How is the Boat Lantern Dance performed?

The Boat Light Dance is a folk art form imported from the north, which was transformed after entering Lingnan and gradually became a folk dance form with rich connotations. The Boat Lantern Dance is mainly popular in the Hakka region, and is especially loved in Pingyuan.

The Boat Lantern Dance has been introduced to Pingyuan for more than 200 years. "The boat is made of bamboo and wood, painted with colors and equipped with bouquets of flowers, ribbons and lanterns. The boat has no bottom and is decorated with strips of cloth around the bottom in the shape of water waves.

Generally performed by three people, one hidden in the bottom of the boat to maneuver the boat, a man and a woman in the bow of the boat stern performance, three people's movements must be tacit understanding, in order to realistically show the effect of the "river boat".

Early Boat Lantern Dance only pursued the realism of the boat, and later incorporated some life themes. Through the "rowing boat" performance fishing to men and women in love, etc., the dance design is also according to the needs of the subject matter and gradually become more complex, so that the original artistic expression greatly improved.

The soundtrack is mostly Hakka folk tunes, such as "Fisherman's Delight", "Night Boat", "Selling Groceries", etc. The musical instruments are mainly suona, flute, yangqin, sanxian, banhu, erhu, and some percussion instruments, such as gongs, drums, cymbals, clangs, etc. The boat lantern dance reflects the pursuit of the Hakka people. The Boat Lantern Dance embodies the Hakka people's pursuit of a better life and the mood of entertainment and prosperity.

Festive Boat Lantern Dance