A look Into the lion: History of the Vietnamese New Year and the Lion Dance Tradition

Editor’s Note:  The following series “Dance!” is a week-long series curated by Gabriela Taras as a part of the Digital Research Internship Program in partnership with ViaNolaVie. The DRI Program is a Newcomb Insitute technology initiative for undergraduate students combining technology skillsets, feminist leadership, and the digital humanities.

This curation focuses on dance, music, and arts in New Orleans. Due to our lively culture, there’s a lot to do even as the weather is getting colder!

Cam- Thanh Tran, the Assistant Director of the Center for Studies of Displaced Populations at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine speaks to us in an interview about how much hard work and training goes into the traditional Vietnamese, Lion Dance. The dancers train 3 times a week and stay in shape year-round… click here to learn more! Originally published: May 11, 2017

The Legend of the Lion Dance

Photo of Cam-Thanh Tran, taken by Mengxi Zhang, a doctoral student at Tulane SPHTM.

Cam- Thanh Tran, the Assistant Director of the Center for Studies of Displaced Populations at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, tells us the myth of the Lion Dance in the Vietnamese tradition and its significance in the Tet celebration. Cam has been involved in the New Orleans Vietnamese community for years. She was a founder of the Intercultural Charter School, which was approved by the Louisiana Department of Education and opened on August 18, 2008. She is passionate about education and preserving the Vietnamese culture. Cam started collecting oral histories in 2008 and hopes to continue to collect stories from the Vietnamese community members, especially the elders who experienced the migration in North Vietnam in 1954, the Fall of Saigon in 1975, and/or Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Cam dreams of opening a Vietnamese Cultural Center one day to archive oral histories and artifacts and preserve the Vietnamese culture by offering classes on Vietnamese crafts, music, dances, and food.

A Day in the Life of a Lion Dance Practice

The Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team, or in Vietnamese “Thang Long,” comprises a group of Vietnamese kids living in Marrero, Louisiana. They are holding on to the beloved Vietnamese tradition, the Lion Dance, which is performed every year at the Tet Festival to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year. The dance symbolizes the removal of negative energies, as the lion is a creature believed to bring good luck, health, and prosperity. We visited the Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team’s practice one Saturday afternoon and had the chance to learn about the preparation behind the intricate motions and beats that maintain the traditional Asian dance.

Photo by Katie Tapper.

Head dancer, Haley, and head drummer, Aaron, warm up with sit-ups and push-ups.

Photo by Katie Tapper.

Lion Dancers warm up with sprints and lunges. Being on the team involves staying in physical shape. “We have practice three days per week and have performances for News Years and for special events and occasions,” says Haley, 13.

Photos by Katie Tapper.

Team members (Kevin being lifted and Duy supporting) learn and rehearse jumps to prepare for a performance.

Photo by Katie Tapper.

As the drummer, Aaron helps keep every dancer on beat. “You’ve gotta have good rhythm. The last time I drummed was at Audubon Zoo. I wasn’t that nervous, I just went with the basic beats,” he says.

Photo by Katie Tapper.

Team coach, Hoang Nguyen, ensures the dancers align their physical movements with the beating of the drum. Every step and movement must be in-sync. Team captain Mark says, “this is a family environment. We want everyone to feel safe here. And teamwork. What we really strive to do is to teach them culture and how to love one another.”

Photo by Katie Tapper.

To get to know the dancers personally, click here.