Following the Dragon in Miaoli. Tradition that still is alive in Taiwan

If you happen to be in Taiwan at the time for Lantern Festival at Chinese New Year, then you for sure are going to see a dragons wandering on a streets all over the island. What it means for you is unusual experience and interesting show, however, the tradition is vanishing last years, as young people has no big wish to follow this tradition.

And those who still do, in my opinion mostly does this for money, because here is how it happens and looks like in Miaoli, I followed one dragon to see what will happen.
Basic idea is somewhat similar to that, when kids at Christmas time are going to house from house, and singing the songs and expecting back the candies, money or some other gifts.
Here those guys with a dragon, are not expecting the candies, apparently.

In the front of this procession there is a small blue track, with a drummer, who makes the rumble, you hear. Notice the leader with a stick with a ball attached, dragon follows the leader.

Now, if you feel, that they has no any passion on what they do, then you are totally right, most of the time they walk, and even do not try to make any dance like movement - and that is because the youth you see in the video are usually related to various non profit religious organizations, where they live away from home (escaped as usual, and without any wish to go to school). Their primary life though, are such events, so it's not a passion or deep love to culture, what asks them bring the dragon. 

Now, finally something happens. Dragon notices that someone are at home you see at left side of video, and bumps in there, expecting a gift. In fact, they must earn the tips, which a great dance, showing their ability to steer and dance a dragon various ways. But they don't, at least this one no:

My wife says, that most interesting happens, if 2 such dragon meet each other on street - they must start fight, "dancing against each other" and then the aha-ing crowd should decide the winner who gets then wow's and tips.

I need to say, that this particular dragon met another one, and I grabbed the camera to make a fight recorded. Unfortunately, but I would not say, that it was a surprise - after a little talk of leaders, dragons went 180 degrees from each other. No fight-dance.

No kids also follow the dragon in his way. My wife says, that when she was a small girl, they was excited and were waiting for a dragon to come, to run out from a home, and then follow it on his way over the city. Some dragon's, who were dancing especially, that time where gathering a lot of people to follow them.
It was a real event and really came from heart. Anyway, this is one dragon in city - you should not judge the Taiwan because of this - but my blog shows Taiwan from inside - as it is. No photoshop edited glamour brochures type oriented to causual traveler. Life is as it is.

Also photo of them in "action":