To help celebrate the luckiest year in the Chinese zodiac, this Saturday, May 12, Turtle Back Zoo will have special dragon dances performed by Yee’s Hung Ga International Kung Fu Association to celebrate the zoo’s new komodo dragon. Performances will occur between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The rain date is May 19.
The art of traditional Chinese dragon and lion dancing is fading in western society, but it has been an integral part of traditional Chinese Kung Fu school training for centuries. The dragon and lion dance, while symbolizing good fortune, protects against negative influences. It is performed for good luck at grand openings of restaurants, major celebrations and special events as well as the annual Chinese New Year parades. Yee’s Hung Ga International Kung Fu Association, founded in New York’s Chinatown in 1974 and now headquartered in Clifton, is proudly dedicated to upholding this time-honored and sacred centuries-old tradition.
