Pamela Cruz. Pen sula 360 Press [P360P].
The mythology and grandeur of China is on display every lunar year when large, ostentatious figures with dragon and lion heads dance around the homes and businesses of Asian people during this Lunar New Year in the belief that this will bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits that could bring decline to the coming year.
The Le Dance is the most popular folk dance in China. Its origins date back to the Tang Dynasty (618 to 906 AD) and it is believed that its purpose was to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
This dance, along with the Drag Dance, is very important in all traditional festivals, especially in the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Although these dances are often performed together, they are different, as the Drag Dance requires at least a dozen dancers, while the Le Dance only requires two: one to hold the head and another to handle the body, who are often kung-fu practitioners, as they must be very agile because they perform a large number of acrobatic movements during the performance.
These dances have become very popular all over the world and have evolved both in their movements and in the materials from which the costumes are made.
The typical colours for the Lion's costume are red, which represents bravery; green, which represents friendship and goodwill; and gold, which represents vitality and a dynamic spirit. On the forehead, the mythical animal "Nian" carries a mirror, so that evil spirits will be frightened and retreat when they see their own reflection.
During the Chinese New Year celebrations, he dances to the rhythm of drums, gongs and eight-handed cymbals and parades through the streets bringing good fortune to all who meet him.
The performances take place in shops, restaurants and businesses, where a head of lettuce or some vegetables hang from the ceiling with a red envelope inside, which contains money. He collects the money