KOTA KINABALU: The Keong Fatt lion and dragon dance troupe, which became an online sensation after a video of their recent performance at the Imago Mall here went viral, should by all accounts be fully booked for shows this Chinese New Year period.
Instead, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases nationwide has put the brakes on their meteoric rise, with numerous bookings canceled as a result.
The troupe, comprising 35 members aged between 15 and 28, had garnered hordes of new fans after footage of them performing a breathtaking tandem somersault from the top pole made its rounds on social media.
This led to the troupe gaining newfound fame and were featured in various online portals.
Troupe leader Bryan Wong said their members had been training for one month in preparation for performances during Chinese New Year from Jan 29 until Chap Goh Meh on Feb 15.
The two troupe members, aged 18 and 20, who were behind the somersault stunt, had been under Wong's tutelage since the troupe's inception in 2017.
Wong said for now, the authorities are still allowing them to conduct performances albeit with strict compliance to the standard operating procedures.
"Unfortunately, over the last few days, the spike in cases and worrying Covid-19 situation has led to many show cancellations from the corporations.
"We've had at least five cancellations for now. We're expecting more over the next few days.
"It's sad but we respect the decision as Covid-19 cases in Sabah are also rising," he told the New Straits Times, adding they charge clients between RM688 and RM1,588 depending on the types of performances.
Wong said apart from the clients, the troupe members' parents were also worried for the wellbeing of their children.
However, he gave his assurance that its members conduct self tests every day and adopt the necessary precautions.
Sabah's daily Covid-19 cases breached the 1,000 mark on Feb 5 and had remained at four-digits until yesterday.
State Covid-19 spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun had attributed the spike to community infections, the presence of the Omicron variant and SOP complacency among the people.
