The Chinese dragon dance is an important symbol of wisdom, power and wealth in Chinese culture. The dance uses a long, tubular dragon costume composed of a dragon’s head, body, and tail. This costume is split into sections, which are then lifted on poles to maneuver the dragon. This costume can range from six to over 3280 feet long. Materials like grass, bamboo, paper and linen are used to create the dragon dance costume. Segment by segment, a large red cloth decorated with dragon scales is used to weave the dragon’s body into a spherical and tubular shape.
The brilliant colors of the dragon, most frequently red and gold, are said to bring luck and happiness. Dragon dances are performed with different colors of dragons, each with a different meaning: green dragons symbolize a great harvest; yellow dragons symbolize respect for the empire; gold or silver dragons represent prosperity; and red is used to bring good fortune and luck. During the dance, the dragon is often led by a person holding a spherical object on a pole, representing a pearl, which symbolizes wisdom, to show that the dragon is continuously chasing after knowledge.
The dragon dance can be dated back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). During this period in ancient China, people prayed to dragons with a dragon dance to ask for rain during droughts. People would also offer sacrifices to the dragons for good fortune and to ask for protection for their lands from flood damage. Around the Tang and Song dynasties (618–1279 AD), agriculture became more stable due to the introduction of farming systems making dragon dances more ceremonial. They’re often performed during festive occasions, most commonly during the Chinese New Year. Now, dragon dances are performed to chase away evil spirits and to welcome more prosperous times in the new year. As Chinese people have migrated and spread their culture, the dragon dance has traveled to every corner of the world. Since then, it has become a symbol of Chinese culture.
The dragon dance is performed by a team; they bring the dragon puppet’s body to life by moving the poles attached to the dragon. Coordination between the team members is essential: the timing and movements of the sections of the dragon’s body have to be precise to make a successful dance. The dragon’s basic movement is swinging, allowing it to move in a wave-like motion, but teams may execute more intricate formations. Running into spiraling formations is commonly used in patterns and tricks to cause the dragon’s body to whirl and twist on itself. Performers can also leap over or through the dragon’s body parts, enhancing the visual spectacle. Other complex maneuvers include a variety of whirling stunts that resemble corkscrew-like rotations and more acrobatic actions in which the performers balance on one another’s legs and shoulders to heighten the dragon’s movements.
The team’s ability to move in coordination while still having the flair needed to entrance the audience mixes athleticism and performing arts. The dragon dance is accompanied by the heavy beating of drums, gongs and cymbals, and it moves in response to their sounds and rhythms. The dragon’s head must be able to coordinate with body movement to match the timing of the drum in order to dance successfully.
The choreography of a dragon dance changes depending on the dancers’ abilities. Common movements seen in dragon dances are “loud cave”, “whirlpool”, “tai chi pattern”, “threading the money”, “looking for the pearl” and “dragon encircling the pillar”. There are two main styles of dragon dances: the Northern dragon dance and the Southern dragon dance.
The Northern dragon dance was developed north of the Yangtze River. A Northern dragon’s body and head are smaller than those of a Southern dragon and made of paper or plant fibers, making it lighter. Northern dragons are typically built of bright materials since Northern dragon dances are frequently done in dark settings. The Northern dragon is more flexible, which allows the dancers controlling the dragon to move its body swiftly in time with the music. Additionally, it enables the dancers to quickly move the dragon’s heads from right to left. The Northern Dragon focuses more on flexibility in its dancing style as opposed to the Southern Dragon, which displays more strength and majesty.
The Southern dragon dance was developed south of the Yangtze River. The Southern dragon is heavier and has finer decorations than the Northern dragon. The southern style focuses more on momentum, strength and a big appearance than agile movements. Teams of ten people are often required to carry a southern dragon. Its traditional materials are bamboo, paper and cloth that has been decorated with dragon scales. The dragon’s body is thicker than that of Northern dragons and has finer decorations. The emphasis of the Southern dragon’s performance is on strength and momentum. Although it doesn’t move quickly, it has a regal approach. Southern dragon dances frequently involve circling formations which resemble the letter “S”, and lifting the dragon’s head above the body.
Chinese dragon dancing is a unique traditional dance that has endured through centuries. Today, it is performed during Chinese festivals such as Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as other special occasions. If you have the chance to see a dragon dance performance, I highly recommend you take it!
