Chinese New Year Dragon Dance

Since ancient times, the dragon dance has been indispensable to Chinese festivals. With the spread of Chinese immigrants and culture across the globe, the dragon dance has been spread to every corner of the world where there are overseas Chinese gathered. The Chinese New Year dragon dance is an ancient symbol synonymous with a grand celebration, as many have observed the colorful dancing dragon make its way down the streets to ring in the New Year. Chinese dragons are luck-bringer; they are venerated in the dragon dance, also called ‘Dragon Lantern Dance,’ and it is a traditional performance of the Han people. Chinese dragons symbolize power, wealth, and wisdom.

The History of the Chinese New Year Dragon Dance

The beginning of the dragon dance can be dated back to the Han dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD). It was then used a ceremony for worshipping ancestors and praying for rain, and gradually it evolved into an entertainment activity. During Tang and Song dynasty, it had become a common ceremonial activity in festivals like Chinese New Year. Chinese people have held high respect for the dragoon for centuries. Traditional Chinese myth has it that people are descendants of this powerful and mystical animal, and it is believed to bring good luck to the Chinese people in terms of social graces, fertility, and prosperity.

The dragon dance is considered the highest way of expressing gratitude to the dragon himself. However, the dragon dance started as a ritualistic Chinese folk dance long before it became the showy display now found at every Chinese New Year celebration. It is believed that dragons control the rainfall, and since so many people in China depend upon agriculture, the dragon dance was initially designed to appease the dragon and release rain onto the land. Still, This dance is performed during a dry season in more traditional villages. Of course, the famous form of the dragon dance is the entertainment featured every Chinese New Year. Also, it is more familiar to Westerners, who have come to enjoy the tradition and celebration of the dragon as much along with their native Chinese friends.

Types of Dragons

There are various types of dragons. The Celestial Dragon (tian long) guarding the heavenly dwellings of the gods. The Dragon of Hidden Treasure (Fucanglong) guarding buried treasures, both natural and human-made. The Earth Dragon (Dilong) controls the waterway, and the Spirit Dragon (shen long) controls rain and winds. The Chinese dragon is also the personification of the concept of the yang force. In Chinese mythology, dragons are considered to be able to create clouds with their breath, and volcanoes are believed to be created when dragons burst out of the ground to report heaven. The dragon is wise and has unique and great powers and dignity, representing wisdom, fertility, auspiciousness, and imperial authority.

Costume of Dragon Dance

The costume used for dragon dance is made of a material like paper, glass, bamboo, and cloth. Odd numbers of the dragon joints are considered as auspicious, so people often make a nine jointed dragon, eleven jointed dragons, thirteen jointed dragons or even twenty-nine jointed dragon. Dragons made of more than fifteen joints are considered heavy to dance, and are mainly used for display. This kind of dragon puts more emphasis on decoration and boasts a high degree of both technology and craft. The body of the dragon is woven in a round shape of thin bamboo strips, segment by segment, and covered with a vast red cloth with dragon scales beautifying it. The whole dragon is typically up to 30 meters in length, and people hold rods every one or two meters to raise the dragon segments. Another kind of dragon called the ‘fire dragon,’ which is very eye-catching at night because oil lamps or candles are suspended inside it. Thin strips of bamboo are woven into several cylinders, making up the body of the dragon, and covered with transparent paper or cloth.

How to perform a typical Dragon Dance

Usually, the dragon dance performed on the 15^th day of the Chinese New Year. It is part of the Lantern Festival and is much anticipated by the crowds who gather to watch the parade. The dragon itself is made of many sorts of materials, including fabric, plastic, plaster, metal, jewels, sequins, and whatever else the dragon builders selected for embellishments that year. Since a long dragon represents more excellent luck to a region, many Chinatown communities attempt to have the long dragon dancing down there in the streets during the Lunar New parade.

The Chinese New Year dragon dance is performed by a large team of dancers who trained to carry the dragon on special poles. The leaders of the dance control the head, causing it to sweep, swoop and dip up and down. Also, the head may be manipulated to look lively by including unique features such as blinking eyes, which are also controlled by the accurate movement of the dancer in charge. The rest of the dance team dips their bodies up and down to mimic the movements of the winged flight as the dragon makes its way down the street. The team may choose to go on a straight path down the main drag, or they may interact with the admiring audience as the march on by. The dancers are always accompanied by musicians playing traditional Chinese drums and gongs to help keep the beat of the dance as audiences enjoy the long good luck charm of the dragon. After the dance, the dragons head and tail will be burnt, and the body is returned to the temple to keep it for the use of next year. Wherever the dragon goes, people welcome it, and sometimes the dragon dance team receives banquets called ‘dragon exchanging wine.’

Where and when to see a Dragon dance

Typically the dragon dance can be seen at the Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival, but besides that, sometimes companies’ commission a dragon dance to bring good luck and good fortune to their business. Also, you can see dragon dances in many big cities and Chinatowns.

Colour and Tradition

The body and head of the dragon are traditionally bright red, gold, or green. In Chinese culture, these colors symbolize prosperity, good harvest, and excitement. Dragon dancers team dress in a way to match the body of the dragon, frequently wearing long pants that suits perfectly in color because they are made from the same material. Each section of the dragon measures between five and seven feet, with some sections combining to reach over a hundred feet of dance space. The Chinese New Year dragon dance is nearly always performed at night so that the lanterns and torches that escort it can add a remarkable finishing touch to the dragon and the dance. Performers who will be executing the dance before the performance to ensure fluid, realistic movements at the celebration.

Styles of Dragon Dance in China

Southern Dragon Dance

The southern dragon dance initiates from south of the Yangtze River. The southern dragon body is more beautifully decorated, and it is more substantial than northern dragons. The southern style stresses strength and momentum, so it does not have agile movements, but has a grand appearance. Usually, ten people are needed to carry a dancing nine-meter southern dragon. Since the southern dragon dance does not emphasis on flexible movements, the dragon can be made twenty meters long, or even 100 meters long. The size of the head of the dragon is made according to its length. The southern dragon is conventionally made of paper and bamboo, and the body skin is made from cloth along with dragon scales drawn on it. Sometimes people design the decorative pattern of the dragon by computer, and the machine produces it. The typical move of a southern dragon dance is circling, making S shapes, and lifting the dragon head above the dragon body.

Northern Dragon Dance

The head and the body of a northern dragon are smaller than that of a southern dragon and are made of plant fibers or paper, which make it significantly lighter. Northern dragon dances are often held in a dark environment, so northern dragons are usually made with fluorescent materials. Its shape designed according to the needs of flexible dancing moves, such as rolling the head to the left and right. It differs from the southern dragon, which emphasizes strength, and the north dragon focuses more on flexibility in its dancing moves. The northern style is more like lion dances. As compared to the southern dragon, the north dragon is more popular. Performances and competitions are frequently held in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is traditionally held between January 21 and February 19, in China, and throughout the globe celebrate with a dragon dance and lantern festival in their Chinatown district. The celebration is always open to the public, and you can enjoy the rest of traditional Chinese culture such as Chinese food, Chinese ballet, and gymnastics as you are waiting for the dragon to perform its dance as the main feature of the parade. A symbol of good luck, the dragon is one of the essential symbols in Chinese culture and dance.