For the past 50 years, people in Seattle have enjoyed the Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance team. I was about 10 years old when my Vietnamese-Chinese American neighbor took me from Lynnwood to the Chinatown-International District (CID) to see the Mak Fai Lion Dance team for the first time. Even as a young kid, I was amazed by their choreography, athleticism, and even more by their intergenerational camaraderie among members ranging from primary school to seniors.
Since then, I have had the opportunity to see them at many events, including their regular performances at the AANHPI Month Kickoff and CID festivities. Mak Fai is Seattle’s premier lion dance troupe, performing hundreds of shows year-round and competing in national and international lion dance competitions as Washington State’s elite lion dance representatives.
They have also performed at Kraken, Sounders, and Seahawks games. They are busiest, of course, during Lunar New Year, where they had more than 200 lion dance performances in 2024. A few of their highlights include the lions climbing upon a 15-foot pole to bestow blessing on all, as well as their “Jongs” performances, where the lion leaps pole to pole about 6 to 10 feet off the ground. Their performances are so breathtaking that they are the only team from the U.S. invited to compete in a lion dance competition in Hong Kong.
I was honored to be invited to join the OCA-Greater Seattle delegation for Mak Fai’s 50th anniversary. From 1974 to 2024, the Mak Fai troupe has provided an invaluable service to the city, performing at countless joyous celebrations and milestones in people’s lives. In recognition of their community contributions, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell proclaimed Aug. 24, 2024 as “Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association 50th Anniversary,” honoring their commitment to the One Seattle vision, the continued instruction and preservation of Chinese arts, and the inauguration of the nonprofit “Mak Fai Dragon & Lion Dance Sports Foundation,” as well as their proud demonstration of the sport of lion dancing.
Their anniversary celebration began with eye-dotting two brand new lions inside their studio, then proceeding into a 20-lion performance on Maynard Avenue, closing down the street for their large pyrotechnic firecracker debut that was suspended between the rooftop of their building to a CID lamppost. It was quite a sight when Mak Fai took to the streets and paraded around the neighborhood, blessing businesses with arguably the largest lion dance parade Seattle has ever seen.
Mak Fai closed their Golden 50th Anniversary at the newest CID restaurant, “Diamond Bay,” inviting 400-plus prominent lion dance coaches, members, and martial arts instructors from across the globe. As longtime partners of OCA-Greater Seattle, we had the honor of front row seats and witnessed breathtaking, memorable performances, including 10 traditional lions being eye-dotted, a thunderous drum routine, an acrobatic double lion routine, an impressive array of kung fu sets from grandmasters, honorable guests, and members of Mak Fai, and finally a traditional lion dance routine scaling tables and benches. This was the most impressive performance of lion dancing I have ever seen. I was awestruck through all the performances. They also premiered their newest short documentary, “The Golden 50: A Mak Fai Anniversary,” which touches upon Grandmaster Mak Hin Fai’s impressive career and origin story.
Congratulations, Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association, on the 50-year milestone. We are rooting for your new nonprofit foundation and can’t wait to celebrate your 100th anniversary!
