In anticipation of the Chinese New Year celebrations on Jan. 29, Greenhills Mall in San Juan City will host the largest lion and dragon dance competition on Jan. 19.

Organized by Gaius Uy, founder of the Huang Lion and Dragon Dance Group, this grand showcase features an authentic lion and dragon dance competition. It will be held for the first time in San Juan City, promising to come alive with excitement, thanks to the impeccable hosting by celebrity DJ and actor KC Montero.

Ten of the country's best lion and dance groups have already secured their registration for the first ever and biggest-prized competition outside of Chinatown with a grand prize of P100,000 for the champion, P50,000, and P20,000 for the 2nd and 3rd places.

"This auspicious event is made possible by the partnership between GH Mall, Pawchester, and Huang Lion Dance Group. In this grand event, we would like to showcase the Chinese-Filipino heritage and celebrate culture meaningfully. At the same time, gusto namin pakita na very talented ang mga Pinoy at Chinoy," Uy said on Tuesday in a media conference announcing the upcoming event.

In Chinese culture, the lion symbolizes strength, stability, and superiority, while the dragon represents power, boldness, and excellence. Dances for both auspicious creatures are performed during festive occasions to chase away evil spirits and welcome in prosperous times.

"Since the lion and dragon dance is about spreading fortune and prosperity, we thought that the cash prize would be the best prize talaga. It’s also to encourage the different teams to continue the craft and at the same time to spread the news that this activity can also be done for many occasions like weddings, fiestas, birthdays, gender reveal or any important milestone," he added.

"For the contest, we will factor in creativity, acrobatics' difficulty, and the overall stage presence. We are bringing in different teams to showcase different talents. Expect the acrobatics to be at different levels, with new dances and routines. While it's primarily of Chinese influence, makikita din natin how we can bring in the Filipino style in doing the dances," Uy stressed.

Indeed, GH Mall is leaving no stone unturned for its first-ever Chinese New Year event after its soft launch in October 2023. The dance showcase is open to the public to usher in the CNY 2025 festivity in the city.