Enter the Dragon: Can Dragon Dancing Stay Relevant?

In the West, they’re seen as monsters – hulking, fiery, swooping down on their prey like scaly vultures. But, of course, China is known for holding their dragons in a higher, more heavenly regard, deeming these slithery creatures to be elegant, nimble and, above all, lucky.

It’s little wonder that dragon dancing has become such a time-honored tradition. The flashy process is comprised of a troupe stepping nimbly in tandem, hoisting poles adorned in silky slithery materials that represent the creature’s skin, until a dragon seems to be slinking before your eyes. The dance form has become so ubiquitous over the years that many foreigners think of it at the very mention of China.

But on an occasion like this year’s Spring Festival, when tokens of good fortune are in no short demand, many dragon dancers are beginning to feel out of step with their old clientele’s new appetites.

“During 2012, the Year of the Dragon, this dance was very popular,” says An Zhen Zhuo, manager of the Long Feng Yuan dance troupe. He adds that peak occasion has been followed, only a few short years later, by a massive slump. An’s troupe has no special Spring Festival performances planned for this year. Lately they’ve only managed to book gigs at shopping mall openings and weddings.

“Young people are more interested in fashionable, fancy things now,” he says.

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Photo: Courtesy of Du An Quan Wei