About Us | Top Lion Dance Team in Oregon
Established in 2015
White Lotus first came together as a group of inspirational young individuals that wanted a way to not only spread cultural awareness but to make every celebration a memorable one.
With over 40 members of all ages and backgrounds, our team brings a unique approach to a centuries long tradition. White Lotus continuously explores new and creative ideas so that our performances are not only exhilarating, but our clients receive the best service throughout the process.
Our shared objective is to cultivate tradition and performing art through entertainment that every generation can enjoy. We are the largest dragon & lion dance team in all of Oregon — providing exciting performances throughout the Pacific Northwest for Chinese New Years, weddings, grand openings, corporate events, banquets, and more.
What is Lion Dance
Lion dance is traditionally a cultural performance, popular in many East Asian countries. It has been around for millennia and was traditionally used to scare away evil spirits and bring joy and good fortune. Today, it remains as a fun and entertaining performing art and sport; yet still holds true to tradition and culture for generations past.
The Chinese lion dance is a popular performance for Lunar New Year to symbolize prosperity and good luck. Lion dance blessings are also common at business openings, weddings, birthdays, and other celebratory events to bring peace and good fortune.
White Lotus is proud to be the first in the Pacific Northwest to offer lion dancing on Jongs (Chinese High Poles). Acrobatic performances on Jongs take much stamina, coordination, bravery, and practice. This is considered the pinnacle of lion dance difficulty.
What Is Dragon Dance
It’s common to mistake a dragon and a lion. Unlike the lion which requires 2 people to perform, the dragon is a creature that flies through the air with a serpent-like body and requires more than 6 people to perform.
A truly spectacular dragon performance can incorporate many skills and formations and requires the utmost teamwork, coordination, strength, and cardiovascular fitness. The dragon dance is also performed with the dragon always chasing a pearl—symbolizing the continual pursuit of wisdom.