Leaping for prosperity: Performers from the Nam Wah Kangkar Pulai Lion and Dragon dance troupe staging a lion dance show at a shopping mall in Johor Baru.
JOHOR BARU: It is a busy time for lion and dragon dance troupes here as they cope with a large number of bookings for performances this Chinese New Year.
Nam Wah Kangkar Pulai Lion and Dragon dance troupe president Datuk Teoh Booi Fooi said they had received about 500 bookings from various families, businesses and associations here so far.
“We resumed performing last month and bookings have been coming in from last November.
“There is a big rise in the number of requests this lunar new year, compared to last year where we only received about 200 bookings.
“A majority of the requests come from businesses, especially hotels and malls,” he told The Star.
Teoh said the busiest day for them would be on Chap Goh Meh, which falls on the 15th day of Chinese New Year.
“We have already received about 40 bookings. The first three days of the festivities are also a busy time for us, as we will be attending to about 30 bookings daily,” he said.
Pak Hock Physical Training Association Johor Baru president Bryan Lim Kian Ann said they will perform about eight or nine performances daily until Chap Goh Meh.
“So far, our Lion Dance troupe under the association has received about 30 bookings, but I believe the number will increase soon.
“Apart from the first three days of Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh, the sixth day of the festival is also a busy time for us as it is said to be a good day for businesses to reopen after closing for the new year,” he said.
Persatuan Sukan Hong Yang president Yeo Han Leong said his association are inundated with requests.
“We do not have enough performers to attend to all of the bookings and can only fulfil a maximum of eight requests in one day.
“As such, for these requests that we are unable to attend to, we pass along the contact of other dance troupes around Johor Baru to help others out,” he said.
He said most of the bookings they received were also for the sixth and 15th day of Chinese New Year.
