Celebrate Chinese New Year with Traditional Lion Dance

Creative Discovery Museum celebrates Chinese New Year on Feb. 2, with a performance of the traditional Chinese Lion Dance by the Chien Hong Lion Dance Troupe from Atlanta.

For Immediate Release - January 23, 2008

Contact:
Rich Bailey, 423-580-2479, rbailey@chattanooga.net or
Carla Campbell, 423-648-6054, cbc@cdmfun.org

Creative Discovery Museum Celebrates Chinese New Year
With Traditional Lion Dance, Feb. 2

 

Creative Discovery Museum celebrates Chinese New Year on Feb. 2, with a performance of the traditional Chinese Lion Dance by the Chien Hong Lion Dance Troupe from Atlanta. The dance troupe is part of the Atlanta branch of the Chien Hong School of Kung Fu.

The Lion Dance will be performed at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the Museum's atrium. Between the two Lion Dance performances there will be a Kung Fu demonstration.
According to Gary Mitchell, the "shih fu" or master teacher of the Chien Hong school, the Lion Dance dates back at least 2000 years to the Han Dynasty. "It has always been used in festivals for the New Year, weddings, business openings, even funerals. The purpose is to bring good luck to onlookers and to chase away bad luck," said Mitchell.

The dance is performed by two people in a stylized costume, one moving the front half of the lion, while the second operates the back. "The head doesn't really look much like a real lion," said Mitchell. "There is a horn and a mirror in the forehead that is supposed to reflect evil, chasing it away. The lion has furry eyebrows and a moustache.The eyes blink, the mouth moves, and the dancers do a lot of jumping and rolling. The overtones are playful but aggressive, because the lion is chasing away bad luck."

"This is a great opportunity for children and families to experience a Chinese art form that is full of energy, visually stunning and highly dynamic," said Liza Blair, Creative Discovery Museum Arts Manager. "We are delighted to be able to bring such a rich cultural art form to the public.”

Students from the Chien Hong school will also demonstrate Shaolin "five animal" style kung fu, in which the movements imitate the gestures or fighting techniques of various animals: tiger, crane, dragon, leopard, and snake. The demonstration will include both unarmed fighting and the use of weapons,such as sword, staff and spear.

"Our goal is to give artistic perspective of martial arts and Chinese culture blended together," said Mitchell. "People can see the martial arts not only as a fighting art or as self defense, but also see it for its beauty and motion. It is a form of expression."

The Chien Hong School of Kung Fu in Atlanta is a American branch of a school based in Taipei, Taiwan. In operation since 1995, it teaches Shaolin kung fu and Chen style tai chi, as well as the Lion Dance and Dragon Dance.

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Creative Discovery Museum is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to the enrichment of children through interactive, hands-on experiences that foster creative and critical thinking. Creative Discovery Museum is a funded agency of Allied Arts and Tennessee Arts Commission. Call 423-756-2738 for more information.