Southern Lion

 

Southern lion dance or Cantonese lion dance originated in the southern provinces of China. The Lion's head is made of paper máche and wood, elaborately painted and decorated with strings, fringes, tassels and bells. The head can weigh more than 40 pounds. Attached to the head of the Southern Lion with a red ribbon is a long piece of colorful material that represents his body under which the person portraying the body and tail must crouch.

 

The two types of Southern Lions commonly known are the old and the young Lion. The Old Lion is multicolored and has a long white beard. He usually serves as the trademark of an older, established school. The young lion has black hair and a shorter black beard and is representative of a school that does not have such a standing in the community. The young lion is very aggressive and always picks a fight. Whenever he meets an old lion he tries to spur him, but being wiser, the old lion does not fight.

 

    

 

 

On the left: Old Lion

On the right: Young lion

 

The dance steps of the Cantonese Lion are performed with wide stances, slow and deliberate footwork, and very stylized movements of the head.

 

There are certain parts that a dance must/can contain: Greeting, walking, eating, climbing a stage etc.

 

In all special moves, the lion must dance in the right rhythm, but the music must follow the moves of the lion. (The drum follows the lion; the cymbals and the gong follow the drum player). This means that the lion and the musicians have to work out what they are going to do. Every kind of move has it's own specific musical rhythm, and on every rhythm there are certain alternatives; some go for all the kinds of moves: there are certain alternatives, one at a moment better than the other.

 

The quality of the dance depends on the level of difficulty, the correct stances and total form, the right feel for the rhythm and the story of the play. Some difficult maneuvers are the dancers doing high jumps on a pole, where they stand on each other's shoulders, balancing on a horizontal ladder etc.

 

 

 

On the left: Lion jumping off the pole

On the right: Lion standing on the pole

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North Lion

Green Faced Lion