The Dragon Dance:
The Chinese Dragon is so much more than the stout European Dragon. It is even more than just an amphibian. The fabled Dragon of
You may see various dragons within the Chinese culture. Each of them symbolizing or representing different things. The three-toed dragon is typically representative of Kung Fu systems. The four-toed dragon symbolizes prosperity and fortune. The five-toed dragon is the emblem of Imperial Authority.
Even though the appearance of dragon may be frightening, it has a benevolent disposition. Overall it symbolizes supernatural power, goodness, fertility, vigilance and dignity. Although the dragon looks so fierce, it tends to resemble various animals such as the body of a snake, the horns of a deer, the head of a camel, the ears of a cow, the piercing eyes of a tiger and the scales of a carp.
The dragon dance was started by the Chinese who had shown great belief and respect towards the dragon. It is an important item of Chinese Culture and tradition. The Dragon Dance has spread throughout
The size and length of a dragon depends on the financial power available, human power, materials, skills and size of the field. It ranges in length from 7 sections to 13 sections long. Some dragons are as long as 46 sections. Small organizations cannot afford to run a very long dragon because it consumes great expense, great human power and special skills which are difficult to manage. This is why only successful “Kung Fu Schools” have the ability to perform this special dance. The size of the dragon will signify the prosperity of the school.
The recommended length and size of the body for the dragon is normally 112 feet and is divided into 9 sections. Since the distance of each section is 14 inches apart, the body should have 81 rings.
History tells us that performances of the dragon dance are various in different ways, types and colors. The Green dragon is selected as the main color which symbolizes the great harvest. Other dragons include: The Yellow Dragon which symbolizes the solemn empire, the Silver Dragon symbolizes overall prosperity, the Red Dragon symbolizes excitement and joy. The Golden Dragon symbolizes supernatural power, goodness, vigilance, fertility and dignity. It also represents the emblem of the imperial authority for the various Chinese Dynasties. The image of the Golden Dragon was used by the emperors of
The correct combination and proper timing of the different parts of the dragon are very important to make a successful dance. Mistakes made by any one of the performers of the dragon dance team would spoil the whole performance. To be very successful in the dance, the
The Dragon head normally weighs 15-16 pounds and the lead performer must be someone who is energetic and full of stamina. The dragon tail also has an important role to play as it will have to keep in time with all of the head movements. The fourth and fifth sections are considered to be the middle portion and the performers must be very alert as the body movements’ change from time to time. The “
The patterns of the dragon dance are changed according to the skills and experiences acquired by the performers. Some of the patterns of the dragon dance are “Looking for
To perform an outstanding dragon dance, the performers of a dragon dance team must be able to run in the correct foot-steps which should never be too quick or too slow. The team must be able to leap and crouch at the same time when the signals are given. Since the movement of the dance depends very much on hand manipulation; Kung Fu Practitioners, skilled in weapons, are normally chosen. The lowest you should ever position the dragon is to hold the stick of the dragon at the waistline.
Dragon dances require excellent team-work comprising of over twenty performers and each section of the dragon must have at least four performers to take charge. Successful movements of the dances require the co-operation of the performers of the whole team and extreme discipline. Every performer must play his/her role perfectly in good timing and good combination with the other performers’ actions.