Lion dancing is not only an integral part of Chinese New Year celebrations, where it is often performed in temples, restaurants, businesses and at cultural festivals, but is also a popular way to entice good luck to visit house warmings, weddings and birthdays.
Two skilled performers mimic the movements of a magnificent, brightly coloured lion, shaking its mighty head to show its huge teeth and flashing eyes. A highly agile performance, the lion energetically chases away bad spirits, allowing prosperity and good fortune to flow in.
The lion dance is accompanied by a team of talented musicians playing traditional instruments such as drums, cymbals and gongs to create a captivating atmosphere of light and sound as the lion performs.
There’s a lot of fancy footwork involved in performing the intricate lion dance. The two performers – one operating the head and one operating the tail – are strong and agile. Putting on an impressive acrobatic display to show not only the lion’s playful side, but its majestic power and strength.