OX year, OX Dance Instead

I found this interesting article about OX dance instead of Lion Dance. Here the article Goes

ALL SET FOR AN OX-PICIOUS START TO CHINESE NEW YEAR

By ANN TAN

GEORGE TOWN: Instead of the traditional lion and dragon dances for Chinese New Year, two bulls will dance to usher in the Year of the Ox here.

The bull dance became a reality, thanks to an Ipoh craftsman who created the gold and silver bulls, complete with hooves and tails.

Teh Wing Liang, who has been making lion and dragon heads for the past 15 years, said he received the order to create the bulls from the Kepala Batas Tiong Hua Sports and Cultural Association.

Dances withe bulls: Kepala Batas Tiong Hua Sports and Cultural Association members performing the bull dance after the eye-dotting ceremony for the bull heads.-MUSTAFA AHMAD/The Star

“Since we have never seen the bull dance in Malaysia, I had to browse through the Internet for inspiration,” he said.

The 34-year-old craftsman took a week to complete the heads. Wing Liang said the jaw was the most difficult part to create.

He said he consulted a cowherd who told him that cows kept their eyes open even when they were asleep.

“That is why I did not put any eyelids on the two bull heads unlike the traditional lion heads,” he said, adding that the heads were 20% smaller than a lion’s head.

“I have to make sure the dancers can move comfortably with the bull’s head on,” he said. Having formed a bamboo ‘skeleton’ of the head, Teh used cloth for the hide, a pair of shoes for the hooves and a hose for the tail.

Guang Ming Daily senior business promotion manager Teh Eng Beng said the gold and silver bulls will perform during the Penang Chinese New Year Miao Hui celebration on Jan 17. The dances will be performed in front of the Guang Ming Daily office in Jalan Macalister at 8pm.

“We invited the Kepala Batas Tiong Hua Sports and Cultural Association to do the bull dance for the Year of the Ox. The event is jointly organised with Sin Chew Daily,” he said.

Eng Beng said association members referred to the Internet to see how the dance was performed.

“The bull dance tends to be slower and more humorous than the lion dance,” he said.

Repair your lions.

I've took the decision to repair this pair of silver lions. We have quite a number rough performance some times, Playing with water cheng, beer and liquor cheng... end out it will makes our lions soaking wet and also strong smell of alcohol. Using this reinforce lions is the best solutions for all this rough chengs. There is only a few pictures here to share. For the step by step information on how I reinforce my lions, Please go to www.thelionarts.com under lion dance story and lion dancers column.

The Grand 30's

SARPING LOGO

Happy 30th Birthday Kee Ling Kok Malaysia. Thats the words from most of the lion dance troupe from Malaysia to Kee Ling Kok Lion Dance Association. Consider one of the biggest Hoksan Sarping Confederation Gathering for the year 2009 so far. More that 20 local Hoksan Sarping teams attended the night of Kee Ling Kok's Dinner. Also one of the most respected comitee member of world dragon and lion dance fedration, Chirman of Malaysia Selangor and Federal Territory Dragon and Lion Dance Federation was invited to attend this big event. Sarping School Grand Master Robin Chan, Master H.P Siow and many more Sarping School's students were also there to congrats Kee Ling Kok.

The event includes the performance of Dragon, Northern Lions, Jongs, Traditional, and Drumming Performance.

To see more pictures and video, kindly tab the EVENT link on the link tab

A book Of Heritage

Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd Malaysia. Did one of the best work for culture during year 2007/2008. They published a Short Video and a Book called Malaysia Amazing Heritage. In the book, written Malaysia's most greatest Heritage in Social, Natural, CULTURE, Arts and Bulding
It took a long way and hard work to for DIGI to complete this piece of amazing work perfectly. I personal think that DIGI gave back very much to the society though they are already one of the Biggest Telecommunications Service Provider. I personally Owns a DIGI Phone Number for my business line as well. DIGI Launch this campaign 4 years ago in January 19 2005. Travelling across Malaysia just to reach closer to the community. This mammoth corporate project's objective is mainly to preserve local tradition by empowering people to practise it. Every year they run one project in each category, in 3 phrases, Discovery, Implemetation and Showcase.

Any way, Back to this Book. I was one of the luckiest person to get this book, a piece of great work. Honestly staying In Malaysia, does not mean you know your own country as much as we normally think. If fact I have to admit that, Foreigners know our land way better that we do some times because they research our land before they come and visit. So by getting this book I see many amazing thing in my own Mother Land. Things that I didnt thought it was that amazing. So what is this book has to do with my lion dance experience here?

Yeah You guess it right. The Amazing Heritage of culture has a column for lion dance. Master H.P Siow has became one of the AMAZING MALAYSIAN awarded by DIGI Malaysia. His contribution in the World Lion Dancing Arena has brought the Arts such a amazing peak today. Lion Dance Originated from our Chinese Maindland China. But today Malaysia is the country that Leads the name of the "Country Of Kings Of Lion Kings"
This Lion Dance column in this book tells the story of Master Siow, His life in contribution on his passion in Lion Dance. From a poor family man who is only working as a farmer who do not even have money to buy lion heads from China when he started his own troupe. Because of being so poor, He does his own lion heads. That, forever changed his life. Making his the busiest business man in the Lion Head Crafting industry. Producing World Class Lion Heads in Quality, Durability and Beauty. Being so busy, but never forget his passion. He Strive for time to spread his knowledge in the field hoping that this piece of precious lion dancing arts will never extinc in the coming generations. He has devalope many troupe world wide. Local troupe KSK are his most accomplish student. Recently he also gave a warmth welcome to WESTERN AUSTRALIA. CHUNG WAH ASSOCIATION LION DANCE TROUPE, GEE YUNG HAWAII, and MELBOURNE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LION DANCE TROUPE to devalope their skills in lion dancing.

Being one of the luckiest person to get this book, its not as lucky as me as I got his Genuine SIGNATURE beside of his picture on this book. Below is all the picture to share. Thanks For Reading folks. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009.






























































VIDEO

Australia, Malaysia Culture Exchange

A Latest MTV Produce, Written, and Directed by The Lion Arts
Dedicated To All W.A Chung Wah Lion Dance Association

3 Dec 2008, Arrival of 5 honoured guest from Western Australia (W.A) Chung Wah Lion Dance Troupe. The Lion Arts is pleased and glad to treat them as our honoured guest.
Chung Wah Lion Dance Troupe spent 5 days here in Malaysia. The Lion Arts organized them to meet up with World famous Lion Dance Master, Master H.P Siow.

Spent 5 days training under Master H.P Siow, Members of Chung Wah learn most of Hoksan Sarping Technique. With their further training after getting back to perth, The Lion Arts, Master Siow really hope that they can master the teaching of Hoksan Sarping as soon as possible.

Below, are some of the Pictures of their best moments during their training here.

Master Siow Giving Seminar In A High School

My Latest, Precious Found

My latest found and Own is this old Futshan Lion. I certainly found it very special in it looks because it has a fierce eye and also expression. I think this lion is also easily 15 years old. The lion maker has also left this world. Now I think we cant find this kind of lions any more. It is a high value collectors item. "yeah I know, many thinks I'm weird for collecting lion heads" But I just find it exciting. This is not China Made, But made in Malaysia and these style was once very popular during the mid 80's and early 90's . I will keep this look as it is but try to reinforce it to make it not look so broken. Looking old is really fine to me because the older it looks the higher collectors value it has.

Thanks To University of Malaysia (UM) Lion Dance Member and also C.Q Low, the head of UM lion dance Troupe, who gave this lion to me as a collection.

When I reinforce this lion, I will take down the picture and steps and post it on TLA Official site as a topic for lion dancers. Hope every lion dancers will benefit from it.

OLD FUTSHAN FOUND

This old Zhang Fei Lion is at least 18 Years Old. This is WSH production with a curve soil at the side of the face. This type of lion has stop production since 1998. Lions that manufactured by WSH then is all semi round soil. No matter Futshan of Hoksan. This kind of lions are consider a rare collection that people are willing keep it though it can't be used anymore. If you happen to come across one, remember to ask the owner if they don't want it. Take it back home with you. Sooner, I will Post a topic in www.TheLionArts.com about Repairing Lion Heads and many will benefit from this topic, I hope.