Dragon Boat Racing - Sài Lóng Zhōu - 赛龙舟 - 賽龍舟 (Hong Kong)

Sài Lóng Zhōu 

赛龙舟 

賽龍舟 

Dragon Boat Racing

Hong Kong

These notes ©2017, Andrew Carnie. 

My colleague Nancy Bannister learned this from a group of dancers from Hong Kong who were on the same tour of Hungary as her in 2017. The dance is supposed to look like rowing a dragon boat. 

Choreographed by: Lau Ting-kwok (劉定國)
Music by Chiu Man Hoi (趙文海)
Meter: 2/4
Formation: Short lines of 6-8 people, in "conga line" format,  (facing back of neighbor, start with hands free to do the rowing). The lines start in parallel. 
Introduction: 4 bars

Part 1

Bar 1: Pushing off of L foot, Leap onto R foot forward (1), step on L next to R (2), arms make a rowing motion to the R
Bar 2: Bar 1
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2, but with arms making rowing motion to the left. 
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4
Bar 9 with hands on neighbor's shoulders (conga line style), jump forward on both feet at shoulders width (1), jump on both feet forward again (2)
Bars 10-12: repeat bar 9, three more times (total of 8 jumps forward)
Bar 13: Drop hands from shoulders and step on R to R and a little forward (1), Clap hands over head to the R (2)
Bar 14: repeat bar 13 with opposite footwork to the L.
Bars 15-16: repeat bars 13-14

Part 2

Bars 1-8: repeat bars 1-8 of part 1 (the rowing)
Bar 9: With hands on shoulders again, take two steps forward R (1), L (2), with knees bent
Bar 10: Repeat bar 9, but with knees straight.
Bars 11-12: Repeat bars 9-10
Bars 13-16: With hands still on shoulders, take 8 walking steps forward, swaying to R and L with each step. 

Interlude (done to gong/drum)

Bars 1-2: With hands on shoulders, run forward  R (1), L (2), R (1), L (2)
Bars 3-4: back up R (1), L (2), R (1), L (2)
Bar 5: Traveling to the R, step on R to R (1), Step on L behind R (2)
Bar 6: Step on R to R with a lean (1),  Lift L up to side (2)
Bar 7-8: repeat bars 5-6 with opposite foot work and direction.

Sequence 

Introduction, 4 bars, no action.

Part 1, Part 2

Part 1, Part 2

Part 1, Part 2

Interlude twice

Part 1, Part 2

Part 1

Interlude once

Suggestion for moving the lines around the room. 

The boats snake around the room. Start in parallel lines, then peal off (cast off) to the outside. Then dance round the back with the two lines passing in the back, and then circling back to the front. Then the two lines move down the center towards the back in two lines again. Repeat as necessary. 

Other videos on the web

Other sources

• Typewritten notes given to us by the Hong Kong Dancers

Also spelled: Sai Long Zhou, Races