A public display of traditional lion dancing enlivened Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday morning, captivating thousands of locals and tourists.

The performances were part of the first Ho Chi Minh City Qilin, Lion, and Dragon Dance Festival, which aimed to revitalize interest in the traditional art amongst the public.

The dance mimics the movement of three sacred animals, the qilin (a mythical hooved creature in East Asian culture), the lion, and the Asian dragon (a snake-like mythical creature with four legs) with dancers dressing themselves in brightly-colored animal costumes that take at least two people to operate.

Twelve participating dance crews marched through six streets in downtown Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday morning before assembling at Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street for a grand performance.

The audience were also invited to participate in the performances and introduced to the folklores behind the dance, while Vietnamese folk games were played as a performance by professional sports teams.

An aerial view of the first Ho Chi Minh Ciy Qilin, Lion, and Dragon Dance Festival on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The Vietnamese version of ‘capture the flag’ is in play. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A hoop-throwing folk game. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A hoop-throwing folk game. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A folk game of the Thai ethnic group in Vietnam where players try to throw a cloth-wrapped ball through a high hoop. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The welcome gate of the first Ho Chi Minh Ciy Qilin, Lion, and Dragon Dance Festival on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A human-chess game where chess pieces are replaced by people. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A qilin dance performance. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A qilin dance performance. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A qilin dance performance. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A qilin dance performance. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A dragon dance performance. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A performance is observed by thousands of spectators. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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