The dance manifests vigorous movements to the accompaniment of rhythmic drumbeats. At the climax of the dance, dancers beat drums while jumping in the air and yelling: "Hai hai.".
The number of drummers ranges from a few to several thousand. When celebrating festivals or the bumper harvest, performers often stage a large-scale Ansai waist drum dance, which is usually performed by about 60 drummers. In some cases, several teams of drummers perform together in a 500- to 1,000-meter-long procession.
Worldwide Fame
The Ansai waist drum dance has demonstrated its unique charm inBeijing,Hong Kong, Japan and many other places around the world. The drum dance won the top prize at the First Folk Dancing Contest in 1986. And, in recent years, it successively performed in pageants, such as the opening ceremony of the 11th Asian Games, the Hong Kong Handover Celebration, etc.
The Ansai waist drum dance is called "The No 1 Drum Dance in the World" for its majestic performance and boundless vigor. In 1996, Ansai County was named "the hometown of the Chinese waist drum".
It is reported that in recent years many foreigners traveled especially to Ansai to learn the waist drum dance in attempt to discover its hidden secrets. Unfortunately, only a few can master it since many find it difficult to coordinate their arm and leg movements.
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