12.11.2004

Lion Dance of Love

I attended a wedding reception last Sunday in Makati, and the program included a very unusual number: a lion dance. I've seen some lion dances over the years, but I've never seen a dance at a reception before, so this was a first.



There were two lions, and since it was a wedding, they were depicted as "love" lions. So, I guess you can try imagining the routine. The two lions were in foreplay throughout the entire performance. Thankfully, there were acrobatic feats to break the monotony, like the lions jumping from one high place to another and standing on their "hind legs." It was quite entertaining, but i think they went slightly overboard with the "love" bit. At one point, the "lions" were sniffing each other and giving each other back rubs. I am well aware that these are mythical beasts played by two people in special costumes, but if you watch animal planet, you know what comes after the sniffing and preening. I don't mean to sound prudish, but I never thought of the lion dance in that context before.

Overall, I found the reception interesting. There was an effort to present the wedding reception in a different style. There weren't any doves, the poor birds with clipped wings that sit throughout the wedding only to be released into the glaring lights and some kid's eager hands. The program didn't involve tipsy uncles belting out karaoke songs. And there was the lion dance. I wonder what those inspired wedding planners are going to think of next - and how much the sponsors are going to pay for it.

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