My City By The Bay

Lion Dancers are a focal point of the Lunar New Year.  They ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.   The ornately detailed costumes are elaborately designed and very top heavy.  The dancers themselves are formally trained athletes.  In order for the choreographed performance to take place the synchronization is important and a must between the dancers.  It takes much athletic and mental focus to perform these dances.

While attending the Lunar New Year celebrations at the Botanical Gardens, we were thrilled and excited to see the West Coast Lion Dance Troupe in action.  The above video is one of three which I filmed during the performance.  It was definitely a treat to watch their acrobatic expertise.  The howling of the drums and movement of the lion made some children happy campers while others hid and cried.  In either case it was a dazzling show with plenty of tradition and culture.

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