Meet the young women leaping to prominence in Hong Kong’s lion dance scene
The Kwok’s Girls of Kwok’s Kung Fu and Dragon Lion Dance Team are breaking gender barriers and bringing new energy to a traditional art form
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Kwok’s Girls: female lion dancers break gender barriers in Hong Kong
On a weekday night, beneath the gritty underbelly of a bypass in Hong Kong’s Tai Kok Tsui area in Kowloon, two lions – one clad in green and the other in purple – hop up and down a metal platform, their bright manes swaying with each movement.
Manoeuvring under these vibrant costumes are four young women – a rarity in the city’s lion dance scene – who have dedicated more than half their lives to the traditional art form.
They are the Kwok’s Girls, female members of the Kwok’s Kung Fu and Dragon Lion Dance Team, which was founded in 1969. Between the working hours of their day jobs, they practise at least once a week.
They have gained a notable online presence in recent years. One of their videos gained 2 million views on their Instagram page, which has more than 30,000 followers.
Their videos have shone a spotlight on the blood, sweat and tears that go into the practice of this distinctive and difficult art form. In one clip, one of the girls lifts another above her head and does three spins, while another shows two coordinated performers leaping from one tall pole to another.