DANCING LIONS: A kylin dance will be featured at the Kylin-Dragon Dance Festival, which will be held at District 5’s Văn Lang Park on January 12, 13 and 14. VNA/VNS File photo by Mạnh Linh

HCM CITY — Around 50 troupes from 15 cities and provinces in Việt Nam will compete in the Kylin-Dragon Dance Festival in HCM City on January 12, 13 and 14.

The festival, co-organised by the District 5 authorities, the HCM City Television (HTV) and the city Kylin-Lion-Dragon Dance Union, aims to highlight the quintessence of the art, and promote the cultural and tourism products of District 5 and the city as a whole to local people and international visitors.

The event will attract leading troupes from the provinces of Đắk Lắk, Bình Định, Bình Thuận, Lâm Đồng, Tây Ninh, Đồng Tháp, Vĩnh Long, An Giang, Kiên Giang, Sóc Trăng, Tiền Giang, Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, and Hà Nội and HCM City.

The festival will include a category of Lân Lên Mai Hoa Thung (Kylins Climb a Moutain) where a performer must jump from the lowest iron pole, around one metre high, to the highest one of at least 1.7 metres. There are 10 poles 1-3 metres apart.

There will be 40 troupes to compete in this category.

Eleven other troupes will join the category of Múa Rồng (Dragon Dance).

The organisers will set up a grandstand of 1,500 seats and a huge LED screen to serve audiences.

In addition, the festival will also broadcast live on HTV Sport channel to entertain audiences at home.

The festival will take place at the Văn Lang Park on An Dương Vương Street in District 5. Admission is free. —  VNS