The dragon dance is an important part of Chinese New Year celebrations. It is believed to scare away evil spirits and bring good luck to those who see it. It is also considered lucky to be touched by a dragon. This performance is performed by a group of performers who must all cooperate together to move the different sections of the dragon and keep in time with the timing of the drums.
The body of the dragon is made from a flexible frame covered in vibrantly colored cloth. Traditionally it is gold or green, symbolizing a good harvest, but it can be other colors as well. Odd numbers of joints are often used, as these are auspicious. The dragon’s head is attached to the body by a pole and is usually adorned with patterns, symbols or cultural motifs that hold meaning for the local area performing the dance.
A team of experienced dancers must work to manipulate the long, flexible dragon. A basic pattern involves swinging the various body sections in a wave-like movement. More advanced manoeuvres involve running into spiralled formations that require the performers to stand on top of each other or jump over or through the different sections of the dragon.
The lead performer, often a young child, holds a balloon fixed to a stick (the longzhu) that represents the dragon’s pearl of wisdom. The first dancer then starts to swing the longzhu from side to side and the dragon chases after it, trying to catch it. As the dance progresses, more dancers join in to take turns holding the longzhu and dancing with the dragon.
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