What is the
Dragon dance?
The Dragon dance is a traditional cultural Chinese dance which originated in China during the
Han Dynasty (180-230AD). The dance is often performed during festive celebrations, weddings
and Chinese New Year, attracting large crowds due to its splendor and magnificence.
The dragon represents wisdom, power and wealth. It is believed that performing the dragon
dance wards off evil spirits and bad luck and welcomes good luck and prosperity for the year
ahead. The Dragon is an amphibian which is able to move on land, fly in the sky and swim in the
sea.
In the dance, a team of 9 dancers must work together to carry the dragon on poles. The dragon’s
body is made of fabric and bamboo with a length of approximately 100 meters. The lead dancers
lift, dip and sweep the head, impersonating the movements of the dragon as it moves to the beat
and rhythm of the accompanying music of traditional drums, cymbals and gongs.
This year, to celebrate Chinese New Year, you could create a dragon
dance with the children in your class. Together you could make a
Chinese dragon from recycled boxes which can be
decorated with bright colours, patterns, fabric, sequins and
glitter. The children can create their own instruments from
recycled materials to accompany the dragon dance. The
children will have great fun moving like a dragon as they create
their own moves and express themselves freely as well as
creating magnificent music.