Ideal Price Points for Lion Dance Troupes to Stay Cashflow Positive

Ideally, based on $2,828 each day for a lion dance troupe running a single lorry is hugely dependent on the price point to break even. At $800 per performance, the lion dance troupe will require 4 performance to break even per day with slight profits. If the lion dance troupe is quoting all customers $188 for all performance, they will require 16 performance to break even with slight profits. From experience, that cannot be achieved unless all 16 performances are within a stone’s throw of each other.

“Your calculations does not account for the table blessings and the individual red packet individual staff places on their table!”

You are right. This is our second biggest source of income for us to pay for new equipment and overseas competition and what-nots. However, most lion dance troupes will not depend on this for the yearly rental or costs as the variation is huge.

“But-but-but last year my friend’s lion dance troupe come my house for $188 leh!”

There is a stark difference in quotation for residences and commercial clients. Some lion dance troupes offer 2 lions at $188 for friends and families as the first and second day of Lunar New Year they have dedicated it for fun and house visits since only a few businesses are open and not many businesses are getting a lion dance performance on the first 2 days. It doesn’t mean your friend’s lion dance troupe is cheap, it means your friend values the friendship you both share and wishes to bring joy to you and your family through lion dance. Please don’t ask him for the same rate for your company’s celebration. Be a friend and support him in return. He could be home spending the festive season with his family playing card games and drinking beer instead of perspiring in the lion or drenched in the rain should weather turn unfavorable.

“Siao Liao, 7th day of CNY I engaged a Lion Dance troupe at $188 for my Office. What should I expect?”

I am not in the position to guarantee a lion dance troupe will be late or early, but based on the above sums, the lion dance troupe might have more eggs on hand than they can handle. Or maybe they are running more lorries so they are able to lower the price since the costs is shared across all vehicles. It depends on the lion dance troupe’s management. As with every year, 7th day of CNY is the most popular date and if you engaged a lion dance troupe that chews more than they can eat, you’re screwed. Worst still, if your boss obsesses over Feng-Shui, your prospect in the company is gone.