Oh Happy Day: Dance, Lion, Dance!
September 12th, 2008 @ 1:53 pm by Mrs. Toucan
Eek! It’s been so long since my last post! I have about a billion reasons why I haven’t posted, but I’ll spare you from all my lame excuses… it’s back to the re-cap for me!
After our 2nd tea ceremony and impromptu formals in my qua, it was time to switch gears and entertain our guests a little! Since our cocktail hour was in a separate room from our banquet room, we hired a lion dance troupe to perform a dance for our guests and help make the transition from cocktail hour to dinner.
Lion dances are traditionally performed during New Year celebrations because they are thought to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year. However, sometimes lion dances are also performed at new business openings and weddings because of the thought that it brings good fortune.
Our guests crowded around to watch as the “lions” danced and performed tricks to the sound of beating drums.
Let me just say THEY. WERE. AWESOME. I’m actually a little sad that I only bring you pictures, and not video!
Did I mention how AWESOME this was?! I think you can see it on our faces…
and on our guests’ faces…
During the performance, the “lions” gave Mr. Toucan and I presents.
They gave us gifts of oranges and bamboo. The oranges represent gold and are a sign for prosperity. The bamboo represents longevity, strength, flexibility - all good symbols for a successful marriage.
During the performance, the “lions” also unfurled this banner.
The writing on the banner translates to “100 years of happiness together,” and again it’s a sign of well wishes for our marriage from the “lions.”
After about a 15-20 minute performance, the lions “unveiled” themselves to reveal…
… they are all women! 
GIRL POWER! In all honesty, I partly hired the ladies from Gund Kwok because of what they stood for. The following comes from their webpage:
Gund Kwok, the only Asian Women Lion & Dragon Dance Troupe in the United States, was established in February of 1998 to give Asian women an opportunity to express their creativity, power and strength through performing the lion and dragon dances. The lion and dragon dances are art forms which require martial arts discipline, endurance, flexibility and creativity.The lion dance is not only looked upon as the skillful display of strength and artistry but as the discipline of mind and body. Externally, it enhances health and is used for self defense. It is also the cultivation of inner strength and self discipline to receive life’s challenges with grace and elegance. It represents a symbol of power and courage and has traditionally been denied to women. Gund Kwok gives Asian women the opportunity to cultivate and express these essential qualities as well as their connection to their cultures and traditions.
How could I not hire them?!
While I did hire them partly for the reason above, their performance did not disappoint! The ladies of Gund Kwok practice 2-3 times a week, and sometimes more before performances, to make sure they always put on a good show! I can tell you… these ladies are PHENOMANAL, and far exceeded my expectations! Mr. Toucan and I were so lucky to have them perform at our wedding!
*Please credit all photos to Robert Mirani Photography.
Previously in the Toucan Recap Series…
1. Getting Ready
2. Getting in the Door
3. First Look and Tea Ceremony #1
4. Get Me to the Church on Time!
5. The Ceremony and Something Almost Missed
6. We’re Married! Err… Now What?!
7. Tea Ceremony #2 and the Donning of the Qua
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20 Responses to “Oh Happy Day: Dance, Lion, Dance!”
Oh my FMIL and Grandmother would love this! We are thinking of surprising with a lion dance either at the rehersal dinner or the actual wedding. We’re getting married down the Cape so this troupe would be perfect!
duuuude! i’m so jealous. i LOVE lion dances! probably way too much but who cares. they always make me stop and watch and smile. they’re the best. i can hear the drums beating in my head as i read your post! so no worries about not having video. lol
Yes, please. All bees should stop the excuses. They ARE lame!
I love your dragons! I wanted one but I was vetoed! 
This turned out unbelievably cool! I wish you had a video as well, as I am sure it was so cool to watch these women move.
@PrettyKitty: Definitely recommended! You can fill out a request form for a performance right on their webpage!
@Me: While I realized that I myself said my excuses are lame, please DO remember that all of the bees are normal people just like you. Writing for weddingbee is not our job - we are volunteers, and we try to do our best to post as often as we can.
I didn’t mean it the way you think Toucan. I meant that NO ONE needs excuses, we all know life happens but reading excuse after excuse is unnecessary.
WE UNDERSTAND!
@Miss Avocado: perhaps I will soon? My cousin did videotape it, as well as the rest of our wedding! We just need to see it, and probably edit it some!
@Me: Thanks for clarifying, and sorry, for misunderstanding your comment! I guess we feel the need to apologize for not being good little posters.
Wow - I love these pictures. Even without a video I can tell that everyone just loved their performance!
Becky
YAY! I love the pictures! Wow! Yes, those women are amazing…actually I KNOW they are amazing! By the way, Mrs. Toucan, we are having a 10-week trial class if you’re interested in trying it out! It starts October 2nd and it’s every Thursday! 
I am so jealous. We desperately want lion dancers at our wedding, if only we can convince Hot Mama Cocoa that it’s not weird. I’m sending her this post right now. And is there a LA version of Gund Kwok?
@Miss Hot Cocoa: Sorry, but Gund Kwok is only located in Boston’s Chinatown, and we’re the only Asian women’s lion dance troupe in the country. Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with the troupes out in LA.
@Joanne: I would love it, but unfortunately, I just don’t have the time until I finish school! I have class on Thursdays.
i’ve been researching lion dance troupes in the OC/LA area for a while now… most groups charge between $500-$700 for a 15-minute performance. i’m still on the fence about it!
@briannie: That’s the average range for most places even on the east coast. At first glance, that may be expensive, but you have to think about what it takes to perform. It doesn’t just take 15 minutes. If there are two lions, buddha, and instrumentalists - that’s easily 8-10 people. They practice on their own time before your wedding. Those 8-10 people must then travel to your wedding not only transporting people, but also the equipment. You also must think about what it means to have lions dance at your wedding. I’m not saying this because I’m part of a lion dance troupe, but I personally think it’s worth it!
[...] the AWESOME performance by the ladies of Gund Kwok, all of our guests funneled into the dinner room, and the intros began [...]
[...] the AWESOME performance by the ladies of Gund Kwok, all of our guests funneled into the dinner room, and the intros began [...]
Mrs. Toucan, Boston
Age and Occupation: 25, Full-time Research Assistant, Part-time Graduate Student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Actuary
Engagement Date: February 18, 2007
Wedding Date: June 7, 2008
Blogging Since: November 07, 2007
Venue: St. Catherine of Genoa, Jin Asian Cuisine Restaurant
About Me: I’m a Gemini to the extreme. On one side, I’m a girly girl. I read countless bridal and fashion magazines, and have an obsession with keeping up with the latest Hollywood gossip. On the other side, I’m a sports fanatic. Despite being a full-time bride-to be, full-time research assistant, and part-time student, I’m also a full-time Red Sox fan from spring training to October, and a full-time Patriots fan from mini-camp to February. I devote almost as much time researching my for fantasy football team as researching for our wedding!
cool! they’re the first women’s lion dance troupe I’ve heard of too!