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s Lunar New Year draws near, youths from the Boen Hay Bio temple in Serpong, South Tangerang, Banten, are busy preparing performances of Chinese lion and dragon dances, locally known as barongsai and liong.

'€œWe have been in the temple since 5 a.m. for the preparation of today'€™s performance,'€ Oky Chendana, 20, a board member of the Boen Hay Bio Liong and Barongsai Association, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday while he and some other members were taking a practice break.

Oky explained the community had accepted offers to perform in several places of South Tangerang and Jakarta to welcome Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 8.

On Saturday alone, the community had to perform at two shopping centers in South Tangerang, in addition to a shopping center in Pejaten, South Jakarta, he said.

Oky explained the community had to split into two teams to be able to meet demand for the dance performances.

Boen Hay Bio Liong and Barongsai, Oky explained, was established in 2004 to accommodate youths living near the 300-year-old temple who wanted to learn about the barongsai and liong dances as well as Chinese drum performances.

Twelve years after its first appearance, the group now has 32 members ranging from 13 to 28 years of age.

With some members of a productive age, Oky explained the community had to adjust their practice and performing schedule to members'€™ personal schedules.

He disclosed the community typically earned around Rp 2.5 million (US$183) for a performance.

'€œWe then divide the income for the costs of accommodation and member payments. If there'€™s any spare cash, we put it to the community'€™s savings,'€ Oky said. He added that even in the peak season of Chinese New Year, they did not charge higher prices.

Asked whether the payment was fair for the community members, most of whom still go to school, Oky said money was not a major concern, adding that all members viewed their participation in the group as a hobby and a way to conserve the culture represented in the performances. They did not look at it as a job.

'€œWe perform for the social rather than the business aspect. Therefore, we can always negotiate about the payment with those who hire us,'€ added Oky, who joined the community 12 years ago.

Fellow member Budiyanto, who lives in Sampora, roughly 3 kilometers from the Boen Hay Bio temple, confirmed he was not in it for the money. He decided to become a lion dance performer six years ago because he was attracted to the beauty of the dance moves. He added that as a Chinese-Indonesian, joining the community would allow him to conserve his culture.

He was committed to his choice, so he did not find it hard to manage his time around studying and practicing.

'€œIf I have to practice in the evening, I will study, including doing my homework, the next morning. I am used to managing time now,'€ Budi said.

According to Mardi Liem, a Chinese-Indonesian culture expert, the lion dance, which is accompanied by Chinese drums, depicts the story of repelling the evil Nian, represented in the lion. Meanwhile, the dragon dance is seen to glorify Thian, or god, in Chinese culture.