Lion Dance Celebration at KJ Asian Bistro

It was a big occasion for KJ Sushi and Asian Bistro on February 22nd - they celebrated one year at their Bald Eagle Drive location with a traditional Chinese Lion Dance. Owners Kathy Chitchop and Joe Seler at planned the date to celebrate the Chinese New Year (Year of the Snake) and invited the Marco community for lunch as a way of saying thank you to all their loyal customers.  

The traditional Chinese lion dance is performed on special occasions such as the Chinese New Year for good luck! According to Chinese tradition, the lion dance is one of the most important traditions for Chinese New Year. Prosperity and good luck are recurring themes, and there is no better harbinger than a lion dance with bright costumes and dancers in lion costumes to bring happiness. 

The performers act out a pantomime, becoming the body and head of the mythical lion. The performer in front is the lion's head and front paws, and the one behind is the back and hind legs. And if you noticed the costumes, the legs, and lion’s body are in the same color all the way to the lion’s paws. Like most guardian lions, the head is oversized and dragon-like, just like the stone lions guarding the front doors of the KJ Sushi and Asian Bistro. 

The dance is performed to the sound of beating drums, sometimes the clanging of cymbals or gongs. The dancers’ movements sometimes demonstrate martial arts dexterity or agility. As the dancers move around, they mimic in exaggerated forms the behaviors of the lion, such as shaking the body or scratching or licking the fur. 

The Chinese Lion Dance was performed by a Dragon and Lion Dance Team led by Chinese Kung Fu Master Siu Hung Li, and they have been performing in South Florida for over 28 years. 

The KJ Sushi and Asian Bistro menu offers traditional Chinese cuisine to celebrate the Year of the Snake – noodles for longevity and dumplings and spring rolls for good luck. Make sure you read your fortune cookie! KJ Sushi and Asian Bistro is open seven days a week from 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM at  537 Bald Eagle Dr., Marco Island.