Our Boarding pupils respected ancient Chinese tradition on Friday 27 January as they performed the mythical Lion Dance to mark Chinese New Year to other Boarders and staff. The Dance followed a banquet of Chinese food, which was enjoyed by everyone!

The two teams of Lion Dancers also performed the energetic dance to the whole Senior School during assembly on Monday 30 January, and later in the day to pupils of St Swithun’s School and St John’s Infant and Junior School.

The popular Chinese dance dates back over two thousand years when villagers, terrorised by a beast, made their own lion to scare the beast away. Dressed in the bright and fearsome costume made from bamboo sticks and strips of cloth, and banging gongs and cymbals, villagers succeeded in frightening the beast away forever. The dance is performed now to celebrate, often at weddings and over the New Year period. There are many different versions of the dance, but pupils have selected a combination of dances from Southern and Northern China.

Pupils at St John’s College have celebrated Chinese New Year for many years. The School first became involved in the Lion Dance when Ben Chan, a pupil, asked Mr Bedingham, House Parent, if they could perform the lion dance at the School. The following year a costume, a drum and cymbals were donated by Ben’s guardian so that pupils could perform their own dance each year. This year’s dance will be particularly special with two lions performing a dance together.

Clement Tse aged 18 and originally from Kowloon, Hong Kong, joined St John’s College four years ago and is currently in the Sixth Form. Clement has been involved in the Lion Dance since Year 9, and has always been at the head of the Lion. Clement comments, “We have been training from October half-term. You have to be reasonably fit to perform a Lion Dance as there is lots of jumping and the costume is quite heavy – particularly the head. My Rugby training comes in useful, but I also run 5 miles a day and work out in the gym.”

Fellow pupil Frank Ngai, also 18, is from Shatin, also in Kowloon, and has been at St John’s for seven years. Frank has taken part in the Lion Dance since Year 10 and this year Frank will be the back of the lion. “This will be my last performance at St John’s so I am really looking forward to it. It is great honour to be asked to perform the Lion Dance.   I go to the gym once or twice a week to increase my strength and stamina. In Hong Kong most Lion Dancers practice Martial Arts.”

There are two teams of Lion Dancers each with five members: two wear the costume of the lion and dance, while remaining members provide the music with the drum and cymbals.