The Joyous Spring Lion Dance Troupe in San Jose prepares for a record number of performances during the Lunar New Year, showcasing rich cultural traditions. With 13 members working voluntarily, they practice weekly to perfect their lion dance, embodying grace and ferocity. Celebrations on January 29 will see around two billion people worldwide ushering in the Year of the Snake with various festivities. The lion dance, integral to many Asian cultures, combines martial arts and acrobatics, captivating audiences throughout the Bay Area, notably in cities like San Francisco.
Underneath each costume, two members of the Joyous Spring Lion Dance Troupe shuffle forwards and backwards over and over again, until every step is precise and in time with the beat of a drum.
We have anywhere from three to four performances every weekend... For the next month-and-a-half, we'll have around 20.
This is all voluntary, none of us get paid at all; we do it to be able to continue the lion dancing culture.
The lion dance is a time-honored tradition in many Asian cultures; participants dressed as colorful caricature lions mimic the beasts' movements using elements of martial arts and acrobatics.
Collection
[
|
...
]