I’m not Chinese, but I love Chinese New Year. There are many fun New Year     1     (celebrate), but nothing quite matches the excitement of the lion dance which can wake up the spirit     2     (complete).

The sound of the drums,       3     you can feel throughout your entire body, is quite inspiring. The two performers are very flexible. But it is actually very difficult as the lion head is very heavy and being the     4     (low)part of the lion is tiring as he has to bend his back and also carry     5     person in front sometimes. The lion head is made with paper over a bamboo frame,       6     (cover)in gauze (纱布), and decorated with beautifully-colored materials.

The lion dance     7     (believe)to have first appeared in the Qianlong Emperor's dream during his Southern tour, and he ordered an animal     8     (make)in the likeness of his description and used in festivals from then on.

I love all about the lion dance. The other day, I saw a film about a left-behind teenager who insisted on pursuing his dreams despite difficulties and     9     (succeed)in lion dance. As Master Xu translates: “Heaven has made us talents; we’re not made     10     vain.”

Xueqiang, a local ethnic (民族的) dance in Derong County of Sichuan Province, has won national fame among cultural workers and researchers. It was listed     1     a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Over time, Xueqiang became standard entertainment at gatherings and     2    (party). Especially at night during the harvest festival, people would dance the Xueqiang around a bonfire while drinking and singing. Some would risk     3     (jump) the bonfire, making the night even more     4     (excite). Xueqiang has no accompaniment or tools. Its main features are the stomping (跺脚) and stepping rhythms that are sometimes strong and powerful, sometimes soft and free.

Xueqiang singing is complicated in its tune structure, which is     5     (usual) divided into four parts — intro, bridge, verse, and outro. The intervals are full of ups and downs, while the melody (旋律) is bright and     6     (nature). At the end of the melody, dancers stomp their feet to fill the pause, creating a remarkable ending.

As for the origins of Xueqiang, it can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty    7     Princess Wencheng was sent to marry the King of Tubo,     8     ancient kingdom in Tibet. The local artists got together to compose songs and dances     9     (greet) the princess as she passed through. Eventually, Xueqiang     10     (create), combining the artistic spirits of different ethnic groups co-existing at the time.