Bookings pour in for dance troupe
Reigning world champion Yahya Awal gets more invitations to perform this year
JOHOR BARU: Three-time world champion dragon dance troupe Yahya Awal is getting more bookings this Chinese New Year following their new world record.
They leapt into history when they claimed victory in the World Luminous Dragon and Lion dance contest in Hong Kong for the third consecutive time last year.
Now with Chinese New Year drawing near, invitations for them to perform at homes and companies have been flooding in, with some 30 to 40 bookings a day during the festival.
Yahya Awal’s coach Poh Soon Han, 32, said bookings had increased by at least 30% compared to last year, and more non-Chinese companies have been requesting for them to perform at their respective celebrations.
“Besides our regulars, we also have new clients who heard about our awards and found us on Facebook.
“We are lucky to have a large number of performers. With our team of 70 members, we can split into small groups and cater to the demands,” he said in an interview.
Traditionally performed during Chinese festivals, the dragon dance is believed to spread luck and fortune to people.
Performers hold on to the dragon on poles, simulating the gliding movement of a dragon through the sky.
Poh, whose day job is a medical sales representative, said the troupe would be working tirelessly from the second to the 15th day of the Chinese New Year.
“We only start performing from the second day as we want our members to celebrate the festival with their families first,” he said, adding that all proceeds from their performance would go into funding their future competitions.
He added that while the majority of their performers – aged between nine and 27 – were Chinese, the group had opened its arms to more and more Indian and Malay members in recent years.
“We have been encouraging our members to invite their non-Chinese friends to join us, as dragon and lion dances should be seen as a cultural activity for all.
“It keeps teenagers occupied and trains them to be disciplined and focused,” he said.