One of the best things about Dragon Con? There are a world of new experiences behind every single door, and all you have to do is step inside. I had never experienced a Lion Dance, though I was vaguely aware of what they were, or at the very least what the dragon looked like. On Sunday at 4PM, in Hilton Grand East, thanks to the Silk Road track, and the good people at Phoenix Wellness Arts, I gained not only a much better understanding of what the art form is, but also no small amount of love for it. This is something that I will be seeing more of in the future, and that never would have happened if not for Dragon Con.
What is a Lion Dance? It is a two person performance that is equal parts dance, puppetry, martial arts fundamentals, and storytelling. The dragons themselves dance to scare demons away and to bring good luck and fortune to the people. The story goes that a monster came down from the mountains to kidnap and eat the people. But the monsters were afraid of bright colors and loud noises, and so the art form was born. Brightly colored dragons dance to loud, percussive drum beats, driving away the monsters and keeping the people safe.
There is a great deal of martial arts influence in both the stances required and the strength needed to perform some of the larger tricks. There is also an incredible amount of communication required between the two dancers that make up each dragon. The dancers, breaking the spell for a brief moment, removed their costume to show the stances used beneath the bright fabric, lifting each other, using strong, grounded positions to provide a base for the head dancer to stand on. At one point, the audience gasped in awe as the head dancer balanced carefully on the rear dancer’s head. Not their shoulders…their actual head. They refer to the art as a sort of team sport because of how much cooperation is required to make each move possible. A great deal of strength is also needed, both by the rear dancer forming the base and the head dancer manipulating the head, which can be anywhere from eight to fifteen pounds. Just watching them lift and move the head through the routines was starting to make my arms tired. It truly was impressive.
The group also explained some of the symbolism of the dances and the traditions around them. For example, snakes are symbols of misfortune, and so the dragons strongly dislike them. The troupe then performed a dance where the dragon came upon a very large stuffed snake and proceeded to stomp, bite, kick, and even toss it with its mouth throughout the large ballroom. Another demonstration explained a series of different bows, meant to show respect and welcome, always done in groups of three. And in the end, the dragons are presented with an envelope containing a gift. And though the offering is symbolic, it is important that the envelope should never be empty when presented. It is not a hollow symbol, after all.
I greatly enjoyed this demonstration, and I hope to see another next year. Or sooner, I will definitely be looking for things like this in my area to check out. If you’re local to Duluth, GA, the Phoenix Wellness Arts center offers Lion Dance classes on Monday Evenings from 8:30-10:30, and I heartily hope you check them out.
