ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the all-women lion dance company, Gund Kwok, as they perform at Lunar New Year parades in Boston's Chinatown. Two dancers perform a few minutes of choreography under each lion before playfully eating the food and keeping the money as payment for the ritual. The tradition is thought to bring prosperity to the businesses during the upcoming year while bestowing blessings on Chinatown. Some performers beat a large gong on wheels, some braced the papier-mache lion masks, and some smashed cymbals together or held flags representing Gund Kwok. One of the early stops was the Gourmet Dumpling House. Despite the festive spirit that blooms within these city streets, the spaces people paraded within are vulnerable. Positioned near downtown financial and commercial centers, Boston’s Chinatown has endured exploitation, gentrification, and neglect. Dancer Adriana Li expressed how choi cheng parades strengthen people’s linkages to shared traditions.
