Lunar New Year

Keith's co-worker, Loc (who is also our good friend) is in charge of a group of youth that dances.  He invited us to see one of their dances, The Lion Dance, that they performed for the Lunar New Year.

Everyone had tons of fun! 

The man in the red with yellow dots is Loc.

I'm sure that there are a lot of aspects that we didn't understand but this is the jist of it.

The big drum was banged in a steady beat/ song and the lions danced. 

 Including wiggling their rear at you.

They would dance up to the children, mostly, and the kids would give them money, which the lions ate.  Presumably giving them money would bring luck for the new Lunar Year.  Everyone except us would give them money, that is, us being the clueless foreigners.  Bad luck for us this year, I guess.

 

Ryah kind of freaked out because she wasn't sure what they were going to do to her.  But she was interested in watching from behind my legs.

Elijah did well for a while but then wanted to get on Keith's shoulders.

The store owner (in this case a little espresso shop) would light off fireworks (again for luck) and the lions would dance in front of the fireworks and bow to it.

When the two dancers got tired two others would crouch down....

 

The first two would bring the costume over them , essentially making a 8 legged lion. 

The first two would stay crouched down and the second two would stand up and dance away.  All very slick and cool!

They danced inside the little espresso shop.... crowded for 2 lions. 

Then near the end the drums would beat a different beat and the lions would sit down and rock back and forth and dance their heads.

Then stand on each other and hold up the sign.

The owners and dancers in front of the shop.

Everyone had so much fun they wanted to follow them to the next place (they go to 4 or 5 total).

Happy Lunar New Year!