Hello all,

even though the list is closed, people can still (un)subscribe themselves, without interaction on my part, as long as they use the same address from which they are sending mail.

About archiving, it can be automated by the majordomo listprogram; I lost track a bit, where are the archives currently kept? Please get in touch with me.

Have a nice day,
Rob
List administrator

Hi,

I'd like to know how come the list is closed? Also, is it possible to get the past issues of the newsletter? If you can get back to me, i'd really apreciate it.

Thanks,

Jason Lee

The list is closed in the sense that people can only post messages here if they themselves are registered (and on the list). This is to avoid spammers and other subhumans from abusing this list address.

I'm not sure on the status of archiving, but I myself have a mail folder on this list that dates back to the time this list was moved to the freud server. I could provide it to people if necessary.

Regards,

Serhat Sakarya

okay... is it possible if you can send me a copy of your folder?

Thanks.

Jason Lee

> My first question is...how do you guys keep your pants on when
> liondancing? When we hold the head in the air, we give the guy in front a
> wedgie. When our tail jumps up (kicking hind legs in the air), we almost
> pull the head's pants down. We've been guessing that we should wear really
> strong belts but other than that we're stumped. Can anyone shed some light
> on this technique?

I'm coming late on this thread but I'm not sure what you are talking about.

> It's even worse with the fold-over kind of pants. A couple of Chinese new
> year's ago, I was dancing in the tail of our head lion and when I was going
> up the stairs to return to our school, my belt came loose and my pants
> almost came down.. Luckily I felt it going, and dropped into a low horse
> stance and was moving by shifting into a low forward stance to horse stance,
> etc. When we did the 9 bows to finish the dance, I thought I was a gonner!
> Somehow the golden rooster stance (gum gai) worked ok though, the leg that
> went up was high enough to block the pants from comming down! I think I'll
> look for a good pair of elastic pants eventually. It can also get pretty
> loose when the tail does a horse stance and the head jumps up on to your
> legs. That really pulls the pants down!

This makes even less sense to me. Do you guys use the Chinese Kung Fu belts that are thick in the front of your wais and have four long strings on each side that you wrap around the back and tie in the front or side? These are made of cotton.

This is what we use and we have the pants with no drawstring or elastic. The "proper" way to use this combo is to fold the pants to fit your waist then tie the belt to the back only and at the waist. Then take the excess material and wrap it around the belt and tie the rest of the belt on top of this. This method will not unwrap or unite. Since the belt is mad of four thin strings it is nearly impossible to come apart on it's on.

Some of us then wear a sash on top of that for looks. If you are using your sash to hold up you pants, then I can see why there is trouble. These belts are cheap and I know we (WLE) aren't the only company to sell them.

Is this what you are using and still have pants dropping?

Stephen.

Paul!

We had three favorite methods for lifting the head person with out giving them a wedgie. Easiest was just grabbing the sash, which gives really great support without messing with the pants.

For extra height on the kicks you can grab the head person around the ribs (rather high up). This allows the head to curl his/her back. Make sure the tail gives extra support on the way down, the head needs the extra time to uncurl or crash in a grim manner.

For extra height on the lion head itself, lift with hands around the pelvis, just below the bone crests. Also use this one when the tail kicks backwards.

-Lars

Hello,

I have been onthis list for a year now and though I do not post mail, I read most of the information as I find it interesting,very informative about the events overseas and enjoyable. (I am from Pak Hok Pai in Campbelltown, Sydney, Australia).

The only problem is I have finished uni and this email address of mine will expire sometime in March 1999.

Does this mean I cannot transfer the list to my hotmail account?

Regards

Mariel (silent observer)

You can register your hotmail email address to this list.

Simply email majordomo@freud.et.tudelft.nl (from your hotmail account) with message body content 'subscribe liondance' and that's it. I trust you can figure out how to use this procedure to unsubscribe yourself :-)

Regards,

Serhat Sakarya

Is this order going to happen? I haven't heard anything in reply.

Geoff

Hi George,

Any news on copies of the Championships???

Let us know!

Tim Louie

Hi,

I was wondering... Since I'm from Canada, will the Lion Dance Championships will be available here? I have a copy of the 1997 campionships and it's a bootleg copy from the states. I was hoping for an original copy with better quality and for it to be legalized.

Thanks

Jason Lee

Jason i am from canada also and i was wondering what format is your championship footage is on? VCD, VHS? i would like a copy of your championships if that is possible!

thanks Daniel

Daniel, I mhave it on VHS.... however like I said before, They quiality is really bad. I've brought it into a video repair shop to see if they were able to stabilize it, but there was no success. btw, where from?

Jason.

Hi guys,

I am writing just to tell you that my mother and sister will be travelling to L.A. this Christmas and I am planning to sent some (10+) VHS and VCD through them. I will need to know whether it will be a problem going through custom, and what is the best way of getting them to you all.

Anyway, just some late replies:

For lifting the lion head: the lion head wears 2 belts, one to hold the pants up and the other for the tail to grip onto. The ideal situation during lifting is not having the tail to lift the head but let the head jump high enough so that the tail can just position the head precisely. Of course there are times when lifting is unavoidable, but if the tail grabs hold of the belt and part of the costume at the side it will not be too uncomfortable for the head.

There are 2 types of fur used in the lion's tail; namely rabbit or sheep fur. Sheep fur being longer and denser will make the lion more 'puffier' or hairier.

George,

Hi George

I wanmted to reply concerning the Competition tapes. How is it going to work? I'd Love to buy a copy, but the thing is, exactly is it gping to work? Who Do I have to pay? Do I send you a check? After I recieve it? Before? Also, I live in Canada, so would it be a problem? If you can get back to me, I'd really apreciate it.

Thanks,

Jason.

When I returned from HK and Malaysia I brought back several tapes (3) and VCDs (8). I did not itemize them (since I did not go over $400) and I did not have any problems coming in.

Stephen.

Hey There George,

I was wondering if there's a way to make arrangements to have someone purchase the video from your family while they'll be visiting the LA area. Also what would the price be for VHS when they do arrive?

-JJ

Stephen

Hi, how much are the VHS copies?

Jason

Wow.....the list is quiet. Anybody home????:-)

Thought I would start a small discussion that everybody should be able to participate in. Holiday spirit...and all that!

When we begin training martial art, there is a clear process of teaching basics, and then progressions from there, to produce technically advanced students. It is the same in lion dance. In our school we have a beginning set of excercises to get the students going and learning. For instance:

My sifu typically begins by showing some head movements and has the student sit in his her horse and play the moves for about half an hour per class. After about a week, the controls are familiar and then we begin our stepping patterns.

Also do your schools have pre-determined stepping practice patterns....like forms??

Neil

Beginners are a problem at our school. We teach the basic stances and then move to very basic head movements. Sounds much like your Sifu's style.

The hard part is the big leap from the basics to a live looking lion. Right now, it's just watch the seniors and practice. We do not have set patterns per se (though there are set routines at the the advance level) but we have a stepping drill and moving head drill. Neither of these translate to a performance.

What do others do?

Stephen.

We coach them calling out things like 'bat the eyes - flirt with the people', 'more dip and twist', etc. And we use a video camera to record them so they can see themselves and then critique the moves, pointing out what would be better, slowr, faster, and so on. They watch videos of others and we talk about what makes it look good or what looks too stiff. We also use a mirror but that doesn't help the tail while practicing. One of the best morale boosters is to let them 'play' with it. Our students sometimes go out in the streets and parking lots near the school to practice and run around 'playing' with passers-by. It's fun for them and they get into the 'animal spirit' making for more life-like movement.

Chris

Same in my school (well, the one I used to attend when I still lived in Holland..).. the students normally already know KF stances, so they are shown the steps / transitions, and then have to practise holding something (a hoop or so); then they are shown the headmoves; with all this, they know what the music and rythms are like, but just practise without. Usually they are coached by a si-hing, while our sifu works with the main couple of dancers.

We never used the video idea when I was there (didn't have one...:-( but always had the idea, I think my teacher has done it a couple of times, but normally eveeryone would just comment, say things like: turn the head more, lower your stance etc.

> best morale boosters is to let them 'play' with it. Our students sometimes go out in
> the streets and parking lots near the school to practice and run around 'playing' with
> passers-by. It's fun for them and they get into the 'animal spirit' making for more
> life-like movement.

Now that should really be fun to do. I don't quite understand how you can use a mirror for the lion-- as a head, all I ever saw was my feet and some pavement; when looking straight forward through the mouth the head is too high, isn't it?

Taking the opportunity:
Fun holidays and best wishes for 1999!
Rob

Hi Guys/Gals,

Happy Holidays!

Just to inform you all that the VHS and VCD sets will be available in the US soon. There are 3 vidoes or VCD in each sets. Those who wants them pls sent your add. and cheques to David Lei at the following address.

chinese performing arts foundation
888 brannan #275
san francisco, ca. 94103
(415) 398-4636 (recording)
e-mail: isdavid@slip.net

Price will be USD $35 incl. P&P for those in US. Those in Canada might cost a bit more, but do contact David Lei of the Chinese Performing Arts Foundatio in SF. However, I must apologize that I only sending over a small amount of tapes and VCD. Note that the tapes are in the PAL format (not the NTSC format used in the US/TWN/TPN etc.) which means that unless you have a multi-system video machine and TV you will need to convert them before you are able to view them.

Hope everything will go smoothly!

George