Lion head mask
here are three different styles of Chinese Lion dancing. The first is the northern style, which is, in a way, similar to a routine dance set. The head and tail move as one. They both move step for step in sync with the music, just like a ballerina does when performing their show. The northern Lion is also known as the Peking Lion, which is not seen quite so often. It is actually a uniform the dancers must fit into, which makes them as one because there is only an arm's length of distance between the head and the tail.
The southern style is the second. This style is seen more often because of its popularity. There are two types: the Old and the Young. The older adult lions will have a long white beard and are very colorful. The multi-colored lion heads are senior of all the Lions. He will usually serve as the trademark of an older or more established school. The younger lions will sport a short black colored beard and fur, and is used more often by a school which does not have a long standing in the community. The black Lion is the most aggressive out of all the Lions and is always looking for a fight so he can show that he is the meanest around. He will shake his head with vitality whenever he meets up with an older Lion and will usually try to provoke the adult Lion. But the adult Lion is more docile, wiser, and knows exactly how to show the youngster the meaning of respect.
The third is the southern style lion dancing in a northern way. This is a fairly new type of Lion dancing. This style is used a lot in Lion Dance competitions, which are held all around the world. The southern/northern style made its way to the United States in the late 1980's. The dancers must practice often with each other so that they both get to know the timings of each and every movement that will be made during the show. They must gain the trust of their partner. With this style, the 'tail' is very important and must be very strong. He must be able to support the other main performer wearing the head, who will be jump up and stand on top of the tail's leg, hip, or shoulders. The tail of these Lions is much shorter than the southern Lion, but is longer than the northern Lion. The dancers also wear pants that match the tail.
The southern style dancing in a northern way is being used widely all around the world. Today, just about every Lion Dance school is using this style when performing, including the West Coast Lion Dance Troupe. www.westcoastlions.net
