Drum Dance of the Miao Ethnic Group (Xiangxi)

DATE:08-06-2011

The dancing movements of the drum dance of the Miao ethnic group vary from each other greatly. There are four kinds in general: labor movement, life movement, martial art movement and animal imitation movement. Drum dance is accompanied by side stick, which includes two-side stick and one-side stick. In some places people even play the tuba, So-na (a woodwind instrument) and Erhu (two-stringed Chinese fiddle) to accompany. It’s very amazing. Drum dance is usually performed around the Spring Festival, Double Sixth Festival (a song festival), Siyueba Festival (a festival of the Miaos, i.e., April Eighth) and  Gan Nianchang(a festival of the Miaos). Sometimes when there are public events held in China, such as big conferences, Drum dance will be performed to welcome delegates and guests. Two-people dance has two forms of performance. One is performed by two women or two men, who play the drum on the same side while dancing to the beat. It requires constant drum beat and harmonious movements. The other one is a two-people dance with one man and one woman. Sometimes both of them play the drum on the same side, sometimes one plays the drum while the other accompanies but has the same movement.