On November 17th in Guangzhou, the grand finals of the 7th Guangzhou Youth Lion Dance Competition kicked off at the Guangzhou Cultural Center, featuring the announcement of the top "Youth Masters of Intangible Cultural Heritage Awakening Lion Dance," the crowning of the "Lion King," and captivating performances by previous six champions. The event attracted numerous visitors eager to witness the spectacle.

Over the next two days, the group lion and solo lion finals, featuring 26 participating teams, will unfold in succession at the Guangzhou Cultural Center. This spectacle showcases the grandeur of the Lion King competition, allowing residents and tourists alike to fully appreciate the distinctive artistic charm of Guangdong's awakening lion dance.

Young talents charm the audience with adorable performances

In a recent event, the "Youth Masters of Intangible Cultural Heritage Awakening Lion Dance" talent competition of the 7th Guangzhou Youth Lion Dance Competition took place. Ten young awakening lion dancers showcased their exceptional skills, with 7-year-old Guo Zhijie stealing the spotlight.

Despite his tender age, Guo Zhijie has been mastering the art of awakening lion dance for three years. During the opening ceremony, his performance with a small lion head captured the hearts of the audience, showcasing an adorable and skillful display.

The ten young talents collaborated to perform a lion dance routine, demonstrating various styles and characteristics, showcasing the youthful vitality and charm of youth in preserving the intangible cultural heritage of lion dance.

Dazzling appearance of the Lion King's crown

The Lion King's crown, the highly anticipated and mysterious "guest" of the competition, made a dazzling appearance at the opening ceremony. Escorted by the previous six Lion Kings, the crown stole the spotlight with its intricate design.

The crown, inspired by the traditional purple gold crowns seen in theatrical performances, is crafted from metal, displaying exquisite beauty. Adorned with the "2023 Lion King" insignia, it will be placed on the head of the new Lion King crowned in this edition.

Group and solo lion dance finals unveiled

On the afternoons of November 18th and 19th, the group and solo lion dance finals took center stage at the Guangzhou Cultural Center.

This edition of the competition also featured youth lion dance teams from HKSAR, Macao SAR, and Foshan City, performing on November 19th alongside the Guangzhou Youth Lion Dance Team. Together, they aim to promote the inheritance and development of awakening lion dance culture in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The Guangzhou Youth Lion Dance Competition, initiated in 2017, has grown into an annual city-level event over seven editions. Emphasizing tradition and innovation, the competition prioritizes nurturing the next generation of awakening lion dance inheritors, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of awakening lion dance.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

青少年狮王争霸！第七届广州市青少年醒狮表演赛决赛开幕

11月17日，第七届广州市青少年醒狮表演赛决赛在广州市文化馆盛大开幕。现场设置了十大“非遗醒狮少年达人”颁奖典礼、狮王“桂冠”公布、前六届狮王队伍展演等精彩环节，吸引众多游客驻足观看。

接下来两天，由26支队伍参加的群狮和单狮决赛在广州市文化馆连番上演，大展狮王争霸的气势，让市民游客尽情欣赏广东醒狮独具特色的艺术风貌。

少年达人“萌”翻全场

日前，第七届广州市青少年醒狮表演赛“非遗醒狮少年达人”才艺大赛举行，共有10位醒狮少年凭借精湛的才艺表演获得“达人”殊荣，7岁的郭智杰就是其中的一位。

郭智杰虽年纪不大，但已经舞了3年醒狮。在开幕式现场，当他拿着小狮头走到台前舞动时，瞬间“萌”翻全场观众。

10位少年达人合作表演了醒狮套路，充分展现不同的表演风格和特色，向观众展示青少年非遗醒狮的青春活力与无穷魅力。

狮王“桂冠”惊艳亮相

狮王“桂冠”乃是本届大赛最值得期待的神秘“嘉宾”，亦是单狮决赛所要竞夺的最高荣誉。开幕式上，在前六届狮王的护送之下，狮王“桂冠”惊艳亮相，引发全场瞩目。

据介绍，本届狮王“桂冠”以戏曲舞台上常见的紫金冠为设计参照，采用金属材质，风格精巧华美，印刻“2023 狮王”标识，将加冕在新一届狮王头顶的狮角上。

群狮、单狮决赛上演

11月18日和19日下午，群狮和单狮决赛于广州市文化馆上演。

本届大赛，还邀请了港澳和佛山的青少年醒狮队一同参与，他们将在11月19日与广州青少年狮队同台竞演，共同推动粤港澳大湾区醒狮文化的传承发展。

据悉，广州市青少年醒狮表演大赛在2017年首次举办，历经七届，已成为一年一度的市级品牌赛事，始终把守正创新、培养年轻一代醒狮传承人放在首位，接续传承弘扬非遗醒狮文化。

文｜记者 周欣怡 朱绍杰 通讯员 穗文广旅宣
图｜记者 钟振彬
翻译｜刘佳慧
责编｜古司祺
校对｜赵丹丹