More Malay Singaporeans pick up Chinese lion dance in boost for inclusivity: ‘part of a family’

Singaporean Bobby Jamsairi has been fascinated with Chinese lion dance since he was just seven, and his passion has even led him to set up his dance troupe more than a decade later.

But unlike most lion dance troupes in the multicultural city state, his 50-strong group, Kuo Chuan Arts Cultural, comprises mostly Malays and is the first of its kind in the Chinese-dominated performance art.

“We have a passion for the sport, so we don’t think about anything else like race,” said Jamsairi, a Malay Singaporean.

While his dance troupe faced a rocky start in its early days, with many potential clients shunning the idea of a predominantly Malay lion dance troupe, Jamsairi said the idea of minority races joining such dance groups was no longer a novelty.

“For many of my boys, lion dance is like a gym session for us and many join us to be a part of a family,” he said.

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Breaking stereotypes: Singapore launches elderly lion dance troupe

With a long tradition dating back to imperial China, lion and dragon dances are believed to be able to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. Performances by lion dance troupes typically happen during festivals such as Lunar New Year or the openings of new businesses.

Singapore’s resident population of 4 million comprises 74 per cent Chinese, 13 per cent Malays and 9 per cent Indians, with other groups including Eurasians accounting for the remaining 3 per cent.

Another lion dance group, the Namyang Troupe Lion Dance Centre, gained attention on social media after it posted a clip of a prayer for the safety of its troupe members. During the Taoist ritual, the names of several Malay troupe members were uttered in the prayer chant.

The TikTok clip gained more than 140,000 likes and close to 2,000