Life Dances

Yunnan Volume: Axitiaoyue (Axi Dancing to the Moon) of the Yi Ethnic Group

Axi Dancing to the Moon means dancing for joy and is a favorite folk dance as an entertainment greatly favoured by the Axi People and the Sani People, two branches of the Yi ethnic group inYunnan Province. It is popular in the Counties of Mile, Lunan, Luxi, Yiliang, Qiubi, Luliang, etc. in Yunnan.

While dancing, the male dancers are playing the Chinese trichord string instrument named Dasanxian on their backs or blowbamboo flutes; and the female dancers greet their male partners with applauses. Together they sometimes form a circle and sometimes face each other in two opposite lines with their armsswingingfreely and torsos turning lightly which make the whole dance quite vivid and vigorous, and arouse great favour among the local people.

Yunnan Volume: Bawangbian (Rattle Stick Dance) of the Bai Ethnic Group

Rattle Stick Dance is the most representative and most widely spread dancing form of the Bai ethnic group in Yunnan Province. It is preformed no only in some traditional folkloric activities such as "Raosanling', "Celebrating the First Lunar Month", "Farmers's Celebration", but also on other occasions such as house-buildings, weddings, or festivals.

Rattle Stick Dance has a long history and was recorded in detail in the poem "Raosanling Zhuzhici" of Duan Wei, a poet of County during theQing Dynasty. The movements are very rich and diverse; therefore, it is a favorite dance.

Yunnan Volume: Waterdrum Dance of the De'ang Ethnic Group

Waterdrum Dance is popular mainly in the villages of De'ang ethnic group and the Dai people in Bawanxiang of Baoshan City in Yunnnan Province. It is performed at religious gatherings or festival celebrations by the masses of both peoples either on the squares of the Buddisttemples, or in their villages. It is extremely busy and exciting with the water drums, the elephant-foot-shaped drums, the cymbals and Mang gongs of different sizes beaten gloriously. The movements of the dancers are calm and unhurried because of the heavy weight of the waterdrums which gradually becomes a style of its own.

Yunnan Volume: Peacock Dance of the Dai people

Peacock dance is mostly performed at the New Year (Water-splashing Festival) of the Dai's Clendar, "Gate Closing Festival", "Gate Opening Festival" and some important religious activities. It is one of the widely spread ancient dances of the Dai ethnic group of Yunnan Province and regarded as a symbol of good luck, so to perform this Peacock Dance is to present a eulogy of and express good wishes for a happy life.

Hainan Volume: Dachai (Cutting Firewood) Dance of the Li Ethnic Group

Cutting Firewood Dance is also called "Jumping over Bamboo Poles" and widely popular in the congregating area of the Li ethnic group of Hainna Province. The bamboo pole holders move these poles in different directions just to examine the flexibility and nimbleness of the jumpers. This dance is fairly interesting and quite popular with the local people.

In the branch of the Li ethnic group, Xiao, there is a tradition of performing this dance at funerals with the belief that the living people are in one world while the dead in another. So, when somebody is dead, the living ones should happily see him off to the new world by performing this dance.

Guizhou Volume: Xianggao (Striking Bamboo Pole) Dance of the Buy!

Ethnic GroupStriking Bamboo Pole Dance is named after the sound the Buyi people produce while striking the broken long bamboo poles as its dancing props and popular in some villages and towns of Dushan County inGuizhou Province.

On the occasions of festivals, weddings, funerals, or singing contests and sacrifices, Buyi people gather, perform this dance for entertainment with the beating of the copper drums and leather drums, and pray to god for peace and good health and express their great joy.

Striking Bamboo Pole Dance is usually performed by young and mid-aged men and their movements are mainly characterized by swaying their waists left and right, striking the poles in their hands and changing the momentum and the speed of the drumbeats in order to coordinate with the movements and feelings of the dancers, thus producing a spell of ever changing stresses.