Justin Fletcher has two sessions celebrating Lunar / Chinese New Year with movement and dance.
1. Getting ready. audio
Getting ready for Chinese New Year by making the home spic and span!
2. Join the New Year parade. audio
In the second session we join a procession with dragon and lion dances!
Lunar / Chinese New Year
Lunar / Chinese New Year is a major festival celebrated in China and in the many countries around the world that have an ethnic Chinese population - including the UK. It is also celebrated in many other Asian countries, where it is known as Lunar New Year. The timing of the festival is determined by the new moon, so does not fall on the same day each year, but always occurs in either January or early February. The festivities last for 15 days, ending on the day known as Lantern Festival.
Chinese mythology suggests the origins of New Year are concerned with a battle against a monster called Nian (meaning 鈥榶ear鈥 in Chinese). Nian would arrive on the first day of the New Year to terrorise villagers. However, the villagers discovered that Nian was afraid of the colour red鈥nd thus each New Year the villagers would hang out red lanterns to scare Nian away and use firecrackers too. Nian was never seen again.
In the days preceding New Year Chinese families give their homes a thorough 鈥榮pring clean鈥. The cleaning sweeps away bad luck and leaves room ready for good luck to enter. On the first day of New Year the dusters are put away to avoid sweeping away good luck. New clothes are purchased - often red. New Year is also time for visiting friends and family gatherings. Younger members of the family are often given gifts of money inside red envelopes.
The festivities culminate in Lantern Festival, when families will process through the streets with their New Year lanterns, bringing New Year to a close.
Resources
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Video: 'Chinese New Year' from Assemblies
Related units of KS1 Dance: Let's Move
The journey of the Magi. collection
Dances inspired by the arrival of the three kings in Bethlehem. Presented by Katy Ashworth.
Diwali - Festival of Light. collection
Two dance sessions exploring the festival of Diwali and the story of Rama and Sita.
Egg stravaganza! collection
Justin Fletcher has three dances about eggs - hatching eggs...eating eggs...Easter eggs.
