Dragon dance
Dragon dance (Chinese: 舞龍; pinyin: wǔ lóng) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture.
The Chinese dragon is a river spirit, and as such always moves in a sinuous, snakelike form. There are nine forms of the dragon with various spiritual qualities. The nine attributes of the dragon are all positive and include intelligence, fortitude, and wisdom. One of the twelve annual zodiacal symbols of chinese culture, a person born in the year of the dragon is considered to be especially blessed.
In the dance, a team of dancers carry the dragon on poles. The lead dancers lift, dip, thrust, and sweep the head, which may contain animated features controlled by a dancer and is sometimes rigged to belch smoke from pyrotechnic devices.
The dragon dance is a highlight of Chinese New Year celebrations held worldwide in "Chinatowns" around the world. The costumes used in these celebrations are usually made in specialty craft shops in rural China and imported at considerable expense using funds raised through subscriptions and pledges by members of local cultural and business societies.
The illustration at right shows a Double Dragon Dance, rarely seen in western exhibitions, with two troops of dancers intertwining the dragons.
Dragon dance is prominently featured in the Cirque du Soleil show Dralion.
See also
nl:drakendans
Categories: Chinese culture