The "Flower-drum Lantern," also called the "Red Lantern", used to be performed by men disguised as women, with stage names like "Little Bound Feet", and "Little White Shoes", etc. The footwork is based on "soft steps" and "quick short steps". In the course of its development, the laggard elements of the "Flower-drum Lantern" were gradually dropped, and female performers emerged, signaling the "up-mountain big steps". All these transformations, however, have not changed the dance's basic configuration.
The "Flower-drum Lantern" dance features very rich dance movements - to date, more than 500 kinds of steps have been sorted. The dance has a unique style, which is both bold and unrestrained, sincere and exquisite. The dancers' rich postures, unique skills and joyous and thrilling gong and drum accompaniments all express the strong local flavor and fascinating artistic charms.
Development of the 'Flower-drum Lantern'
The "Flower-drum Lantern" was mainly prevalent in more than 20 counties and cities in northern Anhui Province, including Yingshang, Fengtai, Huaiyuan, Huainan and Bengbu. It took shape in the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty and gradually became popular in the Republic of China.
In the 20th year (1930) of the Republic of China, people along the Huaihe River enjoyed a bumper harvest after suffering a flood and held "Flower-drum Lantern" performances. As a
result, a group of famous dancers emerged, such as Chen Jingzhi, Wu Peixuan, Zheng Jiuru, and so on.
In the autumn of 1952, Feng Guopei, the head of Dongxiang village of Bengbu City, was invited to the Central Academy of Drama to teach the "Flower-drum Lantern" dance. In 1953, the Anhui team of the "Flower-drum Lantern" participated in China's first Music and Dance Joint Performance, causing a big stir across China.
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