My inspired idea - travel with Chen to his birthplace in Huan Province, where they really know how to celebrate the Chinese 'RowYear'. I needed an awesome party! After a serious dim-sum munchie session, his family gave me a red envelope containing money (it seems to be a tradition here).Then, under the light of the new moon, completely unrecognisable in my canine fancy dress (What else? It's is the year of the dog after all!) a party beyond my wildest dreams!
They introduced me to Nian, an absolute beast who seemed to be looking for trouble, although I got the feeling that he just wanted to have a good time and dance. So, I danced the Dragon Dance with him to scare away the bad spirits and, well, I don't know if it was the chinese lanterns, the red (which was everywhere), or maybe it was all those Baijius I was given, but I got a huge vibe of happiness and energy out of the whole party.
The end? What happened at the end was an ABSOLUTELY AWESOME explosive chaos! Chen's mother said to me, “Welcome to China. In our culture the more people there are and the more racket there is, the more prosperous we'll be.” So, I took her at her word and decided to throw my own party in elrow, with thousands of dancing party people making a mind-blowing amount of noise!
Decoration
Take a walk along the great wall - or, as it's known here - 'The wall of the hundred thousand Li'. From the ramparts, far off, you'll see a beautiful pagoda and beside it the Emperor's grand temple. The new moon will guide you through the crazy Chinese bazaar, all the whilst you experience the red lantern festival. It's impossible to imagine. You'll dance amongst sacred dragons under hundreds of lanterns and parchments covered with hand-drawn calligraphy. The all-powerful and terrifying monster Nian and the God of Good Fortune will also be there in full force.
Music
The new Chinese Rowyear is quite a celebration, it's a parade of joy and unity, and therefore… we're going to give it our best! We'll celebrate life to the full, listening to great beats as we dance along the red coloured streets and making a tremendous din with our cymbals and gongs. Maestro, turn up the music! We're celebrating the arrival of spring and we're feeling just a little bit naughty…
Performers
Our ChinaRow is a veritable mix the wildest characters you'll ever see. Anywhere. You'll meet Fli-pao, the most famous opium smoker in town and his sidekick, a chef with enough hot sauce on hand to keep the party burning forever. You'll dance to the beats of our local Karate Disco Kid Extraordinaire, the master of ceremonies. And you'll bump into Karaoke-man, ping pong players and Fruit Juice Sumo Wrestlers. Let's face it, if we told you everything in store for you, your brain would explode, so just wait to discover it all yourself!
And YOU!
Jump into the middle of the fun like a dragon and take a hint from us, it's the year of the dog, so be prepared and get ready to howl. You can also come as a fortune cookie or a lucky cat, whatever takes your fancy. I'll be going as the beast Nian, the star of the party. Grow a moustache, bring your chopsticks and practise your reverential bow. Get ready to dance under the lights of the Chinese lanterns and remember, you aren't coming to the party, you ARE the party!
