Introduction
of Lion Dancing
The lion dance has been part of the Chinese culture for thousands of years and is performed on auspicious occasions such as weddings, store openings, and various festivals and celebrations. The lion, a symbol of power, wisdom, and good fortune, chases away evil spirits and brings happiness, longevity, and good luck. The lion dance is also performed at many business locations during the Chinese New Year's Celebration for the lion brings prosperity and good luck to the business for the upcoming year.
The lion
itself consists of a head and a body. The lion head is traditionally made of
paper-macho, bamboo, and wire. However, the Jing Mo Kung Fu Club's lion is much
heavier as it has been reinforced with fiberglass to make it more durable.
Inside the head there are levers and pull-strings that are used to make the
lion's eyes open and close, the ears twist and flap, and the mouth open and
close. The head is painted in bright colors and decorated with string, tassels
and bells.The
body of the lion is made from bright multi-colored cloth and is adorned with
hair, bells, and other decorations.
Two Kung fu martial artists form the lion. The dance is based on traditional Kung fu footwork, kicks, and stances so both participants must have a solid background in Kung fu.
The
head of the lion is the most prestigious position and requires strength,
stamina, and versatility. This dancer must carry and balance the lion's head and
control the lion's facial expressions (eyes, ears, mouth) with his upper body,
while performing the cat-like movements (stances, footwork) with his lower body.
It is this dancer that gives the lion its personality and attitude. The second
dancer follows the lead dancer and maintains a bent over position forming the
body and tail of the lion.
The
lion dance is usually accompanied by a musical ensemble consisting of a large
Chinese drum (called a “da shih gu”) played with two wooden mallets, a gong
(called luo), and one or more sets of cymbals (called bo). The lion's dance is
not choreographed to music; instead the musicians follow the lion's movements.
Each of the lion's moods and moves has its own associated rhythm.
There
are many styles of the lion dance that vary depending on the Kung fu school and
the dancers. All of the dances simulate the movement of a lion and use the
footwork, body movements, balance, and agility that are found in Kung fu.
The
freestyle form of the lion dance is frequently used. In this form there is no
standard set of steps. However, all of the movements imitate a lion's habits and
expressions and the moves are all based on Kung fu. For example the dance might
include any number of the following - walking, sniffing, pawing the ground,
scratching, acting curious, acting mad, playing and interacting with the little
Buddha and the crowd.