The Dynasty was well decorated, and ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year: the year of the OX!
Part of the celebration is the "lion dance", the symbolic performance is supposed to drive away bad spirits and brings fortune to everyone. The ceremony begins outside, as owners and employees light incense and burn offerings to the gods. They had bags full of small papers, that I assume were prayers, or wishes, that were burned in the fire behind the altar. They even burned money and other items as offerings.
This process went on for some time, as people began to gather for the Lion dance to begin.
There were a lot of 'prayers' to be offered, or burnt, so the initial ceremony lasted for some time.
In the meantime, those waiting on the steps for the dance to begin kept themselves busy!
Several larger groups gathered, along with individuals, like myself and Jim Bell. This group was from one of the local churches.
Finally! The lion dancers arrived with their costumes. The dance would soon begin!
Then, even more people came! Two busloads of visitors arrived just in time for the lion dance.
Here is Jim Bell patiently waiting for the festivities to begin.
And here is the rest of the group that waited with us on the steps.
These are the lion costumes that were used in the ceremony
The dance group gathers and prepares to begin the dance.
Finally, the dance begins by the lighting of hundreds of large firecrackers, hung in strings from a scaffold. The noise was so loud, many were holding their hands over their ears!
The first stop for the lions was to pay their respects to the altar. Then they headed inside, with all of us funnelling in after them.
The second stop, after some 'fighting' and other antics, was to receive the offering that had been hung over the entry.
With some effort, and acrobatics, the lion is able to reach up and eat the offering
More dancing and fighting takes place
Then the lions bow to the owner of the Dynasty, and accept another offering from his hands
After that, the lions begin to travel to each of the rooms in the building: the casino, the restaurants, stores, etc., to bring each and every room a blessing and good luck.
In the center of it all as the beautiful tree with prayers hung from its branches.
The Dynasty was well decorated, and ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year: the year of the OX!
Part of the celebration is the "lion dance", the symbolic performance is supposed to drive away bad spirits and brings fortune to everyone. The ceremony begins outside, as owners and employees light incense and burn offerings to the gods. They had bags full of small papers, that I assume were prayers, or wishes, that were burned in the fire behind the altar. They even burned money and other items as offerings.
This process went on for some time, as people began to gather for the Lion dance to begin.
There were a lot of 'prayers' to be offered, or burnt, so the initial ceremony lasted for some time.
In the meantime, those waiting on the steps for the dance to begin kept themselves busy!
Several larger groups gathered, along with individuals, like myself and Jim Bell. This group was from one of the local churches.
Finally! The lion dancers arrived with their costumes. The dance would soon begin!
Then, even more people came! Two busloads of visitors arrived just in time for the lion dance.
Here is Jim Bell patiently waiting for the festivities to begin.
And here is the rest of the group that waited with us on the steps.
These are the lion costumes that were used in the ceremony
The dance group gathers and prepares to begin the dance.
Finally, the dance begins by the lighting of hundreds of large firecrackers, hung in strings from a scaffold. The noise was so loud, many were holding their hands over their ears!
The first stop for the lions was to pay their respects to the altar. Then they headed inside, with all of us funnelling in after them.
The second stop, after some 'fighting' and other antics, was to receive the offering that had been hung over the entry.
With some effort, and acrobatics, the lion is able to reach up and eat the offering
More dancing and fighting takes place
Then the lions bow to the owner of the Dynasty, and accept another offering from his hands
After that, the lions begin to travel to each of the rooms in the building: the casino, the restaurants, stores, etc., to bring each and every room a blessing and good luck.
In the center of it all as the beautiful tree with prayers hung from its branches. 
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