From the vibrant costumes to the jubilant sounds of the percussion instruments, each performance, with its many stunts, guarantees a thrilling and entertaining watch.

On Jan 8, a video of the Yong Jun Dragon and Lion Dance Bukit Beruntung ensemble caught the attention of social media, largely thanks to the multicultural aspect of its troupe.

Liked by more than 70,000 people, the video features 14-year-old Khairunnisa Adawiyah Khairil Johari on the tanggu, or Chinese drum, and 17-year-old Sharvin Rao on the cymbals, during a performance in Subang.

Netizens praised the troupe and Kobe Chan Yong Zhen, their sifu or master, for having a diverse team of lion dancers and for promoting racial unity in the country.

Speaking with FMT, Khairunnisa Adawiyah shared that she only started lion dance lessons in 2018, initially on the cymbals.

“It all began when I was in school and watched a performance. It blew my mind and I told myself I had to join a class,” said the teen, who attends a Chinese school.

After mastering the cymbals, she progressed to become a gong player. Today, she knows the beat of the drum by heart.

Her sister, Khairunnisa Afifah, is also part of the troupe and enjoys playing the cymbals.

On how she feels being part of the team, Khairunnisa Adawiyah said she has no problems conversing with fellow troupe members as she is fluent in Mandarin and has friends of all races.

“Lion dance is part of cultural entertainment and has nothing to do with my faith as a Muslim,” she said. “Being in a multiracial country, we should try to learn the cultures of other people.”

Meanwhile, cymbalist Sharvin has had a penchant for playing the drums since young.

“As someone who loves percussion instruments, it felt natural for me to join a lion dance group to harness my skills and perform with a group of like-minded people,” he told FMT.

Discipline and punctuality are among the soft skills he has learnt to become a better drummer and team player, while time management is important as he needs to divide his time between his studies and training sessions.

This is especially pertinent during festive seasons when there are many performances, he said.

Asked how he feels being part of the troupe, Sharvin shared that he thoroughly enjoys being in a supportive environment where the sifu is always ready to impart his wisdom to the team.

“I feel extremely happy being able to learn from the best,” he added. “There’s so much we can learn from one another if we put our differences aside.”

Watch the troupe’s performance here, and also check out Yong Jun Dragon and Lion Dance Bukit Beruntung’s Facebook profile.