Greetings...

I would be very interested in purchasing one of these tapes/vcd myself. I would even volumteer to purchase a small quantity and distribute them to other list members in US. Please let us know if this is possible.

John Wai

This was an old suggestion, I thought that I would rekindle the flame. For the lionb drumming, there are differant names and traditions for these sequences. When i was recently talking to another list member, I realized that we were not talking the same language, or using differant names for the sequences. For example:

Big Drum
3 stars
scarey steps
facing the phoenix twice

Has anyone compiled a list of terms commonly used. Perhaps we could share and someone could compile a list:-))

Neil Mcritchie

Hi:

When ordering a lion head, one has to specify sizes 1,2,3 etc. Could someone please explain this system. What are the most commonly used heads for competition and all around use.

Neil Mcritchie

Hi Paul,

I've seen the Tat Mau Wong videos on Lion Dancing. They are OK. Very basic but you can learn from them. They lack the flow of a whole show but teach the pieces really well.

Wing Lam Enterprises also carries a good instructional tape produced by Leung Ting and features a chow gar instructor. (He's pretty famous in Hong Kong but I can't remember the name now. ) IT's a good overall tape with lots of material but it's not really good about breaking things down. You really have to pay attention even though it's suppose to be instructional.

Stephen.

Hey Neil,

Here is the info that I have on lion head sizes. 1 is the largest, 5 is the smallest. (a lot of times you cant get through doors with #1 or #2). #3 is the most common size. 90% of the lions I've seen in North America are #3.

My friend gave me some general measurements for the sizes.

#1 28" high, 29" diameter,
#2 26" high, 27" diameter,
#3 24" high, 25" diameter,
#4 24" high, 20" diameter,

Thanks

Paul Skrypichayko,

I think the leung ting video you are talking about is the one that I have The instructors's name I think is Kam Wai Kwong and Yue Shue Keung ..

> I think the leung ting video you are talking about is the one that I have
> The instructors's name I think is Kam Wai Kwong and Yue Shue Keung ..

Kam Wai Kwong sounds right. What did you think about the video?

I thought it was funny that they include a form so you can join the lion dance association of hong kong :-)

Stephen.

I would like to hear how the Dance is played.

Hi all,

Since I was the one who asked others to let us know if they are performing in public, I want to let you know that the Wing Lam Kung Fu Lion Dance team will be performing for the grand openeing of Macy's at the Vallco shopping center in Sunnyvale, CA.

We are scheduled to be there at 9:00am, tomorrow November 7.

Sorry for the short notice but they just called us last night. This is why you prepare. So you can be available at anytime.

If anyone does make it, be sure to say Hi. I'll be the drummer. We've been practicing a new routine for another show later this month so this will be the first time we do it. Also, we may awaken a new lion for this show but that hasn't been decided. Should be fun.

Stephen.

hey steve! good luck in the gig. I would've like to come down and check you guys out but we have a gig tomorrow nite in the city. maybe we'll hook up in the future.

keith

Good luck to you too. Wouldn't mind a brief review of the performance if you get a chance.

See you next time.

Stephen.

>I thought it was funny that they include a form so
>you can join the lion dance association of hong kong :-)

Yeah you are right and also when you first turn te tape on , it looks like a dubbed kung-fu movie!! lips not co-ordinating with the dialogue !! dont you think so

Sorry for using up bandwidth to ask this most annoying of questions on a mailing list, but how does one unsubscribe now that the changes have taken place?

Peter Nosler

Hi Willy, John, Guys & Gals,

Well, actually, one of my master will be bringing a few of the VHS and VCD back here to distribute . He seems keen to send them to the US, but all is not confirm yet as he is not here at the moment, so we can only discuss it maybe next week. We will have to talk to the video company too. Anyway, I will try to get them to the US, but you all might have to wait for a while as even I have not seen them yet! BTW the VHS is in PAL format and you there might have to convert it to NTSC format.

That's all for now. Happy Lion Dancing!

George,

> When i was recently talking to another list member,
>I realized that we were not
> talking the same language, or using differant names for the sequences.
> For example:
> Big Drum
> 3 stars
> scarey steps
> facing the phoenix twice

I guess it would help if you gave a description with the name. I have only heard of 3 star. What are the others?

> Has anyone compiled a list of terms commonly used.
> Perhaps we could share and someone could compile a list:-))

Some we have are

low dance - many variations with no specific name used while lion is dancing in a low stance. Slower beat.

High dance - fast beat used when travelling long distance. Lion in high or standing stance.

3 star - a pattern played three times.

7 star - a specific pattern used during tricks. must be started with 3 star and has numerological significance.

loi gu - rolling beat. used for bows and eating.

Hope that gets things started

Stephen.

Dear Tacoma Lion Dance Teams,

As the Lincoln International Business Association's outreach manager I would like to invite you and your team to our first 8th annual Tet planning meeting on:

Wednesday, November 18, 1998
at 2:30 PM,
Lincoln Bowling Lane, 2nd floor
on the corner of Yakima Ave and So. 39th Street

As in the past I have know both Vietnamese youth groups from the Buddhist temple and VOVINAM-Viet Vo Dao Martial Arts have been very dedicated in involving this event. I would like to see these both group coming back and volunteer and involve with this coming Tet celebration. The actual Tet day is Tuesday, the 16th of February, 1999, but we would like to see some great turn out this year so therefore we have decided to celebrate and bless our core district business on Wednesday, November 20, 1999. Your participation is important to keep our 8th annual Tet celebration better.

Please announce this event and meeting to any other know Lion Dance team in Tacoma. I want more then just one lion dance team participating this event. As a lion dancer myself, I know that it is more fun and educational if there is more team participating. The more the better and there will be different styles and techniques each team possess. I hope this way all lion dancer can exchange idea, learn from each other, and be good lion buddies. I want the lion dance culture to grow in Tacoma, and be unique. No lion wants to be alone.

Thank you very much,

Nguyen Viet Thuan
LIBA Outreach Manager
942-2286 (pager)

Hi Everyone,

Here is the invitation to the lion dance conference that is going to be held in San Francisco in March.

Hope to see you at the conference!

The Conference Organizing Committee

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THE CHINESE PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO INVITES YOU TO THE 1999 LION DANCE CONFERENCE

The Chinese Performing Arts Foundation of San Francisco (CPAF) was founded in 1992 to support and promote Chinese Performing Arts. In 1994 it helped fund the research and publication of Dr. William Hu's 410 page book (in English) on Chinese Lion Dance. As a follow up on this publication, CPAF is sponsoring a Chinese lion dance conference in San Francisco on the weekends of March 20-21 and March 27-28, 1999. The purpose of the conference is to exchange information and provide some history and instructions on Chinese lion dancing. The Chinese Performing Arts Foundation has invited Master H.P. Siow of Malaysia and two of his students to teach and demonstrate Chinese lion dancing. Master H.P. Siow's lion dance team has been the winner of several international lion dance competitions. Some of the Guest speakers/demonstrators who have accepted the Foundation's invitation to participate at this conference are Master Siow, Dr. William Hu of the University of Michigan (Retired), Terese Bartholomew of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Dr. Derald Sue of California State University at Hayward, Corey Chan of Chinese Performing Artists of America Dragon Team, Layton Doung of the Yellow River Drummers, Beijing percussionist Mr. Hai Pu, Gordon Lew of City College of San Francisco (Retired), and Jason Jong of Oakland Asian Culture Center

Dates: Saturday, March 20, 1999, 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Sunday, March 21, 8:30 AM to 6 :30PM
Saturday, March 27, 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Sunday, March 28, 8:30 AM to 5 PM
Monday-Friday, March 22-26, 1999 - Private sessions with Master Siow by appointment only-contact us - (free to registrants).

Where: Chinese Culture Center
750 Kearny Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-986-1822

Closing Banquet: Sunday, March 28, 5 PM Cocktails, 6 PM Dinner A restaurant in San Francisco Chinatown (to be determined) US$25 per person

Fees:
Individuals:
If registered before February 15, 1999, US$30 per individual for all events (except closing banquet). First 200 to register will receive a free conference T-shirt. After February 15, US$45.00 per individual.

Groups:
US$50 per (SF Bay Area) school (up to 10 persons) plus donation of one lion dance performance for the Chinese Performing Arts Foundation at a mutually agreeable future date
US$100 per (non SF Bay Area) school (up to 10 persons) without donation of a lion dance performance.

The maximum number of participants is 400 - Please sign up now to assure a space.

Registration:
Please make checks payable to: Chinese Performing Arts Foundation Mail to: CPAF- 888 Brannan St. #275, San Francisco, Ca 94103

Registration fee covers both weekends and includes all events, except banquet and lunch sessions, regardless if your attendance is for only one weekend.

Also, please fill out the enclosed questionnaire so that the organizing committee can learn more about your background and experience in lion dancing.

Additional Informaton:
* Contact the Chinese Performing Arts Foundation at 415-398-4636. This is a recording and someone will call.
* Email us @: liondancer@joymail.com or sfliondance@hotmail.com
* See web site for more information - www.liondancer.com (will be activated in the next few days)
* Fax 415 861-8886

Dr. William Hu's book "Chinese Lion Dance Explained" is available at $40.00 (includes shipping/handling charges). Normal retail price is $55.00. Send check to: Chinese Performing Arts Foundation
888 Brannan St #275
San Francisco, Ca 94103

Allow two weeks for delivery. This book will also be available at the conference at $40.00 and can be signed there by the author.

We highly recommend that you read this book before attending the conference.

Prerequisites: A desire to raise the standards of lion dancing in North America, an open mind, and an interest to create a feeling of community among lion dance clubs. Participants under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

Sponsors:
Chinese Performing Arts Foundation, San Francisco
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Chinese Culture Center, San Francisco
San Francisco State University - Asian American Studies Department
Oakland Asian Culture Center
World Arts West - San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival
Chinese Historical Society of America
Marin Chinese Cultural Group

Goals of the conference and workshop are:
· to upgrade the general level of lion dancing
· to create a feeling of community among lion dance groups
· to increase the general knowledge of customs and history of lions

Program Schedule: (All lectures will be in English except for Sifu Siow, who will be teaching in Cantonese with English translation)

March 20:
Video introduction of lion dance coached by Master Siow
Dr. William Hu - lecture - History/development of lion dance
Master Siow - lecture - Principles/foundation of lion dance demonstration - drumming and instruments
demonstration - lion head and footwork
Optional luncheon group discussion on business/management of lion dance group - moderated by Anthony Chan - $5.00 to cover lunch
Gordon Lew - lion dance and Chinese Festivals

March 21:
Master Siow - demonstration - Matching movements to instruments
demonstration - stunts and dancing on poles
Dr. William Hu - Questions/answers on lion dance
Dr. Derald Sue - lion dance in the American context
Corey Chan - demonstration - dragon dance
Layton Doung, Hai Pu, Jason Jong - demonstration - drumming
Terese Bartholomew - lecture - lion motifs/symbols
Optional luncheon group discussion on repairs/sourcing lion dance equipment - $5.00 to cover lunch

March 27/28:
Dr. William Hu - Questions/answers on lion dance
Master Siow - lecture - Principles/foundation of lion dance
demonstration - drum and instruments
demonstration - lion head and footwork
demonstration - matching movements to instruments
Optional luncheon group discussion on terminologies/customs of lion dance - Saturday, March 27 - $5.00 charge to cover lunch

If you can come on only one weekend, we suggest March 20/21 with outstanding speakers and coverage of more topics. However, if your interest is mainly on the dance itself, March 27/28 has more time devoted to only the dance. With the anticipated crowd on the weekends, audience participation is unlikely. However, you are allowed to bring camcorders to record the entire conference. Smaller workshops can be arranged by appointment for March 22-26.

Accommodation information: US$10.00 to stay at the YMCA for Friday and Saturday nights (first weekend) For more information and hotel recommendations, please contact the Chinese Performing Arts Foundation at 415-398-4636 or see our web site www.liondancer.com (will be activated in the next several days).

BIOS OF SPEAKERS:
Master H.P. Siow has coached teams all over the world, including the Kun Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association from Muar, Malaysia, who are the winners of the 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1998 World Lion Dance Championship. He has been a major influence in popularizing the Malaysian style of lion dancing and the Hock Shan style of drumming. Aside from teaching, Master Siow also manufactures the Malaysian-style lion heads that have become popular worldwide.

Dr. William C. Hu is the author of the 410-page book (in English) Chinese Lion Dance Explained.

He is one of the first martial arts writers in America writing articles for Black Belt Magazine since its inception in the early 1960s and contributing to Karate Illustrated, Fighting Stars, Inside Kung Fu, the French publication Bushido, and a number of Chinese publications. He is listed in Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People; Masters, Founders and Leaders of American Martial Arts; and The Complete Martial Arts Catalogue. The latter book calls him "the principal Kung-fu historian in the United States."

Born in Hawaii and educated in the United States and abroad, Dr. Hu had a long academic career at such distinguished institutions as Stanford, University of Washington, University of Michigan, and Cornell. Having authored works on folklore, martial arts, fine arts (especially ceramics and jade), Oriental arts, and performing arts, he is widely published in many fields. His more recent book Chinese New Year: Fact & Folklore has won great acclaim and wide acceptance as a definitive study.

Dr. Derald Wing Sue is the co-founder, first president of the Asian American Psychological Association, current president of Society for the Psychological study of ethnic minority issues (division of the American Psychological Association). Many of the current text books in the universities regarding multicultural theory and counseling were written by him. He was recently invited to address President Clinton's race advisory board and gave a briefing to Congress. His clients include Du Pont, AT&T, Proctor & Gamble, Bankers Trust, MasterCard, Alaska and Colorado Departments of Education, Stanford University, University of California, Princeton, and Rutgers University. A national Fordham University study of multicultural publications and scholars concluded that "impressively, Derald Wing Sue is without doubt the most influential multicultural scholar in the United States."

Terese Tse Bartholomew received her M.A., History of Chinese Art from the University of California at Los Angeles, and is the curator of Himalayan Art and Chinese Decorative Art at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. She is a well known scholar of Chinese symbolism and Yixing Pottery of Chen Mingyuan" (for the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and the Shanghai Museum of Art), "Mongolia: the Legacy of Chinggis Khan", "India: a Celebration", and "the Art of Chao Shao-an". Terese publishes widely and some publications involving Chinese symbolism are "Chinese Botanical Motifs and Rebuses from the Collection of the Asian Art Museum", "Puns in Chinese Art", "Symbolism and Rebuses on Snuff Bottles", and "Myths and Rebuses in Chinese Art".

Layton Doung first learned to lion dance with members of The Golden Lions in the Chinese New Year Parade in the late 60s. Later he spent many years studying Northern Shaolin and Buk Sing Choi Lei Fut with Sifu Lai Hung. In Taiwan he studied with Liang Guang, one of the oldest lion dance troupes of Taipei. He has helped the Chinese Immersion Program organize kids only lion dance team and the first youth group to stiltwalk in the Chinese New Year parade. Today he is the director of the Yellow River Drummers. The Yellow River Drummers play many drums, gongs and cymbals in the same style and fashion as the drummers of the Northern Province of Shanxi China. He has trained with Professor David Chen, a dance choreographer from Shanghai, and Chinese Percussionist Pu Hai from Beijing.

Mr. Hai Pu, born into a musical family in Beijing, developed a special affinity with Chinese folk music at a very young age. By 1991 Mr. Hai Pu was studying at the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing. At the same year he entered the China International Percussion Festival held at Shanshi Province and won the prestigious Golden Award for Percussion Performing Arts. In 1992, Mr. Hai Pu toured with Li Zhen-Gui Percussion Ensemble of the Central Conservatory of Music to Singapore, Germany, Japan and Hong Kong and performed in numerous concerts, both as a soloist and as part of an ensemble.

In January, 1996 Mr. Hai Pu was invited by Music from China, a non-profit Chinese music ensemblein New York to participate in the Chinese Music Festival. For two months Mr. Hai Pu appeared both as a performer and a lecturer in a series of concerts and workshops focusing on Chinese traditional percussion music at places that include Carnegie Hall, Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Taiwan Center, College of Creative Arts of West Virginia University, Yale University, and Dartmouth College.

Anthony Chan studied martial arts in Hong Kong before coming to the States in 1971. He learned his lion dancing with the Chung Ngai dance troupe in San Francisco from Felix Yee and his lion drumming from Li Fei of Liang Kwang lion dance troupe in Taiwan. After receiving his MBA from the University of California at Berkeley, he went to China and became the first non Chinese citizen to be admitted to the Beijing Physical Education Institute to study wu shu. Upon his return, he was an influential factor in introducing wu shu to America. He has directed several Hong Kong-produced kung ku movies in the late 80's and started a chain of martial arts schools in the early 90's. The chain grew to 11 schools with as many as 3,000 students. The last few years he has been closing his schools to concentrate on "kanga roddy", a PBS educational children's show produced by his company American Champion Entertainment, listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Among his list of star studded partners and investors are Joe Montana and Carmen Policy.

Gordon Lew retired from City College of San Francisco in 1993 after 26 years of teaching Chinese language and culture. Before he joined City College of San Francisco, he taught Chinese for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area Chinese community. Gordon is known for his innovative teaching materials and his series of bilingual booklets on Chinese festivals.

Corey Chan has practiced Chinese martial arts and lion dancing since 1978 and says that he has no plans of stopping. Corey aspires to be a student for the rest of his life, but he also coaches a small group of other "lifers". Corey belongs to and performs with The San Francisco Wushu Team, Kei Lun Martial Arts, The Golden Shadows Performing Arts Troupe, and The Chinese Performing Artists of America (CPAA). Corey's teachers include Sifu Wilson Ng, Sifu Bryant Fong, Sifu Anthony Chan, Coach Ho Geem Fay, Yao Yong, and Jeff Chan. One of Corey's goals is to help pass along the skills and teachings of these very talented and dedicated individuals.

Jason Jong is a professional drum maker and organizer of the Asia Crisis Percussionist, Staff of Oakland Asian Cultural Center.

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THE CHINESE PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO 1999 LION DANCE CONFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

November 1998

In order to estimate the number of potential conferees and the type of presentation the conferees would like to see at the conference, we have developed a questionnaire for you to assist us in developing the conference content and to compile a roster of lion dance groups to pass out at the conference. (A copy of the roster of the lion dance groups is available upon request.)

1. Name of individual(s) and/or lion dance group:
2. Name of Sifu and/or coordinator of the group:
3. Address, email, and phone # of the group:
4. The number of people on the team:
5. Ages (range) of team members:
6. The number of years of experience performing:
7. Type/style of lion dancing you perform:
8. If you are interested in attending the conference:
a) What would you like to learn?
b) Do you need housing?
c) Are you able to act as housing host?
d) Do you need advance reading materials?
e) Are you interested in purchasing Malaysian lion heads?
f) Can you volunteer to help?
g) Are you interested in purchasing tapes, books, etc?
h) What do you like to suggest as conference topics?
i) Are you able to attend the closing banquet?
j) Do you wish to participate in the optional group discussions
(lunch sessions)?
* Business/Man agement of Lion Dance Group - March 20
* Repairs/Sourcing Lion Dance Equipment - March 21
* Terminologies/Customs of Lion Dance - March 27

If Yes, please include $5.00 to cover lunch for each of the sessions.

Please note portions of your answers may be posted on our web site.