Physical and technical difficulties in mastering the Chinese Horse Dance: A case study of Sri Lankan dancers with an Upcountry Dance background

Abstract

The Chinese Horse Dance is a folk performance that combines rhythmic footwork, symbolic gestures, and the use of a large horse-shaped costume attached to the performer’s body. As cultural exchange in performing arts grows, Sri Lankan Upcountry (Kandyan) dancers are increasingly exploring foreign dance forms such as the Chinese Horse Dance, yet they face significant physical and technical challenges due to contrasting movement-training traditions. This study investigates these challenges by examining Sri Lankan dancers, specifically Chineselanguage learners who participated in the Chinese Bridge Competition, through a qualitative case study involving rehearsal observations, video analysis, and interviews. Findings show that the main physical difficulty arises from differences in posture and movement patterns: Upcountry dance focuses on verticality, powerful jumps, and an upright torso, whereas the Chinese Horse Dance demands a low, grounded stance, continuous semi-squatting, and bouncing movements that mimic horse motion. Consequently, dancers experienced muscle fatigue, knee and thigh strain, and lower back discomfort when maintaining these unfamiliar positions. Technically, they struggled with the fluid yet repetitive rhythms of the Chinese style, which contrasted with the structured beats and sharp movements typical of Upcountry dance. The horse costume intensified these challenges by altering the dancers’ center of gravity, reducing balance and coordination, and complicating the execution of arm and leg movements. The study concludes that these physical and technical difficulties are closely linked to dancers’ previous training backgrounds and recommends the development of bridging exercises, gradual physical conditioning, and culturally informed teaching methods to better support dancers adapting to foreign styles such as the Chinese Horse Dance.