Did you know that the lion dance is a traditional Asian art form that originated in China and dates back 5000 years? That makes it older than the Great Pyramid of Giza! 

Typically, lion dances can only be witnessed during the Chinese New Year or store openings in Malaysia. However, this centuries-old art form which mimics the playful nature of lions can be witnessed in all of its glory at Resorts World Genting once every two years, helping to keep the tradition alive in the country.

Resorts World Genting began hosting the Malaysia National Lion Dance Championship in 1994 and has been the venue for this prestigious event ever since. This competition showcases the best lion dance troupes across Malaysia, and it is fascinating to witness the various acrobatic tricks and different lion costumes in a myriad of colours. 

As Resorts World Genting’s most beloved heritage event, a close collaboration with the Federation of Selangor & Federal Territory Dragon & Lion Dance Association has seen the Malaysia National Lion Dance Championship evolve with many unique enhancements over the years to become a remarkable combined celebration of sports, tourism, and culture. The championship is also endorsed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia.

This year, the 20th Malaysia National Lion Dance Championship 2024 began with a whopping 80 teams which battled it out in June. The country’s top 20 lion dance troupes then progressed to the semi-finals on 21 September at the Arena of Stars. 10 teams were eliminated from the competition, with 5 forfeiting their matches and another 5 being disqualified due to incomplete performances due to injuries.

A grand spectacle was held for the finals on 22 September, with many teams going all out to achieve higher scores, most surpassing 9 points. Only one team was disqualified due to injuries.

Ultimately, the Xuan Long Dragon and Lion Dance from Rawang claimed the top spot at the 20th Malaysia National Lion Dance Championship, with a score of 9.60 out of 10. They won an RM20,000 cash prize.

The Catholic High School Alumni Association Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe, which took second place with a score of 9.55, while the Tarian Singa Kwong Ngai finished third with 9.44. Interestingly, the Che Yee Khor Moral Uplifting Society from Lahad Datu earned the same score but Tarian Singa Kwong Ngai narrowly edged them out by gaining extra points for difficult moves during the competition.Overall, the most outstanding troupes were handsomely rewarded with cash prizes of more than RM85,000.

The top three winning teams will advance to the finals of the 15th Genting World Lion Championship in July 2025.

Congratulations to all entrants and we look forward to more lion dance action at Arena of Stars in 2025!