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by
Nam Bui
There are countless customs and traditions that are associated
with and that depict the People of the Orient. Of the many events
that are observed and signified, none other is more celebrated,
nor better showcases the richness of the Asian Culture, than the
annual Chinese New Year's Festival. Here, in America, this is
no exception New Year's - festivities include food, fashion, &
fun, with the trademark exhibit being the famed Dragon Dance.
The Nguyen Thieu Youth Group from The Nhu Lai Temple, the Vietnamese
Buddhist Congregation of Colorado, performs the traditional Dragon
Dance with all the traditional flash & flare of Vietnam & China
(the two Asian countries that recognize the Lunar Calendar). This
presentation of the Dragon Dance, accompanied by the sounds of
the Dragon Heart (the traditional drums), begins with the Dragon
Heads entering from afar to center stage, respectfully bowing
before the center shrine to pay homage to our gods and ancestors.
This is then followed by gestures to the audience and then the
exciting movements that make the Dragon Dance all that it is.
The Nguyen Thieu Youth Group has worked hard to choreograph the
movements of two Dragons, along with a baby dragon, to help bring
in the New Year with Health, Fortune, and Prosperity. The dance
concludes with an exciting finish where the Dragon rises to capture
the prize bag offering, then returning a New Year's wish to the
audience.
Tools of the Trade 
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