Indonesia crowned in MGM Lion Dance Championship

Indonesia took home the title of champion in the “MGM Lion Dance Championship-Beijing International Invitational 2015”, scoring 9.25 out of 10. China and Malaysia finished as the first and second runners-up.
Stepping into the 5th edition this year, thr lion dance championship expanded and hosted its first event in Beijing at the Orange in Sanlitun on Sunday.
The event was organized by MGM Macau and co-hosted by its mainland affiliate, Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, with the Chinese Long Shi Sports Association and MGM Grand Sanya as event partners.
A line-up of 9 lion dance troupes competed in the Beijing leg.  Singapore was absent from the event due to injuries. Participating teams came from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
Indonesia Kong Ha Hong Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe ultimately took home the title of Beijing International Invitational Champion, achieving a score of 9.25. Foshan Nanhai Huangfeihong Zhonglian Cable Lion Dragon and Martial Art Association from China and Kun Seng Keng Dragon and Lion Dance Association from Malaysia both scored 9.21 and were ranked as the first and second runners-up respectively, according to the number of the difficult moves they performed with accuracy. Captivating and thrilling, the performers enthralled audiences with their spectacular dance moves at the competition.
Mr Wong Pak, coach of the Indonesian team, talked to MDT after the contest: “This is not the first time we have competed in China. We are well prepared. I’m satisfied with my team members’ performance. They didn’t make any mistakes. Winning the championship, we Indonesian Chinese gain honor for our country!” he said.
Macau scored 8.63 and ranked 8th in the competition. Mr. Mak Chi Leong, team coach, said that he was satisfied: “The belt that connected to the lion costume was broken by accident when athletes tried to jump onto the high piles, which meant there was no protection for them anymore. At that time they coul have quit, yet they chose to complete the performance. The dancing music was also performed incorrectly at first, but they quickly adjusted it. This is their first competition, it doesn’t matter whether we win or lose. It’s a valuable experience for us”. Mak said the athletes cared too much about the result before, but from now on they will learn to shift their approach mentally and to become mature.
Mr Hubert Wang, Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of MGM China, said at the welcome dinner before the competition: “This year marks the fifth anniversary of MGM Lion Dance Championship, a reflection of the MGM China’s consistent dedication to investing into the culture and community in which we operate. The event has gained recognition both in its scale and in the standard of completion, becoming one of the world’s most anticipated lion dance events. We are very proud to bring this competition to Beijing for the first time and to witness the birth of our champion of the Beijing leg. We hope to extend this competition event to other cities in China, which will help to promote this significant piece of Chinese culture into an internationally recognized sport.”
Following the Beijing invitational, the “MGM Lion Dance Championship-
Macau International Invitation 2015” will be held on November 14 and 15, in which more than 14 international lion dance teams will compete in the two-day event in Macau. Grace Yu, Beijing