The 20th Ngee Ann City National Lion Dance Championship
2014, got underway at the heart of Orchard Road last night. This year’s edition
will see 9 teams competing for 8 final slots to be crowned the National
Freestyle champion, and having the opportunity to represent Singapore in future
International competitions. In the Traditional category, 12 teams will slug it
out to be crowned the Champions in the Traditional category.
Kicking off the event’s proceedings, Long Tian Pugilistic Dragon
& Lion Dance Troupe Team A were the first competitors. Although they were
former champions just a few years back, they showed their strengths in
development by ensuring the 2 teams they had sent had qualified for the
semi-finals. With a new line up this year and probably affected by their nerves
for being the first team, Long Tian Team A could not display their usual
fluidity in their routine and making several mistakes along the way. Their
final score would eventually be 6.99.
Quan Wei Dragon & Lion Dance Centre were up next. Probably
buoyed by the fact that they just needed to score higher than 6.99 points and
they will qualify for the finals on Friday and Saturday, Quan Wei opted for a
safe performance without being too flashy to eventually score 8.77, putting
them in one of the final spot.
Former champions, Yi Wei Athletic Association put up a near flawless
performance and scored 8.70 in their routine. They displayed good agility and
fluidity in their movements and made the movements really cat-like.
Wen Yong Dragon And Lion Dance Troupe made a few major mistakes,
including a major fall in their display, and could only garner 7.33 points for
the night. However this would be enough to see them progress to the weekend’s
finals.
Kuan San Tang Dragon And Lion Dance Troupe Being the defending
champions, displayed a matured and safe routine, without showing too many
mistakes to score 9.31, easily the highest of the night. With this kind of
form, they are definitely the favourites to retain their title this year.
With points being a determining factor in the troupes’ competition
schedules on Friday and Saturday, the rest of the troupes competing on
Tuesday’s semi-finals will be spurred on to put up an even better performance
and scores, so as to reduce their own pressure and expectations come the
weekend.
Current Standings:
Standings
|
Troupe
|
Score
|
1
|
Kuan San Tang Dragon & Lion Dance
Troupe
|
9.31
|
2
|
Yi Wei Athletic Association
|
8.70
|
3
|
Quan Wei Dragon & Lion Dance Centre
|
8.70
|
4
|
Wen Yong Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe
|
7.33
|
5
|
Long Tian Pugilistic Dragon & Lion
Dance Troupe Team A
|
6.99
|
