Corporate Bits | MGM announces international lion dance championship

MGM hosted a press conference for the “MGM Lion Dance Championship – Macau International Invitational 2018” and a graduation ceremony for the “Junior Lion Dance Training Program 2018” yesterday at MGM COTAI’s Ballroom. MGM announced that this year’s Championship will take place at MGM Theater at COTAI on November 10 and 11, introducing Macau’s first Junior Lion Dance Performance Competition.

The “MGM Lion Dance Championship – Macau International Invitational 2018” is co-hosted by Wushu General Association of Macau, and supported by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) and Dragon & Lion Dances Federation of Asia; while the Junior Lion Dance Training Program is a collaboration with Hong Wai Dragon & Lion Dance Association Macau and also supported by MGTO and DSEJ.

The “MGM Lion Dance Championship – Macau International Invitational 2018” will feature lion dance teams from 14 countries and regions including China, Malaysia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, HKSAR, and MSAR. In addition, the Championship gathers lion dance teams from Australia, the United States, Cambodia and Myanmar, making the competition truly international. The two-day action-packed Championship will also include the “Female Traditional Lion Dance Championship” with international standard rating system, and Macau’s first “Junior Lion Dance Performance Competition”.

The Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of MGM China, Grant Bowie noted during yesterday’s press conference that developments have been registered since the championship was first launched in 2010. “The standards continue to rise as more competition categories have been added and a new rating system has been adopted, enabling lion dance to be developed into a international competitive sport. This year, the Championship will take place at Asia’s dynamic theater, MGM Theater at MGM COTAI for the first time. The theater will be transformed into a competition venue, offering a never-seen-before experience for the audience and the participating teams.”