| The Samba Lion-Practicing for Street Parades |
| After we made our masks, we started training for our participation in the “Community Art Parade” street parades. We gathered at our school on a Saturday to discuss performance details with the artists, and decided to use drumbeats to attract attention. At first, we worked on rhythm by clapping our hands, after we got the rhythm right we allocated instruments and formation positions. We did well with the instruments, everyone was happy to see the training process proceed smoothly. |
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Allocating instruments |
Keeping time on the snare drum |
Keeping time on the bass drum |
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| Next, we started wearing our masks during practice, it was a little difficult to beat our drums with the masks on because you couldn’t see where on the drum we were beating. We had to get used to playing on the drums by the sound they emitted and by instinct. After a long while of practicing in this way, we finally got used to having masks on our head and our hands beating on the drums. |
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A little inconvenienced by the masks on our heads |
Learning to keep beat using sound and instinct |
Artists directing our practice |
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| Now we come to formation. The artists taught us to look at ourselves in the mirror, study our own positions and performance, and from there adjust the movement of our arms and hands. We practiced over and over again, put on the masks and practiced some more, and finally were declared ready for the real thing. |
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Practicing formation |
Observing our own performance in the mirror |
Practicing formation with our masks on |
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One week later, on a Friday afternoon, the artists asked us to take our practice outside. We carried our percussion instruments and trolleys to the school’s outdoor classroom for practice, but little did we expect that once our masks were on and we were beating our drums, it was next to impossible to keep perfect formation. After some advice from the artists and some discussions on improvements among ourselves, as well as lots and lots of practice, we finally started getting it right.
At last, we were ready to go through a complete parade routine. Starting with a roll of the drums, the students all marched forth in tune with the beat. The most amusing thing was that we had to round up the performance by crying in unison “Ha! Ha! Ha! Zun Liao Elementary School, HO! HA!”, which we were at first too shy to say out loud, but the teachers and artists joined in and gave us the courage to cry out as loud as we could. Overall, not a very satisfactory practice session, but we had done the best we could and were happy with that. |
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Outdoor classroom practice |
Preparing for the formal routine |
That’s how good we look |
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| When we finally arrived at the day of the actual performance, our teacher gave us an extra training session in the morning. This time, we walked with great spirit and deafening drumbeats. Even though it was sunny and hot enough to draw heavy perspiration, in light of the formal performance that was to take place in the afternoon, we marched forth in confidence. |
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It was something of a trial to wear our masks under the sun |
Walking with great spirit |
Off we go! |
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| With the experience of one street parade under our belt, we thought to discuss with the artists how we could perform in other ways because it really was hot and burdensome to wear masks the entire time while carrying and beating drums. And so, we decided to adopt dance as our performing method by attaching our masks to broomsticks, lifting them up and incorporating them into our choreography. On Saturday afternoons we practiced dancing with the lion masks in our classrooms, and all felt it to be a much easier task compared to our first street parade. |
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Artists teaching us how to dance |
Observing our movements in the mirror |
Carrying the masks while dancing |
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| On the morning of the Xiluo Cultural Festival street parade performance, we gathered at our school for makeup and a final practice session. We heartily danced to the music, we switched formations, and we waved the elevated masks. When the music came to a stop, so did our last practice session, whereupon we thanked the three artists who had spent the last two months coaching us with infinite patience, we presented thank you cards with signatures from each and every one of us to express our profound gratitude. |
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The last practice |
Our formations |
Presenting thank you cards to the three artists |
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