XN000022-1977-01-25 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1977

DRAGON DANCE PERFORMANCE IN LONDON

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FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN BRITAIN, A CHINESE DRAGON DANCE WILL BE PERFORMED IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE ON FEBRUARY 20 (SUNDAY).

THE EVENT IS BEING ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IN BRITAIN TO MARK THE CHINESE NEW YEAR - AND AS ITS TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN ON HER SILVER JUBILEE.

APPROPRIATELY, THE 140-FOOT LONG DRAGON WILL BE PREDOMINATELY SILVER IN COLOUR. IT HAS BEEN SPECIALLY MADE IN HONG KONG AND SHIPPED TO LONDON FOR THE OCCASION BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

THE SAME TEAM TAKING PART IN THE DRAGON DANCE IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE WILL PERFORM IT AGAIN IN LONDON LATER IN THE YEAR, AS PART OF HONG KONG'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS.

THE FULL DRAGON DANCE TEAM CONSISTS OF ABOUT 80 MEN. MOSTLY WAITERS AND COOKS IN CHINESE RESTAURANTS, THEY ARE BEING TRAINED

IN THEIR SPARE TIME BY +MASTERS+ OF THE ANCIENT RITUAL OF THE DRAGON DANCE.

AMONG THE CHINESE, IT IS CONSIDERED A GREAT HONOUR TO BE INVITED TO +DOT THE EYE+ OF THE DRAGON, AND IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE THIS TRADITIONAL CEREMONY WILL BE PERFORMED BY THE LORD MAYOR OF WESTMINSTER, ALDERMAN JACK GILLETT.

THE DRAGON DANCE WILL BEGIN AT NOON, AND AFTERWARDS THE DRAGON WILL DANCE TO SOHO'S CHINA TOWN+, BY WAY OF WHITOOMB STREET AND WARDOUR STREET, TO WELCOME THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE AND BRIGHTEN LONDON'S WINTER SCENE WITH THE COLOUR AND EXCITEMENT OF A CHINESE FESTIVAL.

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