Chan Family Choy Lee Fut Sydney

🦁🧧 2026 Chinese New Year Season Recap 🧧🦁

What a season.

From restaurants and local businesses to public performances and our annual Parade Day, this Chinese New Year we had the privilege of bringing lion dance to communities across Sydney, sharing energy, tradition and blessings for the year ahead.

Each performance follows time-honoured customs. Every movement is done with purpose, to bring prosperity, good fortune and success to those we visit.

A highlight of the season, as always, was our annual Choy Lee Fut Parade Day through Chinatown, a tradition spanning over 40 years.

Each year, we begin by entering through the Southern Chinatown Gates on shoulders, moving the full length of Dixon Street, and exiting through the Northern Gates, completing the energetic flow of the precinct. This follows traditional feng shui principles to dispel negative energy, usher in positive energy, and seal protection over Chinatown.

We remain committed to doing things the traditional way. Not shortened, not simplified. Every visit, every altar, every ritual is carried out with care, respect and intention.

This year also marks something truly significant.
One of our lions, a female (Yin) lion, has now passed through the gates on shoulders for the third year in a row.

Not only is this rare, it had never been done before.
Now, it has been done three times.

In traditional understanding, a complete Yin lion carries its own strength and protective power. To see this upheld, consistently and with integrity, is something we are incredibly proud of.

This is more than performance.
It’s martial arts.
It’s culture.
It’s discipline.
It’s responsibility.

Thank you to everyone who welcomed us, supported us and celebrated with us throughout the season. Your support is what keeps this tradition alive.

Until next year 🧧

2026 Chine New Year Sydney Lion Dance Performances Season Recap 2026 Chinese New Year Lion Dance Season Recap 🦁🧧A look back at an incredible 2026 Chinese New Year season filled with lion dance, kung fu, community and tr...

🦁 What Makes Our Lion Dance Team Different 🦁

Lion dance is not just what we do. It’s who we are.
As part of Chan Family Choy Lee Fut Kung Fu & Qigong HQ, our lion dance is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese martial arts.

Every movement you see reflects that foundation, strong horse stances, controlled footwork, explosive power, precision timing.

Ours is a martial lion.

You’ll notice the difference in the way the lion steps, bows, advances and retreats.

The structure, the stance work, the intent behind the eyes and head movements, all of it comes from kung fu training.

It is not choreography for entertainment. It is discipline, conditioning and tradition brought to life.

We also follow traditional protocols and feng shui principles. There is a reason behind every sequence in a performance:
• The way the lion enters a space
• The way it approaches the offering
• The way it “eats the lettuce”
• The way it blesses a space or business

Each step carries meaning, for prosperity, protection, good fortune and respect.

For us, lion dance is not just noise and colour. It is culture.
It is blessing.
It is responsibility.

When we perform, we are honouring generations before us and representing our school, our teachers and our lineage.

That’s the Choy Lee Fut lion dance difference.

🔥🦁🧧🎊🐎

🐎🔥🦁 Celebrate the Lunar New Year With Us! 🦁🔥🐎

As we farewell the Year of the Snake and step into the bold energy of the Year of the Fire Horse, we’re excited to be back on the streets and in the community celebrating Chinese New Year with lion dance performances across Sydney.

While many of our performances take place at private events and restaurants, we’re sharing a selection of public performances where you’re welcome to come along, watch us in action!

✨ Expect drums, colour, movement, and a whole lot of good fortune
✨ Come say hello and pat the lions for luck
✨ Bring friends, family, and your festive spirit

And of course, the highlight of the season, our school’s 40-year Chinatown Parade Day tradition. This annual walk through the streets of Chinatown is something we’re incredibly proud of, and it marks the culmination of the season with multiple public performances across the day.

🔥 Year of the Fire Horse
The Fire Horse symbolises courage, momentum, and forward movement, a powerful contrast to the introspective nature of the Snake. It’s about stepping out, taking action, and moving with confidence into the year ahead.

📅 Full performance dates and locations are listed in the image below, including our Chinatown Parade Day in late February.

Keep an eye on our socials for any updates, added performances, and behind-the-scenes moments throughout the season.

We’d love to see you out there celebrating with us 🧧🦁

Today we celebrate the birthday of our Sifu, Grandmaster Chen Yong Fa, 5th Generation Jeung Mun Yan of the Chan Family Choy Lee Fut System and Lohan Qigong.

Sifu, your decades of dedication to the art continue to leave a profound impact on generations of students around the world. Through your teaching, you preserve not only the style of Choy Lee Fut, but the spirit, integrity, and responsibility that come with the practice.

We are honoured to walk this path under your guidance and remain deeply grateful for the knowledge and leadership you so generously share.

On behalf of the International Chan Family Choy Lee Fut Association, we wish you continued good health, strength, and happiness in the year ahead.

🎉 Happy Birthday, Sifu 🎉

🥋 Congratulations to Our Intermediate Students! 🥋

A huge well done to all our intermediate-level students who have just completed another grading examination! The numbers are growing each time, and that’s a real testament to the dedication of our students and the consistent, high-quality teaching. 🙏

Grading is never mandatory, so it’s truly inspiring to see so many of you take up the opportunity to grow, test yourselves, and continue improving on your martial journey. Your commitment, discipline, and perseverance make the whole community stronger. 💪

A big thank you to Sifu Paul Nomchong and all the supporting teachers for guiding, encouraging, and pushing each student to achieve their best. And to our students – congratulations once again. Keep training hard, keep learning, and most importantly, keep the Way.

👊 Well done, everyone!

In Loving Memory of Master Howard Choy Hung

This week, we mourn the passing of Master Howard Choy — a key figure in the early establishment of our Sydney Chan Family Choy Lee Fut school, and a beloved uncle to many of us in the martial arts family.

See Sook played a pivotal role in bringing our Sifu, Grandmaster Chen Yong Fa, 5th generation lineage holder and keeper of the Chan family style, from China to Australia. He opened his home and helped secure our first school on Pier Street in Chinatown. These early efforts helped lay the foundation for the community we continue to grow today.

But more than what he did, it’s what he stood for that left the deepest impact.

At its core, the Chan Family school has never been about dominance or martial prowess. It’s not about who’s stronger or more skilled. It’s about unity. Belonging. Perseverance. Harmony. It’s about walking the path together, lifting each other up through discipline, compassion, and shared experience.

We strive to live by those values and the belief that real power lies in being calm, not combative. That martial arts isn’t about proving yourself — it’s about knowing yourself, and being there for your community.

Though he left Australia many years ago, the spirit he brought into this family remains. We train together. We carry on the tradition of lion dance. We share meals, stories, and support — through joy and through grief. Because we are a family, first and foremost.

Today, we farewell our dear Uncle Howard. May he rejoin the ancestors and continue to guide us from above, helping us walk with peace, humility, and heart.

O Mi Tor Fo 🙏

🦁✨ Reliving the Magic of Chinese New Year 2025! ✨🦁

What a season it’s been! The energy, the passion, the tradition—this is what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves. 🔥

From the thunder of the drums to the roar of the lions, we came together once again to bless the streets, honour our traditions, and share the spirit of Chinese New Year with our community. For over 40 years, this has been more than just a performance—it’s a way of life.

📽 Watch the highlights here!

🌟 Feel the power.
🌟 See the connection.
🌟 Experience the tradition that has been passed down for generations.

To every performer, student, teacher, family member, friend, and supporter—this wouldn’t be possible without you. Whether you were marching alongside us or cheering from the crowd, you are part of this legacy.

🙏 Thank you for keeping the spirit alive! Let’s carry this energy forward into the Year of the Wood Snake 🐍 and beyond.

💬 Tell us your favourite moment in the comments! And if you were there, tag yourself and your friends!

Sydney Lion Dance - Performance Compilation for CNY 2025 🎊 Chinese New Year 2025 | Lion Dance & Parade Day Highlights 🦁🥁Experience the power, energy, and tradition of Chinese New Year 2025 as we bring you a spec...

Join in our Lunar New Year festivity with the Year of the 🐍 Snake Lucky 🦁 Lion Dance!

🧧 The traditional Lion dance is known to bring good luck and fortune to any business that receives one, as well as pushing any evil spirit away for the year ahead.

Where: Waterloo starts at Donburo
When: 1st February 12pm

🐍🎉 🦁Celebrate Chinese New Year with Us! 🦁🎉🐍

While most of our lion dance performances are for private events or restaurants, we’re thrilled to share a list of public performances where you can join in the celebrations and experience the magic for yourself!

📍 Check out the full schedule of dates and locations in the image below and don’t miss your chance to:
✨ Watch us in action
✨ Pat the lions for good luck
✨ Soak up the energy and tradition of this vibrant cultural celebration

We’d love to see you there to welcome the Year of the Wood Snake with joy, prosperity, and good fortune! 🧧🐍