Lifting a three-kilogram lion head with two hands, Alan To Yiu-lun thrusts, dips, leaps, and jumps on bamboo stilts - with an average height of two metres - with ease. Then he climbs up a two-storey-high pole, performs various stunts before unfurling a fai chun with the words 'Happy Lunar New Year'.
The origin of lion dance can be traced back to the Han dynasty.
Despite the 2,000 years that have passed, this traditional performance still attract many young people like To who prefer the physical exertion and sweat to computer games and keyboards where all you move is your fingers.
To, 20, is one of the prominent members of the Hong Kong Chan Ka Fai Dragon and Lion Association. He and his team have won a number of lion dance and dragon dance competitions, such as the International Luminous Dragon Dance Competition in 2006.
'I first picked up dragon dance eight years ago as an extra-curricular activity in school. The coach, Chan Ka-fai, or Chan Sifu as we call him, said I had the potential to be a great lion dancer. Since then I've never stopped practising,' said To, after giving a dazzling performance in the Tuen Mun Town Plaza late last month.
Lion dance requires a lot of energy and strength as the two dancers, with flawless synchronisation, lift the heavy lion head and jump up and down at the same time.
The dancer at the rear of the lion has to be particularly strong and muscular as he has to lift up the front dancer several times in a single performance.