Anhui Volume: Thrush Neatening Its Nest

This dance is popular in the western Anhui Province around Liu'an area and is a working-based folk dance in the hope of a good harvest and performed in the field during the season of pulling weeds for seedlings.

Thrushes live in seedling fields and produce the sound like "ge-dong". Farmers think they are luck birds, so there is a proverb as '"Farmers smile at the sight oi thrushes".

The dance is performed by two who act as thrushes dancing Yangge and telling some gong-and-drum arias. The dance is simple and healthy, and full of life flavor.

  Hubei Volume: Gutai (Drum Platform) Dance

Popular in Sunqiao Town of Jingshan County in Hubei Province , this dance is a working-based dance performed on the threshing ground or earth stage in the seasons of transplanting seedlings and pulling weeds.

The dance is performed by farmers knowing some marital arts with witty and funny styles and some imitation. For example, when performing "a serpent spit an arrow", one dancer would quickly thrust a drum club at the eyes of the other dancer, which stands for the action of "spitting an arrow"; when performing "a lazy cat washes its face", the dancers would imitate the movements of cat washing its face. It is very popular because its performance is vehement and easy to learn.