The bamboo dance is the most representative dance form of the Li ethnic group in Hainan Island. It is a team activity that can be regarded both as a sport and as a dance. People of the Li ethnic group get together dressed in folk costumes to dance on festive occasions, such as 'Sanyuesan (on March 3rd lunar)'. This is also a wonderful time to express love between the young men and young women.
Dancers include bamboo pole holders and jumpers. With music, bamboo pole holders move these poles rhythmically in different directions to test the flexibility and nimbleness of the jumpers. Jumpers hop between the poles to avoid being touched by the poles while singing and imitating the actions of sieving grain, sharpening knives, leaping and worshiping. Those who fail to keep up with the rhythm are snapped between the poles and would be politely expelled from the dance. The dancer who can avoid being touched by the poles until the very last round will be seated on the bamboo poles and lifted up by the bamboo pole holders to show to the onlookers.
This dance is fairly interesting and quite popular with both the Li and other local people.
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