Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year Lion Dance in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia
Lunar New Year is the heart of the lion dance calendar and our busiest season. For more than 45 years our lions have visited restaurants, shops, schools, offices and homes across the Washington area to welcome the new year with good fortune.
What does a Chinese New Year lion dance mean?
The lion dance at the new year sweeps out the bad luck of the old year and invites prosperity into the new one. Traditionally, a school’s lions visit the businesses of the neighborhood in the first days of the year, and each shopkeeper hangs lettuce and a red envelope at the door for the lion to “pluck.” The drum announces the lion, the lion blesses the business and its customers, and the leaves scattered on the threshold mean the year will grow. Our school has kept this tradition in Montgomery County and the District since the 1970s, and the same lions now visit the children and grandchildren of the businesses we first blessed.
Who books a Lunar New Year lion dance?
Restaurants and Asian supermarkets on Rockville Pike, in Wheaton and in D.C.’s Chinatown book us for opening day of the year and the weekend that follows. Companies with Lunar New Year celebrations in Bethesda, Arlington and Tysons book lunchtime performances for employees. Schools, Chinese language schools, churches and community associations book assemblies and festival stages. Families book the lion for private celebrations and for elders who grew up with it. Museums, universities and cultural organizations in the District book public performances that draw thousands.
When should I book for Lunar New Year?
As soon as you know you want a lion. The first day of the new year and the following weekend are reserved earliest, and the two weeks after that fill quickly. Because we route the lions from business to business on the busiest days, early bookings get the best choice of times. The Lunar New Year falls on a different date each year, in late January or February; if you want the lion on the day itself, contact us the previous autumn. The weeks before and after the holiday are also traditional and usually easier to schedule.
What a New Year performance includes
- One or more Southern lions danced by trained performers from the Shaolin Hung Fut Kung Fu School.
- Live drum, gong and cymbals, never a recording.
- The choy cheng blessing with the lettuce and red envelope at the entrance.
- A visit through the business, office or hall to greet staff and guests, when the host wants it.
- On request, a laughing Buddha to lead the lions, or a Hung Fut kung fu demonstration for a longer program.
A single visit runs about 15 to 20 minutes. For festivals and corporate programs we perform longer sets, and for multi-location businesses we can bless several sites in one route.
Pricing during Lunar New Year
New Year performances are quoted individually. Demand is highest on the first day and the first weekend, and travel between stops is factored into each quote. Contact us for a quote with your preferred date and time.
Where we perform for Lunar New Year
Across the entire D.C. metro area, with the heaviest schedules in Washington, D.C., Rockville, Silver Spring and Wheaton, Bethesda, Arlington and Fairfax County. Read more about the tradition on our FAQ.
Lunar New Year in a shopping mall atrium 
The lion working the room, percussion behind 
Archive: two lions and the lettuce blessing at an indoor celebration
How far in advance should I book a lion dance?
Book as soon as your date is confirmed. We perform mainly at weekends, because most of the team works during the week, so Saturdays and Sundays fill first. Lunar New Year is the highest-demand fortnight of our year and peak wedding Saturdays go next; outside those periods we can often accommodate an event with a few weeks' notice.
If your date is close, contact us anyway. Our school is in Kensington, Maryland, and for nearby cities such as Bethesda, Silver Spring and Rockville we can sometimes fit a short performance into a busy day.
What is the red envelope for?
The red envelope, or hong bao, is a traditional gift of good luck offered to the lion during the performance. The lion 'eats' the envelope along with the lettuce during the choy cheng blessing, and the gift symbolizes the host's generosity and the good fortune returned to them.
Hosts often tie a red envelope to the lettuce hung at the entrance, and guests sometimes offer envelopes to the lion as it greets them. The amount is at the host's discretion. The envelope is a customary gesture and is separate from the performance fee.
How long does a lion dance performance last?
A standard performance runs about 15 to 20 minutes, which is long enough for the lions to enter, greet the guests, perform and complete the choy cheng blessing. Longer programs, multiple sets during a long event, or a route with several stops can be arranged.
For weddings, the dance is usually timed to a natural pause in the reception. For grand openings, the performance often begins outside at the entrance and moves inside. For festivals and corporate events with a stage, we can extend the program with a kung fu demonstration from the Shaolin Hung Fut Kung Fu School.
How much does a lion dance performance cost?
Pricing depends on the date, location, number of lions and length of the program, so we quote each event individually. Contact us with your date, venue and the occasion and we will send a quote, usually the same or next business day.
Lunar New Year dates, events far from Kensington, multi-lion programs and combined lion dance and kung fu demonstrations are priced differently from a standard single-lion blessing. Tell us everything you have in mind and we will recommend the option that fits your event and budget.
Service area
Where we perform chinese new year lion dances
We travel throughout the D.C. metro area from our school in Kensington, Maryland. These are some of the places we perform most often for this kind of event.
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Tell us your date, venue and occasion and we will reply with availability and a quote.