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Lion Dance 1996

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 The year was 1996, the Year of the Rat. On a brisk February morning, a good friend of mine headed down to Manhattan's Chinatown to take part in the lunar new year festivities. He was part of a martial arts school, and he and the other students were going to perform a traditional lion dance. I tagged along with my Rollei 35 S camera with two or three rolls of black and white film.

Back then there were no barriers between the public and the performers. You and everyone else on the street got as close as you wanted to the dancers, and took part in the celebration. People threw strings of firecrackers at the feet of the lions for them to dance over. In return, the lions imparted good luck and prosperity the whole year long.

 


Putting it on...


... and ready to go!













See you next year...




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