Dancing with dragons: Ancient art form returns to popularity

World
Europe

By CGTN’s Zhao Lingfeng

No Chinese festival is complete without a dragon dance, a traditional art form and ritual believed to bring power and good fortune.

Sanlin town, located in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, is renowned for dragon dance, with the troupe there considered by many to be the best in China.

Inside Dragon and Lion Guildhall in Sanlin Town. /CGTN Photo

Lu Dajie, a 68-year-old local, has dedicated half his life to reviving the dragon dance.

He listened to stories about the dance from his grandfather and was hooked the very first time he saw a performance.

Lu Dajie has dedicated half his life to promoting the culture of dragon dance. /CGTN Photo

In 1993, the dance was included into a national fitness program. From there, Lu took part in rule-making, choreography and training for dragon dance performs and competitions.

Lu not only coaches a dragon dance troupe in Sanlin, but also makes dragon frames by himself with new techniques and materials designed to make these old designs more durable for competitions. A dragon frame can take a month of hard work by Lu and other skilled workers at his workshop.

A dragon frame requires over a month of labor by skilled workers. /CGTN Photo

The Sanlin dragon dance dates to the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and became popular in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Nowadays, for locals like Lu, how to transform such a rich history into mass popularity remains a major task.

Part of the answer lies in schools. Dragon dancing has been part of physical education classes at the town’s Lianfeng Elementary School for over a decade.

Lu Dajie coaches a dragon dance troupe at Shanghai’s Pudong Lianfeng Elementary School. /CGTN Photo

Fourth and fifth graders can join the school team and perform during festivals around the city. Dragon dance team members usually spend a year or two to master the basic skills needed. The children said they are fascinated by the sport, and their parents are supportive because it is good exercise with a traditional charm.

Tang Jianjun, an English teacher and leader of the dragon dance team, was born and raised in Sanlin and he is one of Lu's apprentices. He says that he is very proud to promote traditional dragon dancing.

Lianfeng Elementary School’s dragon dance performance /CGTN Photo

Over 40 schools in Shanghai offer dragon dance classes. /CGTN Photo

This strategy to popularize the dance appears to be working. Over 40 schools in Shanghai now offer classes or organize dragon dancing clubs. Four years ago, there were only 20. But does that add up to a real revival of the dragon dance?

Lu Dajie says not yet, but it may approach an apex soon as competitive dragon dancing will be included in August's National Games, China’s top sports fest. With a nation watching the dance alongside sports such as soccer or table tennis, Lu says the dancing dragon will awaken.

1079km