PREPARE for thrilling acrobatic stunts as the world’s best troupes vie for top honours at the International Lion Dance on Stilts and Dragon Dance Championship 2009 in Penang.

State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said that 10 troupes would make it to the semi-finals on Sept 26.

Only five will move on to the final round the next day.

He said the event was back after a hiatus of seven years.

It will be held from 10am to 5pm at the Dome in Komtar.

He added that the winning team would walk away with a cash prize of RM10,000 while the second and third placed teams get RM5,000 and RM3,000 cash respectively.

Among the troupes which will be participating in the competition are the Cho Kar Chong Kar Kuan Culture and Sports Association from Penang and the Kun Seng Keng Dragon and Lion Dance Association from Muar, Johor. The latter team is the current world champion.

Exciting show: Two lions prance on stilts during a show by the Kun Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association at a school in Penang earlier this year.

Other participating teams are from Australia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

“We want to promote Chinese culture and hope to organise this competition on a larger scale in future to draw more international troupes.

“This event will augur well for the state’s tourism as well as promote lion dancing in a global arena,” Law told a recent press conference.

Law said the event was last held in 2002 and its revival this year was in keeping with the state’s aim to promote Chinese culture by focusing on events like the lion dance, dragon dance and Chingay procession.

“We have some of the best teams in the world and these events will act as a platform to highlight these teams,” he added.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/9/16/north/4662174&sec=north