tong Panfeng, a local resident, and Bao Changfei, principal of the school.

Tong's interest in the ancient art was ignited by lion dance scenes he saw in martial arts movies during his childhood. He also learned that his grandfather had been a member of a local lion dance team. He said that that’s why he decided to help revitalize the art.

In 2015, Tong began his trip across the nation to learn both northern and southern-style lion dance techniques.

As he returned to Qiantong a year later, he realized that more teenagers should be involved in the revitalization of the traditional art. As a result, Tong and Bao, who attaches great importance to passing on traditional culture, established the teenager lion dance team. Since then, more students have been learning the techniques of the ancient art.

Zhang Zhenhao has been learning lion dance for only one year but has won the title of "Young King of Lion" in a lion dance competition.

While the training can be physically challenging, Tong praised the young lion dance team members for their persistence and enthusiasm for learning. When asked about the spirit of lion dance, they gave the same answer of "never give up."