Asian lions dance in Jack London Square

Asian lions dance in Jack London Square

OAKLAND — In a gesture to continue clearing out any spiritual deadwood left over from the Lunar New Year, a group of young martial artists donned their leonine apparel and stormed through Jack London Square on Sunday.

Seven dancers and drummers from the Oakland Police Asian Youth Services Center swept up and down the square to the booming rhythm of a pigskin barrel drum in the early afternoon. A pair of two-man lions, decorated similar to dragon dancers but shorter and with different faces, pawed, jumped and danced across the square.

"Dragons only come out once a year, and they have to be 10 or more people," instructor Sifu Robert Lee said. "But lions can come out for many more occasions, to clean out bad elements and make room for a fresh start."

The center's lion dance team includes more than 20 youths, who come from Oakland public schools starting about the age of 15. They practice a rich blend of dance, music and martial arts, Lee said.

Wilson Lu, a 19-year-old Oakland student, joined in 2002 and took the lead of both lions at various points in the performance. He stopped several times along the dance, entertaining children and using his legs to mimic paws. He has studied dance and drumming, as well as employing swords, staffs and wushu martial arts.

"Wushu is maybe the most traditional kind of Chinese martial arts," Lu said, adding that the style is as much as 6,000 years old. "I've studied a lot of the southern style. The moves are different from other martial arts, but what really distinguishes it is the emphasis on keeping the body healthy. It's not so much about self-defense as it used to be; it's more about keeping your internal energy up, your longevity."

Robert Mac, 25, moved to Oakland when he was 16 and joined almost right away, he said. While a lot of participants quit or move away after high school, Mac said that the group had become like a family to him.

"These guys take a little bit of getting used to," he laughed. "But they're great. They do all kinds of dancing and goofing around and put it up on YouTube. It's pretty hilarious."

Glenda McDowell, of Alameda, and her 9-year-old son, Scotty, chatted with the performers after the show, asking about which year it is now — it is the Year of the Ox, known for symbolizing success attained through toil — and Scotty shared some of his knowledge of Chinese culture.

"We went into Chinatown for New Year's and got some firecrackers," Scotty said between bites of caramel popcorn. "They scare away evil spirits."

The Asian Youth Services Center is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and other opportunities for Oakland youths. Their next performance will be Feb. 9 at the Hotel Oakland, 260 13th St. The show will start at 4 p.m. and is slated to include martial arts demonstrations, singing, modern dance and lion dancing. Tickets are free, but donations are requested.

"They usually make a puzzle for the lion dancers to get the donations," Lee said. "They hang lettuce, oranges and money tied up together from the ceiling, about 10 feet up, and the lion dancers have to go up there and grab it."

For those who would rather keep their money at ground level, donations can be handed in red envelopes straight to the lion dancers in exchange for a chance to rub the lion's head, Lee said, "for good luck, good health and good fortune."

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