High school student Collin Ath is one of this year’s lion dancers. He said he’s met a lot of people throughout the organization, including some he could look up to “like role models” as he grows into adulthood.
“In the future, looking back on this, it’s going to be a big part of my youthful years,” Ath said. ”It’s just very fun seeing all the smiles that I can make happen through the lion head.”
Ath found out about the Suns through fellow high schooler Eugene Koesmadjie, who said he enjoyed not only being able to entertain through the performances, but also the time spent with Ath and the other dancers.
“Just imagine this: Imagine both of us just watching the lions and just looking at each other and say, ‘Oh, didn’t we do that, too?’ We know what they’re doing. We know how they’re working, and just looking back at it, you never take these moments for granted,” Koesmadjie said.
The Lunar New Year night parade in Philadelphia’s Chinatown section will feature a lion dance performance at 10 p.m. on Monday. On Feb. 22, the neighborhood will host the Lunar New Year Parade at 11 a.m.