Lioness dance: breaking tradition with grace

Teenage girls defy tradition by forming a lion dance team, triumphing in competitions, inspiring others, and embracing their cultural heritage, Gui Qian reports.

Lion dance is a cherished tradition deeply rooted in South China's Guangdong province and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asian countries. Historically, this art form was exclusively practiced by men.

However, a unique team consisting entirely of teenage girls stands out among all the male groups — they are the Nanxing Hexingtang Women's Lion Dance Team from the town of Renhe in Guangzhou.

Zhang Zheliang, 26, the coach of the team, noted that nearly every village in Guangzhou boasts its own lion dance team. Yet, as of 2018, Hexingtang had only male participants.