Dragon dance
dragon dance simplified chinese 舞龙 traditional chinese 舞龍 pinyin wǔ lóng form traditional dance performance chinese culture like lion dance often seen festive celebration dance performed team experienced dancer manipulate long flexible giant puppet dragon using pole positioned regular interval along length dragon dance team simulates imagined movement mythological creature sinuous undulating manner dragon dance often performed chinese new year chinese dragon symbol china culture believed bring good luck people therefore longer dragon dance luck bring community dragon believed possess quality include great power dignity fertility wisdom auspiciousness appearance dragon fearsome bold benevolent disposition emblem represent imperial authority movement performance traditionally symbolize power dignity dragon han dynasty different form dragon dance described ancient text rain dance performed time drought may involve use figure dragon chinese dragon associated rain ancient china example dragon yinglong considered rain deity shenlong power determine much wind rain bring according han dynasty text luxuriant dew spring autumn annals dong zhongshu part ritual appeal rain clay figure dragon made child adult may perform dance number dragon length color well performer may vary according time year dance involving dragon may found popular form entertainment han dynasty baixi 百戲 variety show performer called mime people 象人 dressed various creature beast fish dragon lyric essay western capital 西京賦 zhang heng recorded various performance performer dressed green dragon playing flute fishdragon act fish transformed dragon version fishdragon dance called fishdragon extending 魚龍曼延 also performed han court entertain foreign guest – dance mythical beast shenli 舍利之獸 transforms flounder dragon ancient dance however resemble modern dragon dance description depiction dragon dance han dynasty stone relief engraving suggest prop used may also cumbersome unlike modern dragon dance lightweight dragon manipulated performer dragon act han dynasty also mentioned tang song dynasty figure similar dragon lantern 龍燈 used lantern festival described song dynasty work dream splendor eastern capital figure dragon mounted display constructed grass cloth inside numerous candle light may placed dragon lantern may also carried paraded performer street lantern festival nighttime wide variety dragon dance developed various region china example fenghua cloth dragon 奉化布龙 zhejiang made bamboo frame covered cloth said developed form dragon dance tongliang county 铜梁龙舞 originated snake totem worship began ming dynasty became popular qing dynasty modern era government people republic china adapted promoted various traditional folk dance contributed popularity current form dragon dance found widely china well chinese community around world aside popular form dragon dance regional dragon dance include one zhanjiang guangdong province whereby body dragon formed entirely human chain dozen hundred performer pujiang county zhejiang province body dragon formed using wooden stool number different dragon dance put typically retired dragon burned saved head oldest surviving dragon dating back named moo lung preserved display bok kai temple marysville california fragment dragon similar age kept sweetwater county historical museum green river wyoming eye gold museum ballarat head golden dragon museum bendigo oldest complete dragon named loong bendigos loong used regularly city easter parade occasionally come storage since welcome newer dragon bendigo dragon long serpentine body formed number section pole dragon head tail dragon assembled joining series hoop section attaching ornamental head tail piece end traditionally dragon constructed wood bamboo hoop inside covered rich fabric however modern era lighter material aluminium plastic replaced wood heavy material dragon range length little metre ft operated two people small display around metre ft acrobatic model metre ft larger parade ceremonial style size length dragon depends human power available financing material skill size field small organization cannot afford run long dragon requires considerable human power great expense special skill normal length size body recommended dragon metre ft divided nine major section distance minor riblike section cm apart therefore body ring many may also section long dragon long section occasionally dragon far section may constructed chinese community around world produce longest dragon possible since part myth dragon longer creature luck bring sun loong bendigo australia time made longest dragon world measuring approximately metre ft believed longest regularly used dragon much longer dragon created oneoff event world record longest dragon metre ft set hong kong october historically dragon dance may performed variety way different type colour dragon green sometimes selected main colour dragon symbolizes great harvest colour include yellow symbolizing solemn empire gold silver symbolizing prosperity red representing excitement dragon scale tail mostly beautiful silvery glittery create joyous atmosphere dragon dance performed every day cloth dragon removed touched ultrapaint performance dragon dance performed skilled team whose job bring motionless puppet body life correct combination proper timing different part dragon important make successful dance mistake made even performer would spoil whole performance successful dance head dragon must able coordinate body movement match timing drum larger ceremonial parade style dragon head weigh much katis kg almost lb dragon tail also important role play keep time head movement fifth section considered middle portion performer must alert body movement change time time dragon often led person holding spherical object representing pearl pattern dragon dance choreographed according skill experience acquired performer pattern dragon dance cloud cave whirlpool tai chi pattern threading money looking pearl dragon encircling pillar movement dragon chasing pearl show dragon continually pursuit wisdom dragon move wavelike pattern achieved coordinated swinging section succession whilst swinging constitutes basic movement dragon executing complex formation limited team creativity pattern trick performed generally involve running spiraled formation make dragon body turn twist cause performer jump dragon body section adding visual display advanced manoeuvre include various corkscrewlike rotating trick acrobatic move performer stand others leg shoulder increase height dragon movement performing dragon dance team incorporates several element skill something crossover activity combining training mentality sport team stagecraft flair performing art troupe basic skill simple learn however become competent performer take dedicated training movement become second nature complex formation achieved – rely skill individual member concentration team whole move cooperation double dragon dance rarely seen western exhibition involves two troupe dancer intertwining dragon even rarer dance full array nine dragon since nine perfect number dance involve large number participant various organization often possible auspex regional national government number dragon dance competition organized around world competition performance however strict rule governing specification dragon body routine performed dragon made event mostly seen impressive stage show made speed agility used performing team maximum trick difficulty dragon head smaller light enough whipped around must minimum kg body piece light aluminium cane majority hoop thin pvc tubing performance typically minute routine accompanying percussion set recent time luminous dragon whereby dragon painted luminous paint fluoresce black light also used competition chinese dragon perhaps recognized form parade puppet unlike lion dance many asian country numerous native version dance dragon dance found country primarily among overseas chinese community japan dragon dance 龍踊 ja odori snake dance 蛇踊 one main attraction nagasaki kunchi festival dance originally performed chinese resident settled nagasaki port said open foreign trade japan edo period dragon dance also adapted local festivity japanese – golden dragon dance 金龍の舞 kinryū mai performed sensōji tokyo since however form unique japan – orochi great serpent japanese dragon may found kagura performance vietnam dragon dance múa rồng may performed tết vietnamese lunar new year well tết trung thu vietnamese midautumn festival often referred collectively múa lân sư rồng lionqilin monk dragon dance indonesia dragon dance called liang liong lawrence ferlinghettis poem great chinese dragon published anthology starting san francisco inspired dragon dance gregory stephenson say dragon represents force mystery life true sight see spiritual everywhere translucent material world earl lovelace novel dragon cant dance us theme carnival dance explore social change history west indie arthur ransome incorporates dragon dance childrens book missee lee part swallow amazon series set china tai hang fire dragon dance dance dance dragon lion directory – worldwide lion dragon dance resource centre