Lion Dances at the Worthing Dragon Boat Race Festival 2012- An Article by Jason Lee Brighton/Worthing/Shoreham WCMA
The Worthing dragon boat race festival has run for the last two years to help raise money for the very hardworking charity, Wadars, and WCMA lion dance team were there again this year to support and entertain. Since 1969, Wadars, based in Worthing, has worked to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife and rescue and rehome domestic animals. Last year, Wadars rescued and released or rehomed over 1500 wild animals and 800 domestic animals.
Dragon boats come originally from southern China and are often made from teak. Traditionally they are decorated with a dragon head and tail. Modern competition rules allow up to 14 rowers as well as a steers person, known as a sweep, and a drummer to coordinate the rowers.
Whilst in the west it is known as the ‘dragon boat race festival’, in China it is properly called the Duanwu festival and is something like a mid-summer celebration with the dragon representing yang energy and the height of summer being the peak time of year for yang energy in nature. As well as dragon boat races, food parcels/ rice cakes are often distributed onto rivers and legendary figures (the poet Qu Yuan, the royal advisor Wu Zixu and the shaman Cao E) from China’s past are celebrated and remembered.
To mark the beginning of the Dragon Boat Race festival, the Mayor of Worthing made a short speech followed by a lion dance by Shaf (in the head) and Kirsty (in the tail). They really went out of their way to make a big impression interacting with the crowd and mingling with the Mayor: our most recent golden ceremonial lion making the most of the opportunity to strut its stuff! Russell Suthern, the Chief Instructor, did the drumming for all of the dances that day, working closely with the performers to make a spectacular show.
I had the honour of working in the head for the second lion dance in the arena with the help of Kirsty in the tail. It was quite nerve wracking waiting to perform as it was my first proper lion dance as the head in public. However, once the drums and symbols kick in, you are off and dancing and it’s just a matter of trying to make your lion come alive as much as possible. It was good fun playing up to the crowd and making the kids laugh and scream!
Kirsty was in the head with Shaf for the last lion dance of the day. They really pushed the boat out, getting the lion to perform a roll- it really looked like an animal rolling on its back! This is part of what I really like about lion dance- that it is a kind of animated theatre or puppetry where the performers in the costume become more than just that; they endeavour to make the lion come to life.
Amongst the day’s activities there was also an excellent performance by the Findon dog training club- the dogs and owners clearly had worked very hard and showed excellent discipline during the various demonstrations.
This is the second year WCMA have performed lion dances at the dragon boat race festival, we will be there next year as well- maybe even with a rowing team of our own!
Jason Lee