For Chinese New Year in Taipei we went to the Grand Hyatt Hotel to watch a lion dance. My family (myself, Mom, Dad, Natalie and Charlotte) were able to get seats on the floor above the dance floor so we could get a better view. We couldn't see the first act because it took place outside. However, we knew the show had started because it got really loud with a lot of drumming and we also caught glimpses of two lions outside. We also heard the incredibly loud pops of firecrackers exploding. Charlotte had to cover her ears because it was so deafening!
Now, when I say lions I don't mean the kind of real animals that you would see in a zoo. For Chinese New Year performances, the lions are giant puppets with people inside. Inside the lion puppet there are several switches that are used to control the lion's eyes, eyebrows, ears, and mouth. The lions at our performance were yellow, red, and orange.
When the lions eventually came inside the hotel, they danced a bit and then one lion jumped onto some elevated pedestals and stood on its hind legs. After that, a dance assistant arrived with a large red bin full of candy. The lion pretended to eat the candy and then threw it into the crowd. Unfortunately, we were seated too far away and could not reach the candy.
Overall, I thought the dance was a little crazy because the lion moved around so frantically and threw so much candy. I'm glad we went because the dance was very entertaining and unlike anything I've ever seen in Seattle.
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