"Practicing drumming really tests one's patience. When I repeatedly make mistakes, I often get frustrated, but I still want to keep training and learning. The more I learn, the more interesting it becomes, driving me to learn even more. Now, lion dance has become an indispensable part of my life," Zhong said.

"Lion dance is not easy, especially for girls, as it demands significant strength and mastery of martial arts movements," said Zhang, the coach. "However, girls possess unique advantages and can cultivate a distinctive style."

According to him, girls typically have a keen understanding of music, performing flawlessly in both lion and instrument roles. Furthermore, their superior physical flexibility allows them to complete maneuvers like splits.

Most importantly, their sensitivity and empathy enable them to capture the subtle expressions and behaviors of lions. For example, they can vividly portray a wide range of the lions' emotions and actions, from joy and anger to strolling, observing, grooming, playing with water, and even the cute appearance of lions being tipsy.

"Considering the girls' characteristics, we place greater emphasis on the narrative of their performances, even crafting a lion dance stage play depicting a young girl's journey of learning lion dance," said Zhang.

"When the team takes the show to primary schools, we see a growing number of young girls becoming interested in lion dance," he added. "This suggests the revitalization of the art form and reinforces our belief: ancient traditions should be passed down joyfully and openly."