Lion Dance showcase in Chile

Inset: Members of the Flying Lion Dance Troupe pose for pictures during the 5th International Cultural and Folk Festival held in Concon, Chile.

Lt(N) Harrison Nguyen, Canadian Submarine Force ~

When I was a teenager growing up in Winnipeg I learned Chinese Lion Dance and showcased it during the city’s annual multicultural festival, Folklorama (Twitter: @Folklorama).

For those who haven’t experienced Folklorama I highly recommend it. The City of Winnipeg comes alive with over 40 different local communities hosting their own cultural pavilions. What I loved the most was being able to show everyone Chinese Lion Dance and educate people on this important part of Chinese culture.

Fifteen years later, I performed for Folklorama again, but this time on the other side of the world.

Last September, the President of my dance team asked if I wanted to showcase the Chinese Lion Dance at the 5th International Cultural and Folk Festival in Concon, Chile, Feb. 1 to 4.

Excited at the opportunity, I proposed this to my Chain of Command who in turn were more than supportive towards my endeavour.

We landed in Santiago, Chile, Jan. 31 where we met with dignitaries from the festival. The whole trip felt like a foreign port visit with the Royal Canadian Navy. There were meetings, gift exchanges, and social events scheduled during our stay.

During the four-day festival, my team, the Flying Lion Dance troupe (Twitter: @FlyingLionsWpg) on behalf of Folklorama, represented Chinese Lion Dance Culture by performing four shows in three venues to thousands of people. We were joined by other groups representing cultures from Ukraine, Uruguay, Trinidad & Tobago, Togo, and Argentina.