The plot of the shield dance is simple, mainly manifested in the confrontation between the two armies, which attack and defend each other, but the situation is unpredictable. The whole performance is divided into eight formations, namely, four-corner formation, long snake formation, eight-character formation, wasp formation, Longmen formation, purse formation, flower-beating formation and flower-receiving formation. The movements are rough and bold, and the formation changes are strange and gorgeous. At the beginning of the performance, the warriors formed their own teams, and the forked hands bravely attacked and ran around. Then the battle array was replaced by a long snake array, and the two armies confronted each other. The warriors shouted loudly and the drums hurried. After walking for a while, it suddenly became a figure of eight. In a rush of drums, eight warriors rolled side by side, like wasps out of the hole and swept away. Next is the purse-string array and dragon gate array of encirclement and anti-encirclement. The most brilliant thing is to play cards. The samurai used their usual martial arts to play dazzling cards such as jumping, pulling, digging, sticking, rolling and hiding. In short, the movements of the shield dance are rough, vigorous and tough, and the team changes strangely, creatively and magnificently, with strong national characteristics and majestic fighting momentum, forming a unique artistic style in the Han folk dance. The music of shield dance is also unique. When performing, it is often accompanied by folk percussion music, and feather drums are often used around the venue. In some places, stringed music and wind music are added to the accompaniment instruments, and in some places, Naz, a unique national instrument of the Han nationality, is added, with a sharp, high-pitched and penetrating voice. On the basis of percussion instruments, the music of shield dance draws lessons from the suona gong in the light, the scattered board on the south road with long sound and flowers in Chinese drama, and the allegro gongs and drums in Chinese martial arts. With the development of the plot, it is like a storm, and Ma Benteng is full of eyes; When the sun is shining and the breeze is blowing gently, I believe that the horse belongs to Xinjiang; Time flows like a small bridge, singing and dancing, coupled with the sonorous sound of short knives and the cries of actors during the performance, played a very good role in creating a lively atmosphere.
Many shield artists' ancestors came from the ranks, and later the shield dance was absorbed and transformed by drama. During the performance, the dancer holds a shield in his left hand and a long or short weapon in his right. Shield shapes are round, oval, dovetail, rectangular and so on. The patterns painted on the card face are mostly the heads of various animals, showing a terrible look. Shields are made of materials adapted to local conditions, mostly made of bamboo and rattan, which are more sturdy after being covered with animal skins.
The shield dance is organized by classes and teams, and it is very patriarchal. For example, the shield team in Nantang Village, Panzhong Township, Yongxin County is all composed of people with the same surname in the village. There are more than 100 people participating in the shield dance in the village. Three generations of brothers and sisters are performing on the same stage everywhere. There is a saying in the village that it is not men who practice shield dancing. The size of the shield dance team is a sign of the rise and fall of the clan population. Men who participate in the dance show off their strength, while girls often choose their husbands in the shield dance team. But in Anfu County, the shield dance is a traditional entertainment.