Bringing lion dances to the street, making a lot of money on Mid-Autumn Festival
(Baonghean.vn) - During the peak season of the Mid-Autumn Festival, around the 13th-15th of the 8th lunar month, lion dance troupes operate at full capacity, running shows to meet the needs of the people.
Currently, there are about 20 professional and amateur lion dance teams in the city. Apart from some teams operating year-round for events such as openings, parties, birthdays, etc., most lion dance teams operate seasonally, only performing during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mr. Ho Manh Hung - Captain of a lion dance team in Truong Thi ward said: "The team started receiving bookings from the end of the 7th lunar month and started performing on the 1st of the 8th lunar month until now. From now until the 17th of August (lunar calendar), our lion dance team is fully booked, in which, on the 13th, 14th, 15th of August (lunar calendar), the team has to perform up to 10 shows/day".
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| Lion and dragon dances performed during the Mid-Autumn Festival have the meaning of educating about traditions and introducing children to traditional games of the nation. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
The closer to the full moon day, the more exciting the lion dance teams are. The price of lion dance services is quite diverse, depending on the customer's request, the difficulty, complexity of the performance and the length of time. For example, a lion dance performance consisting of 2 lions, 2 drums, 1 dia god, 1 cheng cymbal costs from 2 to 4 million VND or a performance of 3 lions, 2 drums, 1 dia god, 1 cheng cymbal costs 4 to 6 million VND...
Ms. Nguyen Thuy Ha, in charge of social work at a bank in Vinh city, said: “Every year, on the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival, in addition to cash gifts, our unit also organizes a Gala “Happy Mid-Autumn Festival” with feasts, fashion shows, and singing and dancing festivals for the children.
The lion dance is indispensable in the festival. Although we booked the event at the beginning of the month, because all the lion dance teams were fully booked, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, we had to postpone it to Saturday night (August 16th of the lunar calendar) to hire a lion dance team to perform.
Our unit has 4 lion dance teams with 8 lion and dragon heads, about 30 members, but still not enough to serve the needs of customers during the Mid-Autumn Festival. These days, the lion dance teams operate at full capacity, sometimes having to perform 10-15 shows in different places. Prices are calculated by performance, according to the signed contract within a certain period of time, usually ranging from 2-4 million VND/show. Not only in Vinh city, but also in districts and towns, there are quite a few scheduled performances.
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| Lion and dragon dance team prepares before performance. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
“Each 10-15 minute show costs 2 million VND, on peak days we perform about 10 shows and earn 20 million VND, divided among 10 people; minus the cost of training, costumes, props, and food, we still earn millions. However, that money is soaked in sweat and tears. Because the lion dance profession is hard and elaborate. To be able to perform well, the team members have to practice for months, during peak season they don’t have time to eat or drink. There are days when we work until 11-12 pm before we stop,” Mr. Ngai added.
Recently, the appearance of many lion dance teams has made the competition between groups more fierce than before. To increase the attractiveness, many lion dance teams have to research and invest in adventurous performances: Fire breathing, Gangnam style lion dance, martial arts performances...
In addition, there are many lion dance teams participating in street performances, at public places such as: Square, Provincial Post Office, Le Loi Flower Garden, Cua Nam Flower Garden, etc., creating a joyful atmosphere for the Mid-Autumn Festival. "Mainly performing for fun, creating a lively atmosphere, but income depends on the audience, whoever supports it is a penny. However, there are also nights when the group earns several million dong," a member of the lion dance team in Vinh Tan ward shared.
