Hi everybody,

After much slaving away at the computer, I've finally gotten my Lunar New Year Homepage up. Yes, I know it's 5:30 in the morning, but I'm a college student. I should be able to handle the crunch. Just check out my homepage and click on the button that says "Lunar New Year" or put in the following URL:

http://www.utdallas.edu/~minh/newyear.htm/

Hope you all enjoy. Tell me what you think. In the mean time, I'm going to take a peek at the back of my eyelids for a few hours. Bye!

J. Minh Nguyen

I need to know how to build a lion head for my school we are having an asian festival in april. My teacher is going to show me how to do the lion dance. All I need is how to make the eyelids move and how tomake the frame of the head.

sincerly,

Dennis G.

yES SHERMAN THAT IS HOW WE DO IT HERE IN CHICAGO ALSO, BUT BEFORE THE BOWING AND THE LICKING, A MASTER FROM EACH GROUP COMES OUT AND HOLDS THE LIONS HEAD DOWN (FACE FACING THE FLOOR) I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT ONE TIME AT A HOTEL PERFORMANCE ON STAGE , WE ENCOUNTERED THIS OTHER GROUP WHICH WASNT VERY COOPERATIVE, THEY REFUSED TO PUT THEIR HEAD DOWN, REFUSED THE BOWING AND LICKING, AND ALSO WHEN WE WERE BOWING TO THEM THEY HAD THE TAIMAN LIFT UP THE HEAD MAN, MY SIFU TOLD ME THAT THAT IS VERY DISRESPECTFUL TO US BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE US LOOK UP TO THEM. aND THUS A FIGHT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN BETWEEN THE TWO LION BUT LUCKILY NOTHING DID HAPPEN.

Assuming we know we are going to do a crossing (we will not perform this ceremony with every school, for different reasons. Some schools, we just walk around), our Sifu leaves the drums and hushes the two (or one) lions down. Heads down, as crazyguy (below) mentioned. This shows respect to the other school. The two sifu's will approach each other, shake hands or bow to each other, and exchange cards and words of greetings. The lions shuffle up to each other, tilt the head, and the heads shake hands, exchange cards and greetings. Then, the lions pass on the left (the non-aggressive side). If there is a dominant school (in our case, we performed a passing with our Sifu's Sifu's school, and thus, they were the dominant school), that lion head is raised first, and a walk about beat is heard on the drum. If not, then both heads come up at the same time.

Problems can occur if one head is higher than the other (showing indifference or attempting to show dominance) or if one comes up before the other (showing aggressiveness and dominance). Fights have occured, and I heard that several years ago, there was a school that did this, and a fight broke out where someone was shot. They take this Very seriously!! Thankfully, no incidents occurred during our performance (it also helped that we had 6 police officers "guarding" us, and guiding us through the route).

Anyway, what I find is interesting is that we were not taught the bowing and the licking (though, I am told that a kiss and a hug may be performed). I've never heard that being performed (in my *very* limited experience).. and I think it would be neat to see!

Sherman had a point in his earlier letter:
>In Hawaii, we are all peace-oriented groups so we do not have great
>rivalries which lead to confrontations. In fact, we all realize how
>hard every group is working so there's no use in putting in all the
>extra work to show that your group is better than the next.

This type of comraderie *should* exist in the martial arts world, in general, and not just in the world of Lion dancing. It's this attitude that brings us all together.. and the confrontational attitudes that I described above in NYC do not make much sense to me. Why should someone die because someone raised their lion head before another? I'm sorry, but I do not understand. For lion dancing and the arts to continue in general your attitude of understanding the hard work is what is needed!!

This is my humble opinion submitted for your review, this 10th day of March, 1997.
Bernard

Hi everyone.

I was just wondering...how do lion dances usually end?

-Paul

Well, we always end with three bows. If we begin with bows to an establishment, then we end by bowing to the establishment. If we start up by bowing to the drum (which symbolizes paying respects to our sifu) then we end by bowing back to the drum. When playing beside other clubs, we always turn toward each other and bow before finishing by turning back to our drum.

Thats how we do it in Hawaii anyway! Maybe other places might be different.

Sherman

As Sherman has already stated, we start and end with three bows. Always right left then center.

In the Hung Gar tradition, we have what we call the Hoy chang which consists of a very short Hung Gar set done by the head and tail and timed to a drum beat. It is done next to the lion while it is on the ground. At the end of the set, the head and tail jump over the lion and get under it.

Then we do the three bows. After the three bows, we do what we call the triangle step which is hard to describe but a signature move of Hung Gar in the shape of a triangle.

To end the lion dance, we do 3-star, 7-star then three bows. At the end of three bows, we "turn the skin". There are a couple of ways to do this but it is also timed with the drumming. Turning the skin means the skin is flipped and the dancers are exposed.

Hope that made sense.

Stephen.

Stephen,

The three-bow is always Left, Right, Center in Hung Gar.

Gobert Yeung

Yikes! I can't believe I wrote Right, Left, Center, but re-reading the email, that's what I put.

My apologies to the list. I do know it is ALWAYS, left, right, center. What an embarassment to be corrected by your Si-Sook. :-)

Stephen

hi.

i've been on the list for about a month but this is the first time i am writing. i am in a small lion dance team in northern california. the team is from a buddhist temple so we really dont have a sifu. members come and go but there are a few that stick around for a while (we are not a tight and close group, you might say).

i play the drum and am very interested at what types of drumming techniques are there out there (i dont get around very much). i know the basic 3-star and 7-star techniques but i am sure that there are many variations of these techniques out there (regionalism perhaps?). i know there is a 5-star (there is, isnt there?) but i have not heard what this sounds like. are there other techniques that i am not aware of (i sure like to get more info on this)?. i am sure that there are certain drumming styles that are unique to a particular school.

also, i play a different drummgin song (different from the lion dancing part) for the kung-fu performance part. do you all do play a different set too for the kung-fu performance?

lastly, does anyone know how i can obtain audio tapes (or cd's, or video's) of drumming songs?

thank!

lt

Hi everyone!

I'm happy to say that The Brandeis Lion Dance Troupe is officially chartered and we now can ask for money to spend!! We've actually have been borrowing equipment from other people. Such as a Lion head from our VSA, a drum from a local kung-fu federation, a pot and pot lid from my own kitchen, and a $200 London Fog down jacket for the body suit for the renegade monk. It was a hilarious scene we performed at Wellesley college but I'm sure it pales in comparison to everyone elses.

I'm actually writing to ask if anyone can give me an estimate of how much equipment actually costs. Things like a drum, lion heads, cymbals, gongs, and maybe even a dragon! =)

I live in Boston so there actually isn't any place that actually specializes in this stuff. I might be willing to go so far as to importing equipment from overseas.

Thanks alot everyone! This is a really cool list! =)

-Paul Hung

Brandeis University

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have experiences with equiping a truck to carry the band?

I mean, it's easy to just put all your instruments in the back of a pick-up and hold some flags up but since I've never actually done it I was wondering if anyone on the list had "tips" or things to watch for.

One big questions is how do you hold the flags in place? We do not have a dedicated truck so our implementation would have to allow for removal of the flags without permanent damage to the truck.

Another question, is there a problem with the drum moving around? Our stand has wheels.

Thoughts?

Stephen.

Good questions.

Make sure your flags are not too high.. Remind the driver about low hanging trees and cables. The heavy weight pvc pipe works really well but they bend a lot but will not break. Bamboo is nice but hard to find here. Some schools make a rack with holes in it. Something like a weapon rack. Or you could just mound a 2x4 with holes drilled into it to give the flag poles the support needed on the bottom. Most truck have some hooks or tie downs to brace the flag poles further up. Just remember the faster you go the harder the wind is going to hit the flags. The best is to have a construction truck with the roof racks. I seen a fancy set- up with a wielded rack in front of the truck.. ( re moveable and painted silver.)

When playing on the truck it is very important that the drum is stationary. When the truck is moving or makes sudden stops the drummer needs to brace against the drum. Wheels are fine but tie the drum to a corner or have the wheels blocked. When drumming in a moving truck the drummer is busy looking at the lion dancer and not where the truck is going.( or stopping) Good way to build a strong horse.

Hi Paul,

Congratulations on the new group.

Equipment can be expensive. In SF, a decent head and tail for a good price is about $500. I've seen similar quality go for $800 and for a really good one, $3,000. Drums tend to run from $300-$700. I'm not sure about gongs and cymbols but they aren't cheap either.

In asia, a very good lion can be bought for $1,800 but you have to ship it here which will double the cost unless you buy in volume.

I don't know what prices are like in the east coast.

I have a question. How are you learning the movements and drumming? Just curious.

Stephen.

Benard meant this to go to the list:

----- Begin Included Message -----
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 17:37:14 -0500
From: Bernard Ortiz-de-Montellano
Subject: Re: New Troupe! =)

Stephen Chew wrote:

> I don't know what prices are like in the east coast.

Stephen - from what I understand, the prices here are similar to what you've quoted.

> I have a question. How are you learning the movements and drumming?

Good question! :)

Bernard

> i've been on the list for about a month but this is the first time i am
> writing. i am in a small lion dance team in northern california.

Where in NoCal are you? I just noticed a new buddhist group in Oakland Chinatown.

Anyways, welcome to the list.

> i play the drum and am very interested at what types of drumming techniques
> are there out there (i dont get around very much). i know there is a
> 5-star (there is, isnt there?) but i have not heard what this sounds

I have not heard of 5-star as a name. Heare are the names I have been taught:

Ha Wu - low dance
Go Wu - high dance
Loi Gu - Roll for a bow
Sam Sing - 3 star
Chut Sing - 7 star

I would call these categories instead of drumming techniques. They eack follow a basic pattern and purpose but you can drum them in a variety of ways.

There are also specialty drum beats that go with movements. I lump them in low dance since you can use them the same way but they are different.

> like. are there other techniques that i am not aware of (i sure like to
> get more info on this)?. i am sure that there are certain drumming
> styles that are unique to a particular school.

Each school has it's particular style. As I wrote in an earlier post, there are moves and drum beats that identify the Hung Gar style. I notice the White Crane and Choy Li Fut have unique styles as well. They all basically fall into the categories listed above though.

> also, i play a different drummgin song (different from the lion dancing
> part) for the kung-fu performance part. do you all do play a different
> set too for the kung-fu performance?

We also play differently when we preform. It's more freestyle though.

> lastly, does anyone know how i can obtain audio tapes (or cd's, or
> video's) of drumming songs?

I would be interested in this too. Wing Lam Enterprises sells a CD with some Lion dance drumming and I have a video from Taiwan that goes through some drumming but I haven't seen much out there. The Tat Mau Wong tapes conentrated more on dancing then drumming.

Stephen

hi dancers and drummer

No names but just local gossip. This happen a few years back two lion dance groups passed not in major Chinatown but let us call it Chinatown 2 or maybe three. Group A refused to pay respect to group B. Group A even went so far as to fool with the other clubs lions behind. ( lots of friction developed but I do not think any blood was broken.) Group A is not a formal Martial Arts school nor do they have a one school Sifu. Elders in this school had to meet with the other school a voice deep apologies. Elders in this group could not believe this generation could do something so disrespectful. Thing like this are talked about but thease guys really did it. Sometime you can be too strong and too bold it make you look stupid.

Hawaii guy talks about the young lions with a horn make of metal. Has anyone really seen this before.?

The first Black lion I've seen in San Francisco was a Hop Ga sifu on Powell street. He cut the beard short and was rumored to be on the dark side of things. He got shot in the 60"s at the entrance of his studio by a young teenage. I can still remember the picture of that lion head in the english news papers. Mean mean looking lion

Only time we have the crossing is usually in Chinatown during the Lion Drives for Chinese Hospital donations.

We use to hate the old guy who would collect the money. Sometimes they would carry a knife on the end of a stick and cut the money down before the lion had a chance the do their thing. Three bow and take the money. We all felt it was important for the money to go through the lions mouth.. Guess some of the old men never trusted us. But I never mess with the spirt or way of the lion.

When crosssing paths the two teaches would shake hands and make sure the Lion were gental no legs up or high dancing. Slow small moves.. gental....three bows to each others face to face... sometimes a gift or red bag exchanged. kiss if we were related to the other group or close friends. If we do not want to mix with another group we keep the distance. They go down one side we the other. bye bye.

layton