From Brain Science to Lion Dance
Sophomore neuroscience major Amanda Trieu keeps an ancient art alive on UMD’s campus.
For University of Maryland sophomore Amanda Trieu, life is about balancing body and mind.
As a neuroscience major who wants to be a dentist, Trieu studies the intricacies of the human nervous system, examining how the brain influences physical health and behavior. Her coursework focuses on understanding what makes people tick from the inside out.
But when she steps away from her studies and internships with local dental practices, Trieu finds time to explore a different kind of head space as a performer inside the ornate head of a traditional lion dance costume.
Trieu is director and co-choreographer of UMD’s lion dancing team, the Terp Lions. Together with the student organization’s president and founder, fire protection engineering major Brian Chen, Trieu helps lead a small yet mighty troupe of student dancers who work to master the art of the traditional lion dance.
Originally started in Southern China over 5,000 years ago to welcome good luck and fortune during special occasions, the dance evolved and spread across the globe, eventually becoming a staple of Lunar New Year celebrations (which begin January 29 in 2025) around the world. To prepare for their performances, the Terp Lions meet twice a week during the semester to practice in full lion costume, stylistically mimicking lion movements to the beat of drums, cymbals and a gong.
“Lion dancing gives me this adrenaline rush that almost nothing else can give,” said Trieu, who was first introduced to the art of lion dancing in her freshman year of high school. “It’s one of my favorite ways to build bonds with my family, my culture and the UMD community.”
Before she picked up the hobby herself, Trieu had only been aware that lion dancing was a traditional art in many Asian countries. Growing up in a Vietnamese American household, she often watched performers don massive yet vividly colored lion costumes to bring good luck and fortune during special occasions. For years, Trieu recalled the warmth, energy and joy of the dances and viewed them as highlights of her childhood. So, when the Vietnamese student association at her high school sought volunteers to help with a special event, she didn’t hesitate to sign up.
“I thought it would be a great way to connect with my family culture and to get closer with my community,” Trieu recalled. “I didn’t realize what a commitment it was going to be, but I never regretted making the choice to continue lion dancing.”
Despite the flashy glitz and glamor of the costumes, lion dancing is more challenging than most people would expect; the lion’s head alone, which is traditionally made of materials like bamboo and rattan, can weigh 15 to 20 pounds—making it a substantial workout to simply hold the head up for a few minutes.
“Every lion dancing costume comes in two parts: a head and a body,” she explained. “One dancer manipulates head movements, while another controls the lion’s tail. Often, the tail dancer physically holds up the head dancer to perform more complicated, martial arts-esque routines. That’s why we try to incorporate strength and endurance training into our practice sessions in addition to just learning choreo and instrumentation.”
As the new lunar year begins this final week of January, Trieu looks forward to continuing dancing and bringing new tricks to an ancient art. She and other members of the Terp Lions will perform on campus in honor of the holiday at events held by UMD’s Chinese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese student associations. In addition, the team is slated to dance at Lunar New Year celebrations including ones hosted at College Park City Hall and the D.C. Chinatown Parade.
“Our team was originally formed in 2023 with just a small handful of interested students, maybe just six of us,” Trieu said. “Now, we have over 20 members on our performing roster, a T-shirt line we’ve designed and a plan for more dancing than ever. Our goal is still the same, though; we hope that our performances continue to bring people together and that we’ll be able to bring them the joy that lion dancing brings us.”
