How British-Chinese lion dancer in documentary stops being shy wearing lion head, uniform

Kelvin Chan, who learned lion dancing in the UK before honing his skills in Hong Kong, will appear in the 2025 documentary Heart of the Lion

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Heart of the Lion documentary explores lion dances, identity and belonging

Mabel Lui

Published: 12:45pm, 11 Jul 2024Updated: 1:05pm, 12 Jul 2024

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Kelvin Chan is visibly shy and introverted in person, his eyes darting back and forth whenever he feels nervous.

But that all changes the moment the British-born Chinese man steps into his lion dance uniform and pulls a papier-mâché lion head over his own.

Stepping out in front of the crowd, his eyes fill with focus and determination. Before long, he is fervently dancing away to the beat of drums and cymbals, the spirit of the lion having taken over his mind and body.

Kelvin Chan performs a lion dance in a still from Heart of the Lion, a new documentary from director Rosanna Lee. Photo: Heart of the Lion

For Chan, lion dance has always been an integral part of his life. “Growing up, I was really confused when people didn’t know what lion dance was,” he says.

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