Hutong Yellow Weasels
Bringing live square dance music to China.
The Hutong Yellow Weasels (胡同黄鼠狼) are a string band based in Beijing that plays traditional American pre-war Appalachian folk music. Formed in 2011 by Chris Hawke and Kirk Kenney, the group is known for touring China and bringing live square dance music to local audiences. During performances, the band expands its lineup with a rotating group of expat musicians. Although recorded square dance music had been used by clubs for elderly Chinese in Beijing for over a decade, the Weasels brought a live experience of it in November 2012. That month, along with visiting fiddler Michael Ismerio, they toured universities, nightclubs, and festivals across Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Dali, Xi'an, and Guizhou. By 2015, the band was still touring and holding square dances nationwide, introducing many Chinese listeners to instruments like the banjo and mandolin, and to Appalachian music. The group has been covered by the English editions of two major state-run Chinese media outlets: Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times. Hawke calls the dances in Chinese. Typically, most audience members have never seen a banjo or mandolin, nor heard a violin played outside classical or pop music. The band’s discography includes the albums “Hutong Yellow Weasels” (2013) and “Nihowdy” (2014).
- known_for
- Tour China introducing live square dance music to local audiences
Lore & Background
The Hutong Yellow Weasels were founded in Beijing in 2011 by Chris Hawke (vocals, double bass, guitar, banjo) and Kirk Kenney (fiddle, guitar, vocals). The band plays traditional American pre-war Appalachian folk music and uses a rotating cast of expat musicians to increase their numbers during live shows. Chinese square dancing clubs, using recorded music and catering to elderly Chinese, had existed in Beijing for at least a decade before the band's formation.
In November 2012, the Weasels and visiting old time fiddler Michael Ismerio toured through universities, nightclubs, and festivals throughout China, bringing live square dancing music to members of Chinese square dancing clubs. The tour took the band through Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Dali, Xi'an, and Guizhou. As of 2015, the band was touring and holding square dances around the country, exposing many Chinese people to traditional instruments like the banjo and mandolin, and traditional Appalachian music.
The band has been written up in the English versions of two of China's largest state-run media organizations, Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times. They frequently play to Chinese audiences, with Hawke calling the dances in Chinese. Typically, most people in the audience have never seen a banjo or mandolin, nor heard a violin played in a non-classical or pop-music context.
Reader's Guide
The Hutong Yellow Weasels hold significance as the first band to tour China introducing live square dance music to the Chinese public, bridging a gap between recorded square dance music used by elderly Chinese clubs and live performance. Their 2012 tour with fiddler Michael Ismerio brought Appalachian folk music to universities, nightclubs, and festivals across multiple Chinese cities, exposing audiences to instruments like the banjo and mandolin for the first time. By calling dances in Chinese, Chris Hawke became the first foreign caller to do so, facilitating cross-cultural engagement. The band's coverage by Xinhua News Agency and the Global Times underscores their role in cultural exchange. Their legacy lies in introducing a distinctly American folk tradition to Chinese audiences, expanding the context in which traditional instruments are heard, and fostering a new live music experience for square dance enthusiasts.
Did You Know?
- The Hutong Yellow Weasels were founded in Beijing in 2011 by Chris Hawke and Kirk Kenney.
- They toured China introducing live square dance music to local audiences.
- In November 2012, they toured with visiting old time fiddler Michael Ismerio through several Chinese cities.
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