Lion Dancing To a New Year

Lion Dancing To A New Year It is that time of the year, you'll know it by the din reaching your ears... Thunderous gong beats, clashing cymbals that's all you can hear... It is a most riotous time for Chinamen to herald in a new lunar year... Gaudily coloured lion heads, predominantly colored in all shades of red... Yellow frills and flumes, silken coat of bright yellow that glisten like gold.. The bright colours and the animated movements mimic the noble lion... The prancing gymnasts are tirelessly thrusting and turning the lion heads... While their partners in the rear are keeping up in unison with perfect flair... The are times when the gaudy lion heads dipped in humble homage ... The prancing stops, the musical din slows to a low rumbled beat instead... All of a sudden, the beating drum speeds up its stacatto rhythmic beats... The strident cymbals renewed its clashing din, the gymnasts are into the beat.. With a mighty and smooth leap, one prancing lion is atop an elevated prop... It pauses a few beats, as if itself catching its breath after a giant hop... Next it swivels its mighty head to the left and the right, eyelids fluttered to impress... After a measured pause in the beat, the watching audience gasped in surprise... A flurry of neat sidestepping hops and steps, the lion is now perched at its height.. High above the ground, the leading gymnast is atop his partner, what a sight... He dipped the lion's head, swooped imperiously downwards till it is inches off the ground... All in attendance gasped at this masterful acrobatic display, clapping aloud.. A roar broke out in unision when in one swift swoop the lion head claimed its prize... A red envelope of money hung from the ceiling rafter some 25 feet high... All could see, the lion head stopped to savour its prize, out spattered the orange peel.... Another cheer as the lion head releases a small red banner of new year cheer.. All this while , the cymbals clashed and the majestic drums beat incessantly.. For this is Chinese New Year celebration, a lion dance is an age old tradition... The noisy din is to chase away whatever evil spirits with their bad tidings.. The noisy clamour is to welcome joyously a brand new year and better offerings.. Welcome to the chinese year of the monkey, goodbye to the year of the ram... Lion dancing, beating drums and clashing cymbals, all things good , let them come.. Happy Chinese Year!