HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!Chinese New Year, that is!
Did you know that yesterday, January 23rd, was the Chinese New Year? It is the Year of the Dragon this year. We had tons of fun viewing some celebration videos, learning facts about China and also having a traditional "lion's dance" in music class!
I showed the children pictures of the parade, traditional female dress and head dress, dragons, lion costumes, and the instrument "Gong". We also discussed the difference in American and Chinese culture when it comes to dragons. In western civilazations (American, Celtic, etc.) dragons are often viewed as evil, or representing one's own "demons". However, in eastern culture, specifically China, the dragon is viewed as good luck, or representing other positive qualities.
Can you guess which of our friends are behind the lion masks?
My lion mask was the western image of a lion, but the true lion costume is a beautiful and impressive interpretation that resembles the same style as many Chinese dragons. Check out the Youtube videos at the bottom of the blog to see what the children watched today in class!
We played rhythm instruments during our very own "lion dance" and made a simple beat very similiar to the traditional one using castanets and tambourines. The rhythm was "tah-tah-tucka-tah" or quarter, quarter, two eights, quarter. Look for the video that shows how well the four year olds played this rhythm!
_________________________________________________________________________