Ok, so I'm forwarding bounced messages.. and some of them are a little old.. please forgive me :-)

Bye,

Serhat

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 16:03:42 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Andrew J. Law"
Subject: Re: [LionDance] northern lions

How does the mouth and eyes etc work in a one man lion? I assume you use your arms like legs so you wouldn't be able to use hands to work these things.

Andy!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 16:36:05 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Andrew J. Law"
Subject: Re: [LionDance] How do we train for the head to jump on the tail's shoulder?

> got me wondering....what's the appropriate type of shoes to wear? i think
> with running shoes with the treads and all it could get a bit irritating on
> the shoulders and thighs.

I wear my old racing flats. These are also good because they are very very light. No spikes of course. The treads aren't very big but they are very grippy. Flats also bend with your feet more than sneakers. Handy things they are. Mine were about 40 dollars.

Andy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 23:26:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Andrew J. Law"
Subject: Re: [LionDance] LD: Puzzles

> My team has a play on chairs, plucking the green. The other kind of
> "plucking" we have is "drunken master". But I think they are common to be
> done, huh?

I've heard the "drunken master" playing before but never seen it. Is there a certain way of doing it?

Andy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 12:21:40 -0700
From: "Porrata, Wanda J HM1"
Subject: CELEBRATION OF NAVY'S CULTURAL DIVERSITY DAY 3 JUL 00

OOPS! I don't know if you've received my previous e-mail but I am resending this because I did not include my e-mail address or phone number.

Good morning Sir,

My name is Wanda Porrata and I am in the Navy, currently stationed in San Diego, CA at the Naval School of Health Sciences. I don't know if you are aware that the Navy is actively involved in promoting Cultural Diversity and has set aside July as the Navy's Cultural Diversity Month. My command is currently in the process of putting together our contribution to this event My command is currently in the process of putting together our contribution to this event on 3 July beginning at 0930 thru 2:00. We are actively canvassing for members in the Asian Pacific Community, who are willing to give freely of their time to set up displays and demonstrations specific to their community. I would very much like to hear from you as soon as possible if you are interested in participating in helping us put together the most OUTSTANDING Cultural Diversity Day. Thank you very much for giving me a few moments of your time.

Very respectfully,

HM1 Wanda J. Porrata
Address: Naval School of Health Sciences
34101 Farenhlt Ave., San Diego, CA 92134
Tele: (619) 532-7807
E-mail address: wjporrata@nshs-sd.med.navy.mil

This is how Drunken Master done:

A lion does childish movements, looks very happy, jumping and running (music up). Then he sees a bottle of wine (music down). The dancer changes style, being curious, shown by eyes and head movements. Sometimes looking around, makes sure there is no other lion. Expressions and other variations depend on the dancer. Then slowly tiptoeing towards the bottle, after investigating, he drinks it. But.. he wrongly swallows the bottle (music up), the lion moves backward with small fierce jumps. He's afraid and trying to get the bottle out. He makes it, the bottle out.. and he gets drunk (music down), surprising steps, slow steps combines with some surprising fast steps. Then.. the lion falls asleep. When the drummer strike "tuc-tuc" at the edge ot the drum, he wakes up but sit still. This time, (music up) the eyes move a lot. After that, the lion scratch his legs, his ears and his bottom. Other variations can be put at this part, just kinda freestyle the dancer wanna do, and the Drunken Master is done.

Sorry my english is not very good, hope you get what you wanna know ^^

care,

Vela

Our northern lion set came as a family consisting of a 2-man male, 2-man female, a 1-man male, and a 1-man female. The 1-man is difficult to play and there is no control of the mouth and eyes. The head is very unstable because its just a snug fitting "crown" that is suspended on three strings from the inside of the paper mache head. I don't know if you can picture it but believe me, its hard to "keep your head on straight".

Sherman

Ernie,

Thanks for the info. on Gee Yung, I'll add them to the list of teams in Hawai'i and San Francisco (Corey let me know there was also a branch there). I'm always looking for more groups to add to the list on the Lion's Cave, so if anyone has any additions, let me know! So far I've got information for groups in 21 states and Washington D.C. as well as 11 other countries besides the United States.

Chris

Corey,

Thanks for the encouragement & info. on Gee Yung. I have a question about dragon dancing for you, and actually for anyone on the list with experience. My team in San Diego just got a dragon without really knowing what to do with it. My guess is that there's probably more to the dance than run around in circles and bounce the poles up and down. Can you offer some advice or routines that they can use? Thanks for your time!

Chris

Hi Chris,

Congratulations on the new addition to the family! Most important question--What kind of dragon is it? Guangdong loong (big, "southern" style or sah loong "northern" style? Second question--how many sections (including the head and tail) long is it? And lastly, did anything else besides a pearl come with it?

You're going to have a lot of fun.

Corey

Haha.......oh he's going to have fun...he's going to have fun transporting the thing around too. Whether its the big parade kind, or the smaller dancing kind....it'll be a pain. hey chris, go to vovinamvvd.homepage.com for the address and contact info of VoViNam. Here's another group for you too. Just established. The East West Golden Dragon and Lion Dance Association. It's my dragon dance group (for you SF people, it's david thomas's group) and the new lion dance team I started smack right into together. Right now i'm working on the website. Contact info i'll get to you later.

ALbert Le

I would like to know more about Sifu Siow and his lion heads. Such as the price ranges and different styles and sizes he offers. Does he custom make lions if you send him a picture of the one you like. Also how do you contact him from California? I tried to fax him some questions but it never got through. Please e-mail me back and describe to me what I asked.

you got to go through George Chan for that. He is always informed about Sifu Siow's materials. i think his email was whchan@hotmail.com email him and it might take a while for him to get back to you.

We recently bought 2 master siow heads from mayalsia, a gold one and a red one. They're beautiful. They've got plastic tubing for the handles, with some sort of rough coating on them. The majority ( the key points) of the main frame is made of aluminium. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard how Master siow lion heads are trademaked. ?? They told me how the way you can tell it's a master siow head by looking at the nose. It should be green with a white and black stripe outlining it. Chris, I'll send you a picture to put along side my group on your page as soon as I get them develped and scanned.

Also, I've asked before but nobody replied... Does anyone know a good my to laquer a lion head. or apply a coating of something to re-enforce the paper on the head?

Jason

Hi all,

I've heard alot about Master Siow and his lion head. I 'm just wondering is there any difference between Master Siow lion head and other "traditional" lion head. What i mean is not only the external look, but the advantage in the way of performent, the way of easy to use? Do it helps you perform well in some routines(eg. better performent for routine in competition)? Is it alot better then other lion head?

how does one subscribe to this list? i want to let other lion dancers know.

thanks.

ddchang

Hi,

Like I said... It's re-enforced with aluminium, so it's stronger and Lighter. It's also more durable.

Jason

Hi all:

I am wondering if there are anyone who has some knowledge about commuting in Malaysia. What would be a suitable route (bus,LRT,etc.) between chinatown(KL) and Master Siow's place(PJ) for a budget conscious traveller?

Thanks.

Also, I am planning to take a look at the Lion Dance equipment and wondering if there are any ready-made liondance shoes with claws available in KL area.

Thanks again.

Maung

To me Sifu Siow's lion head are just nice and beautiful the trade marks are the nose, area where it's green with a white & black stripe out lining the nose area.As for performance wise , just keep on practicing on your ma bu or horse stance training .Since lion dance (southern) is part of kung fu training. The horse stance for power developmen. And just practice your lion dance routine , cardio vascular exercise , weight training to strenghten the body.

Contact Chris low at Chrislow@fuller,edu ( Chris ) . That's the way I would communicate to them . Take care Laine

Jason , I know this kung fu instructor in Hawaii. Which is where I'm from , any way, he bought a man whose specializes, in making lion heads. The kung fu instructor's name is mr. wong . Mr. wong , paid the the man's trip to come to Honolulu, from either china or Hong Kong. All the man did was tell mr. wong what type of materials to get to reinforce the lion head , like bamboos pieces , real horse hair. And mr. wong and his students just listen to the man's instructions as he supervised them. I forgot they used to reinforce the heads with though. But I'll find out and let you know. By the other clubs use fiberglass, the sanding type . Since the laminating ones would crack . Fiber glass the ones used on surfboards.Lainel

>And just practice your lion dance routine, cardio vascular
>exercise, weight training to strenghten the body.

i recommend taking light weights and just lifting it up over your shoulders very fast to build up the strength and stamina to last under the lion head.

dr. d chang

Thank you for those advices . concerning the lion dance . I never thought of that , I do lion dance myself too , I play both the head and tail . And yes, you'll have to train yourself for lion dance activities . otherwise you'll suffer the consequences . Like unable to perform well and unable to do the the lion dance routine you wanted to do . That's why training the body for lion dance is always essential , for good performance and routine . To me, it's the quality of movements and technique , is what makes any lion dance exciting .