It was an opportunity not to pass on and had the privilege to travel to Vancouver, British Columbia for the Can-Am International Martial Arts Championship & International Dragon/Lion Dance Competition.

The event was held at the Richmond Olympic Oval on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Being in Vancouver was something not expected to go and it was a wonderful city to be there.

It was the first time to judge the dragon and lion dance competitions. There were two categories which were exhibition and competition. The exhibition performance category was more loose and not giving the scores seriously. The competition category was more professional and scored accordingly to the lion dance team’s performances. The first time judging was daunting at the start due to the nerves and expectations. Later on, it got comfortable watching the competition and judge accordingly at best.

Definitely had an amazing time at the event and the Richmond Olympic Oval was an excellent facility to marvel at. More memorable was meeting new people within the lion dance community and get some tips and advice from judging and performances.

Even though it was a short stay in Vancouver, a big thank you to a friend from Toronto, Lion Dance BC and Dragon & Lion Cultural Sports Association of Canada for accommodating and being welcoming to someone from Ottawa in experiencing the judging, meeting new people and checking out the city. 

Photos are posted below from the event.

Photos