XN000022-1978-08-04 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1978

LION DANCE STEALS SHOW IN COMMONWEALTH CARNIVAL

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WHEN 200-POUND CANADIANS STARTED TO CLIMB ON THE HONG KONG LIONS TODAY (FRIDAY) IN CHURCHILL SQUARE, EDMONTON, THE SLIGHT-BUILT DANCERS PERSPIRING INSIDE THEIR SHAGGY LION COSTUMES DECIDED TO CALL A HALT.

THE AMICABLE HONG KONG DANCERS HAD NO HARD FEELINGS WHEN THEY CAME UP FOR AIR IN THE MIDST OF A PRESSING THRONG OF ADMIRERS. THEY ATTRIBUTED THE OVER-ENTHUSIASM OF THE IR OVERWEIGHT RIDERS TO THE HIGH DEGREE OF EXCITEMENT THEY HAD GENERATED AMONG ONLOOKERS.

THE EXCITEMENT BEGAN AS SOON AS THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS DANCE TEAM TOOK TO THE OPEN-AIR STAGE, IN THE MIDST OF A PERFORMANCE GIVEN BY GROUPS FROM ABOUT 20 COUNTRIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMONWEALTH CARNIVAL, WHICH FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY UPON THE OPENING OF THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES.

WHEN THE DISTINCTIVE STRINGS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC ISSUED OVER THE LOUDSPEAKERS, AND A RAINBOW OF COLOUR WASHED OVER THE PODIUM WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE HONG KONG

TROUPE IN THE IR EXOTIC COSTUMES, THE CROWD OF ABOUT 5,000 ASSEMBLED IN THE SQUARE PRESSED FORWARD FOR A BETTER VIEW.

SO GREAT WAS THE PRESS THAT IT TEMPORARILY DISCONNECTED THE LOUDSPEAKER WIRING, INTERRUPTING THE MUSIC FOR THE SPECTACULAR SONG OF THE SUNFLOWERS, WHICH HAD ALREADY BECOME ESTABLISHED AS THE TROUPE'S MOST POPULAR ITEM.

HOWEVER, THE PERFORMERS WERE SO WELL VERSED IN THEIR MOVEMENTS THAT THEY CARRIED ON REGARDLESS UNTIL THE MUSIC RETURNED, BRINGING GALES OF APPLAUSE FROM THE SPECTATORS.

FOR ONCE, BEAUTY GAVE WAY TO THE BEAST IN THE POPULARITY VOTE, BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING LION DANCE UNQUESTIONABLY STOLE THE SHOW FROM ALL THE OTHER ITEMS PRESENTED IN THIS DIVERSE SHOWCASE OF COMMONWEALTH CULTURE.

CHILDREN IN THE AUDIENCE RODE THEIR PARENTS' SHOULDERS AND HOOTED WITH DELIGHT AT THE ANTICS OF THE PRANCING, ROLLING, EYE-BLINKING LIONS.

AFTER THE JOINING OF HANDS BY ALL PARTICIPATING GROUPS ON STAGE FOR THE GRAND FINALE, THE LIONS DESCENDED FROM THE PLATFORM AND WERE SWALLOWED UP IN THE CROWD.

COMMENTED LION DANCER HA CHAK-SHUN AT THE END OF THIS EXHAUSTING EXPERIENCE AT FIRST IT WAS FUN GIVING THE KIDS A RIDE AND POSING FOR PICTURES. BUT LATER SOME OF THE ADULTS GOT CARRIED AWAY, AND WE SIMPLY HAD TO GIVE UP WHEN HEFTY 200 POUNDS BEGAN CLIMBING ONTO OUR SHOULDERS. I THINK THEY SIMPLY DIDN'T REAL ISE WHO WAS INSIDE THOSE GREAT SHAGGY COSTUMES.+

/BARLIER IN THE DAY,