The Chinese Lion Dance Club at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is reestablishing itself as a space for students to learn and practice the traditional art of lion dance. After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club has returned with a focus on cultural appreciation and community engagement.
The club was discontinued during the pandemic but current club president Philip Yang, a fourth-year marine science major, worked to bring it back.
“We restarted the club as a way to increase participation in this underrepresented art form,” Yang said.
Since its relaunch, the club has sought to expand student participation in lion dance, a traditional Chinese performance art that involves both dance and percussion.
The club is open to all students, regardless of prior experience. Members can participate in both the dance and drumming aspects of the performance.
“Our club involves both dance and percussion, so there is a role for everyone,” Yang explained. “We try to keep the club accessible to all students and staff. Members can expect a welcoming, casual practice environment where you can learn at your own pace.”
Meetings are held biweekly at the Otter Student Union, with details available on MyRaft. The club also holds practice sessions at the Japanese American Citizens League, where members refine their skills and rehearse for performances off campus.
“New members should expect a welcoming environment and getting straight into learning,” said Cable Bronte, a second-year mechatronics major and the club’s treasurer. “Once they show up to one practice, they get to start learning the dances and beats immediately. If they don’t know squat beforehand, that’s completely fine.”
Members of the club recently performed at First Night Monterey 2025, a New Year’s Eve community arts celebration in downtown Monterey, as part of the Monterey Bay Lion Dance Team. The club plans to continue performing at campus and community events.
Looking ahead, the leadership is working on acquiring a new lion for performances and aims to grow the club’s presence on campus.
Additionally, the club has long-term aspirations of competing in lion dance competitions, though this would require expanding the team and acquiring specialized training.
“Our future goal is to be good enough to do lion dance competitions. Currently, we’re too small to compete and we’d have to make some pretty big investments to learn competition routines,” Bronte added.
Students interested in joining or collaborating with the Chinese Lion Dance Club can attend a meeting or reach out via Instagram (@chineseliondance_csumb).