Happy 2017 to all!

I hope everyone had a fruitful 2016.

So what was 2016 for you? Did you recently join a team? Did you learn how to lion dance? Did you pick up the drumsticks for the first time and gave the drums a whack? Did you learn how to do a headsit or a shoulder stack or other trick? Did you participate in a competition? Did your team do well in a competition?

For me,  I had a range of enjoyable experiences.

• I was fortunate enough to enjoy the Chinese New Year celebrations in Melbourne and experience “their way” of performing.
• Meet up with and enjoy my mentor in lion dance and drumming Pan from Hong Kong belt out his wares during some of the Sydney New Year celebrations.
• Belt out some beats of my own at one of the Dragon Style performances.
• I was able to enjoy the 5th year anniversary of the Sydney Dragon Style Kung Fu Association.
• Watch the visiting UK Dragon Style Kung Fu lion dancers in action.
• I also got to meet 2 pioneers of free open access resources on lion dancing in the English speaking world (Corey Chan of “of course lion source” fame and Chris Low of the ever useful “liondancing.org” fame and writer of “Restore the Roar”).
• I visited the Bendigo Golden Dragon Museum and to learnt a tonne about dragons and got to experience first hand the quality and craftsmanship of Lo An Kee.

Whatever the experience and achievement, let’s reflect and learn and build upon it and make 2017 even better.