As a young pride of lions finds their footing in Chinatown, Alvin Eng serves as their guide.

Eng is a volunteer with the Chinatown Community Young Lions. The nonprofit teaches kids of all backgrounds the art of lion dancing.

"I feel that it is best that I do it,” he said. “So I know the culture will continue."

Eng has been with the Young Lions since its beginning in 1970s. That's when his friend's family formed a lion dance group that would welcome everyone, regardless of their nationality. Eng said the organizations with troupes at the time would normally assign small roles to people not born in China. 

"If they do let them in, into the association, they would do small little things, like, you know, holding the flag or walking with them," Eng said.

The new group learned by watching other lion dance troupes in the neighborhood. The young lions practiced by performing in local restaurants.

"It was just a bunch of guys hanging out, just doing the lion dance that we wanted to do," Eng said.

Half a century later, Eng returns to Chinatown week after week. He coaches the dancers and handles logistics.

Eng also repairs the lion heads in his Queens home.

"I've always been handy in doing things. So doing stuff like this was natural," Eng said.  

"He's still here,” said Kathleen Tom-Lew, whose family started the organization. “He's still dedicated. He's still fixing all the lion heads."

That way the kids can perform at the annual Lunar New Year Parade and other events.

"It's good to pass the torch in passing my knowledge over to the younger generation," Eng said.

For keeping Chinese culture alive with these young lions, Alvin Eng is our New Yorker of the Week.