In every Chinese lion dance, each lion has two performers, a person in the front (the head) and a person in the back (the tail). They follow the commands of a drummer and a team of percussionists to make a complete routine.
Here’s a rundown of every position involved in a lion dance and how everyone works together to make a memorable performance.
The head of the lion
The person in front controls the head, eyes, and mouth of the lion, making it look as life-like as possible. The head weighs about 10 pounds and is the signature part of the lion. Each head is often decorated with animal-like features like the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. These are manipulated by fluttering the eyes open and shut and “chewing” on lettuce.
It also has a mirror on its forehead to deflect negative energy as well as a horn. This acts as a weapon to fight off evil spirits. The horn is adorned with a ribbon, which indicates the lion has been “awakened” and can be used for a performance.
These days, the heads are made of a bamboo frame, colourfully painted papier-mâché covering it, and lined with cloth, soft fur or bristles, and other decorations. The newest lions may also have LED lighting, which really elevates the experience and blends tradition with modernity. Our LED lions were purchased in 2023 and are sometimes requested for major corporate events, banquets, or weddings.
The tail performer
The performer in the tail end of a lion dance is often overlooked, but very important. This person controls the rear of the lion, playing the rear legs, back, and tail. We often get told how cute our lions look when they wag their tails, and that’s all thanks to the performer in the back.
In addition to following closely and maintaining a crouched position for maximum realism, the tail is also responsible for boosting the head in acrobatic situations. This requires significant strength and can vary from simple jumps to lifting the entire weight of their partner over their head.
The percussion that guides the lion dance
The percussion (drums, gong, and cymbals) guides the performance by giving the lion an indication of what moves to perform. The loud noise is also said to ward off evil spirits.
There are several specific beats that each team will use, and can vary from club to club. The drummer is in charge of leading the percussion and the lions will follow the “instructions”, matching their moves to the beat.
Lion dance percussion is composed of:
a drummer,
a gong player, and
1 to 3 cymbalists.
The drummer – leader of the performance
Percussion is led by the drummer who everyone follows. This person sets the beat and watches the lions carefully to ensure that they are on rhythm, making adjustments on the fly if there are any interruptions to the performance.
The lion dance drum is large and made of wood with springs inside to produce the characteristic echo that it’s known for. The drum itself is covered with animal skin which is attached to the side using metal rivets. With the drumsticks, the drummer plays a choreographed beat hitting both the middle of the drum and the edges, sometimes muting the drum with their free hand.
The gong player – adding another layer of sound
Next to the drummer stands the gong player. This person uses a stick to strike a heavy brass gong that adds another layer to the acoustic sound. The gong usually hangs off a rod on a specialized lion dance drum cart, and the gong player is often responsible for helping move the cart during a parade or wedding.
This person works with the cymbal players and together, they produce a similar beat. The technique used by a gong player varies between hitting the gong with and without damping the sound with their hands.
Cymbal players – bringing the noise to scare off evil spirits
Off to the side of the drum, you’ll see one to three cymbal players. They create the loudest sound of the three instruments, so we always recommend wearing earplugs if you’re too close to them!
Chinese cymbals are usually made out of copper and can vary in size, usually between 16 and 20 inches in diameter. The cymbals are usually played in a similar way to the gong. The cymbalists will vary the intensity of the hits and also mute the cymbals by quickly pressing them against their bodies.
Buddha – comic relief
The Buddha, or Daai Tau Fat (大頭佛) sometimes accompanies the lions in the performances and provides some comic relief. The costume is usually a papier-mâché head and a yellow silk robe, often with a fan or other prop in hand.
You’ll often see them dancing around, waving their fan and providing laughs for the audience. Sometimes, the Buddha will do some kung fu moves, act drunk, or be lazy, depending on their mood or what the performance entails. Often, they’ll guide the lions around or help steer VIPs around during photo ops.
When interacting with a lion, they will often tease them with the fan, resulting in playful chases, bites, and kicks.
Lion handler – keeps lion dances on track
Lion handlers help guide the guests during weddings and corporate events. This is sometimes done by the person playing the Buddha, but it’s often just one of our teammates.
These team members take care of small but important tasks to ensure that our lion dances run smoothly. They often work with the bride, groom, and wedding planner in the case of weddings, or with event organizers and VIPs for corporate or community events. With their help, everything is able to run smoothly and on track.
FAQ
How many people are in a lion dance?
There are always two performers in a lion costume, as well as at least three percussionists. Some lion dances have more than one lion and there may be extra percussionists or a person playing a Buddha as well, so it varies with each performance.
Who are the people in the lion dance?
The person inside the head controls most of the movement, as well as the eyes and mouth. The tail follows the head and wags the tail to create a realistic performance, and also boosts the person in the head during acrobatic stunts.
Who is the fat bald guy in a lion dance?
This is the Buddha, who lightens the mood of a lion dance with their antics. They often tease the lions and interact with the crowd. Sometimes, they’ll also help guide the lion or perform some basic crowd control.
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