China-featured folk drum dance
By admin on 2014-12-22

In China, the drum is a symbol of vigor and the drum dance represents power.
Developed in the Neolithic Age, the drum was made of clay and symbolized the beginning of cultural dance. As early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties, in the 10th century BC, the original form of the drum dance took shape and after hundreds of years, many different kinds of folk drum dances have evolved.

The powerful gong and drum dance is widely performed in Hongdong, Huoxian and Fenxi counties in Shanxi Province. It used to be performed in temple fairs. The performers vigorously beat the large drums, gongs and cymbals to symbolize their lives and wishes for a good harvest. A team of 410 Shanxi farmers performed at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.

The Taiping drum dance in Lanzhou expresses the yearning of a peaceful world and a good harvest. It is played among the Han, Mongolian and Manchu people. The body of the drum is painted red with a design of lions, and there is the yin and yang design on the head of the drum, and when players beat the drum, it sounds "earth shaking". With some double-faced gongs, the Taipin drum dance adds excitement to festivals and encourages a lively atmosphere.

The Ansai waist drum dance in Shanbei or Northern Shaanxi is a dramatic scene to watch. Besides the vigor of Shanxi powerful gong and drum dance and Lanzhou Taiping drum dance, the Ansai waist drum dance presents bustling activity with emphasis on both the group and individual performers. The various gestures such as rushing and jumping, together with changes in rhythm, encourage people to free themselves from the farmland and make a better life in the loess plateau, which is the essence of the drum dance.