Qiao Yi Lion Dance Team was form by a group of enthusiasts in 1996.  We started as a club in the University of Canterbury Student Association as most of us then were students there. We are now affiliated to the New Zealand Chinese Association Canterbury Branch, and we use their hall (Chinese Cultural Hall) for our practices.

Our technical adviser and mentor is Master H.P. Siow of Malaysia. Master H.P. Siow is a world renown lion dance coach and is the head coach of Kung Seng Keng of Malaysia,  the world's most successful lion dance champions since 1992.  Master H.P.Siow is also the proprietor of one of the most popular lion dance equipment manufacturer, Wan Seng Hang. We also belong to the Hok San Sa Ping Lui Family Confederation [國際沙坪（呂派）獅藝同門聯誼總會]in which Master Siow is one of the founders.

George Chan, our coach is a International Lion Dance Judge and  have been involves in the  judging  of various competitions.  He was also a assistant coach to a top Malaysian team.

Our philosophy towards lion dance is that it is an art form that combines music, theatre, dance, rituals and acrobatics, and filled with many aspect of Chinese cultural and traditional influences.

We strive to follow the eight virtues of the Hok San Sa Ping Lui Family: Loyalty, Righteousness, Perseverance, Courage, Wisdom, Sincerity, Harmonious, Manners.{忠，正，毅，勇，智，誠，和，禮]

We also believe that if this art is to survive or strive, it need to be relevant to its current situation, and as Master Siow always say: "Evolution without excluding Tradition".