The team, which consists of 40 members from ages 7 to 32, will celebrate their 15th anniversary this September. In Asian culture, community members believe the lion dance brings good fortune and wards off evil spirits for the new year.
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The group performs year-round at weddings, grand openings, and community events. Their performances also include routines on 8-feet high poles, dragon dances, auspicious mascots, and drum shows.
"At the end of the day, it creates a family environment and my goal, being at the age I am now, is to create an environment for all the kids to have a place where they can call home. You know, keeping them off the street and doing good deeds," Alex Tran, the director and founder of Soaring Phoenix Dragon & Lion Dance Association, said.
Tran explained that Lunar New Year is the busiest season of the year for the troupe, so dozens of retired members return to help with their schedule. Members have traveled as far as Malaysia to receive professional training.
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As a nonprofit that's not affiliated with a religious organization, they use a portion of their proceeds to support their philanthropic projects in Vietnam. Some of their efforts have included providing supplies for impoverished communities and sponsoring surgeries for children with congenital heart defects.
"It's all hard labor and not a lot of people are making money off of it. It's just about the integrity and the true genuine love for the art of lion dancing and just helping the community out," Tran said.
For more information about Soaring Phoenix Dragon & Lion Dance Association, visit their website.
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