Committed to her training, Li pushed herself to achieve the lowest possible horse stance and maintain it for eight minutes without losing form. However, when she first joined the lion dance team in 2018, she struggled to hold the pose for even one minute.

Li shared that she found inspiration in the 2021 Chinese animated film I Am What I Am, depicting a group of young boys overcoming various obstacles to compete in the Guangzhou Lion Dancing championship. In the film, the boys perform the quincuncial piles dance, where performers dance atop 21 piles, some as high as three meters. She saw her own limitations when comparing herself to the boys, as most of her routines involved floor dances. "I know that quincuncial piles dance poses immense difficulty, but I still want to try practicing it. Why not?" she said.

Li was particularly moved by a character named Ajuan in the film, a talented girl forced to abandon lion dance because her family doesn't want a girl to do that. "I can relate to her. It's just that I'm luckier that I'm able to pursue lion dance as a lifelong career," she said.

Already certified as a lion dance coach, Li not only focuses on her own training but also helps train younger children. She plans to apply for a lion dance judge certificate in the future when she gains more experience.

"Practicing lion dance has changed me a lot," she said. "My life has become more purposeful and fulfilling. It has also taught me the value of unity and teamwork."

Indeed, lion dance requires seamless cooperation between team members. A typical solo lion dance comprises eight performers — the lion head, lion tail, one drummer, one gong player, and four cymbal players.

Zhong Ziying, 15, is one of the best drummers on the Nanxing Hexingtang women's team. While the girls train together and learn all the basics, Zhong's talent shines brightly when it comes to drumming. Her drumming is steady, enhancing ambiance and conveying emotions, which has led her to often take on the role of drummer in competitions.

Lion dance performances and competitions demand a drummer's intimate familiarity with the lion's movements and the ability to react to unforeseen circumstances. Zhong needs to make flexible and varied drumming changes according to each posture of the lion, such as crouching, bowing, and saluting.