Lion Dancing

To survive, it is a necessity that you are capable to source basic necessities creatively. ‘Lion’ explores poor children in Calcutta, rummaging for food and water. The text engages the audience with detailed visual imagery, highlighting Saroo trying to find basic necessities in order for him to stay alive. The streets of Calcutta are full of desperate children trying to scavenge for food from little shops and stalls. Saroo is faced with situations in this dangerous setting which he must overcome in order to survive. Saroo had recounted having the challenge of finding food and having the knowledge what is safe or not safe to eat. Saroo describes desperate children, foraging for necessities such as food and water, ‘Sometimes I’d raced for a bit of flatbread. Children as desperate as I struggled over scraps... we were like wild dogs fighting over a bone.’ p.49. The simile and very detailed visual imagery educate and captures the reader in the moment. The reader is

There were many Indigenous Australian Aboriginals that danced different dances in different ways, when and where they performed dances varied immensely, as did the way they were taught or the reasons behind why they danced.

"The Secret Lion," written by Alberto Rios, is a short story rich in symbolism. The lion, or more specifically a secret lion, the arroyo, or river, and the grinding ball are all symbols used in the story to reinforce the theme of coming of age.

In White Tigers, the narrator describes how after learning to be a warrior, she could see everyone dancing, “Whenever I did not eat for long, as during famine or battle, I could stare at ordinary people and see their dance. When I get hungry enough, then killing and falling are dancing, too.” This revelation is preceded by a poetic description of the dance she sees in the forest, in which

China is the elephant. The five nations are the natives that want the elephant killed. The knives they are using represents their military, is also the narrator in the story.

The stage travels, and outbursts, many swirling, dazzling colors, followed by a stampede of footwork accompanying the sound of the mariachi. Envision it. Mesmerizing isn't it?

“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance, and respect all the creatures from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope,” said Mufasa, a supporting character in the film depiction of Walt Disney’s: The Lion King (1994). The Lion King is a timeless archetypal work that time after time has given youth hope and has shown them that courage is not always innate, but can be learned from just living life with a little “hakuna matata”. The Lion King, through the use of classic archetype, vivid surrealism, and iconic symbolism, shows a coming to age story that shows children that life is an adventure worth the trouble.

Pow-wow is a rich traditional dance embraced and practiced by the various native Indian tribes such as Ponca, Kiowa among others. Often, celebrated with dancing, tribal drums, food and chanting in the circle. It was originally known as Pau wau, a healing ceremony overseen by the traditional leaders. In 1977, as the white man started occupying the Native American lands, their army forced the Ponca people from the northern plains of Nebraska to the Indian lands. Many Poncas lost their lives, however, they were survived by their culture and songs. Pow-wow was then adopted by other Indian tribes who started dancing it in their own tradition way. This essay shall discuss how Pow-wow tradition evolved and why it was so important to the tribal people.

The melody sounds somber and serious and the energy of the dancers suddenly changes. A spoken word takes place and all of the dancer begin to tell their stories of pain and struggle through movements. The spoken word talks about the journey of men and women who overcame social injustice. In the dancer's movements you could clearly see how they correlated together. Movements were powerful and restraint at the same time giving the audience the idea of the women were pushing through something that was bearing them down. There was a lot of expansion in the chest, back, and arms followed by contractions in the body. As soon as the spoken word was finished the mood of the piece change again and the pianist began to play a upbeat tune that brought the dancers back in to a more positive and high spirit. A lot of polyrhythms take place as the dancers jump high and move their arms back and forth moving throughout the space. This happens in unison at first and then solos, trios, and duets happen in this section of the dance. The expression on their faces add charismatic charm to this piece. Their expressions continue to move them into different emotions and feelings that are relatable to everyday

Silko uses similes to portray the value of the mountain lion. The mountain lion’s motion “were like the shimmering of tall grass in the wind.” Comparing the mountain lion to the imagery of “shimmering tall grass in the wind” portrays a magical and ethereal-like scene. The imagery gives the impression that there is beauty and value found in something fundamental. Moreover, the theme of transformation is evident through the mountain lions relentless motions. The mountain lion changes “dark as lava rocks, and suddenly as bright as a field of snow.” The “dark as lava rocks” indicates fear, confusion, and overall negativity. On the other hand, “bright as a field of snow” signifies clarity, rebirth, and cleansing. The motions of the mountain lion is parallel to Tayo’s experience and Tayo recognizes the changing as he whispers: “mountain lion, becoming what you are with each breath.” Tayo learned about the significance of the mountain lion and a lesson during their encounter.

The thundering sound of hooves echoes in my ears as my horse comes barreling down the hill toward me. My whistle had caused him to go crashing through the tall grass and Queen Ann’s Lace in search of me once again. Coming to a sliding stop in front of me, I gently stroke his muzzle. Letting my hands glide over his fuzzy neck and into his jet black mane, I grab ahold and throw myself onto his strong back. We go running through the pasture, scattering wild rabbits and sending sparrows a flight. I watch them fly overhead, their brown wings leading them to rest in the big oak tree that my horse and I come to a halt underneath.

This essay will compare and contrast the dance styles of the European Americans and the Native Americans that were born from the cultural beliefs and expression that shaped how dance played a role in both cultures. The dancing styles of the Native Americans had ritual and spiritual meaning to the people of the tribes, who believed that certain spirits could be contacted through these dances, which would lead of a bountiful hunting trip or help protect warriors in a coming battle (Overture Center, 2010). The dancing styles of the European Americans were very formal and structured dances that were performed in many social occasions as courtship rituals between a man and a woman, but often would see partners shifting and moving around the room

Dance of the Tiger is a “paleo fictional” novel written by Björn Kurtén in 1955. Dance of the Tiger is set in Scandinavia approximately thirty-five hundred years ago during a thaw Ice Age. The story follows the lives of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons referred to as whites and blacks. The Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals lived around the same time but yet we share more DNA with Cro-Magnons. The primary objective of the story is to determine what happened to the Neanderthals which Kurten does explain using the story of Tiger, a Cro-Magnon. The story splits into three parts: Veyde, Shelk, and Tiger.

Majestic, noble, and brave, this famous iconic wild animal on the planet has captivated the people since the beginning of time. They are most feared by other animals thus, known as the king of the jungle – no other than the lions. Member of the genus Panthera, the lion is one of the big cats in the Felidae family. A lion’s head and body size average about 4.5 to 6.5 feet and tail of about 26 to 40 inches in length. A lion also weighs about 265 up to 420 pounds and a size relative to a 6-foot human. These mammals are also carnivores. Lions have always seen hunting in groups called pride. While lions generally avoid a full-grown elephant, lions still prefer their preys large like the zebras, buffaloes, and giraffes. Poised as the top animal in the ecological pyramid, lions have strong physical qualities, fascinating reputation, and an unfortunate decreasing number of population.

The overall form that is used in the Chinese Lion Dance music is in the form of Rondo. Actually from the performances we can hear that the music in all the parts are different but there is only one part that we usually will remember. Every different parts represents different motion and meaning of the emotions of the lion and the actions that the lion is doing.