Personal Narrative: St. Andrew Dung-Lac Lion Dance

During my sophomore year in high school, I joined the St. Andrew Dung-Lac Lion Dance Association at my church and learned the art of lion dancing, a Vietnamese tradition. As a young boy, I used to watch these performances during the Lunar New Year and the Moon Festival, wishing to be in the lion prancing to the beat of the drums one day. Now that I was old enough to participate, I seized the opportunity to make my childhood dream a reality. When I first joined the lion dance team, I had no knowledge of the technique. I came to every practice full of energy and excitement because my partner and I (two people per lion, a head and a tail) would always learn something new—a stunt, routine, or freestyle tip. In addition to rehearsing on our