Jason Moy’s animated short, Dancing For The Green$, is a single-channel video that explores artonomy’s intervening role in the performative art of the traditional Chinese lion dance. While the dance originated as a performance by the public to scare off evil spirits and bring good fortune, it has now been commodified and is used for entertainment. The extravagance of the dance means that it costs a hefty sum to perform, and as such, it is usually only afforded by those who can pay the price. The intent of the performance has shifted from a communal spiritual protection ritual into paid-for entertainment.
A lion dancer himself, Moy laments that what once was a source of joy and creativity, is now reduced in-part to a gig that provides an income for him to survive. In a deeply personal piece, Moy is able to show the transition of the lion dance from a vibrant form of art into a dull and monotonous business.