"Banquet song" originated from festive activities: it is a folk song sung between festive banquets. Later, under the improvisation of folk artists, some tracks gradually developed into folk songs and dances of Hui, Salar, Dongxiang, Baoan and other ethnic groups, and were widely spread in Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang and other places with the name of "feast song". The performers of "Banquet Song" are mostly men, with songs as the main form, fluent tunes and various lyrics, including narrative songs, prayer songs, praise songs and impromptu songs. Dance generally does not express the content of the lyrics, but only plays a role in setting off the atmosphere. The performance forms of various ethnic groups are slightly different and have regional characteristics.
The "banquet songs" of Hui people in central Ningxia were handed down from Gansu, and women also participated in the performances. In the "Banquet Songs" in Hui areas such as Hualong, Minhe and Menyuan in Qinghai, two dancers performed in the songs accompanied by the masses, and each dance was named after the song. And dance to it. For example, "Green Ying Ge" has lyrics and flying movements depicting parrots; In the "banquet songs" of Hui, Dongxiang, Salar and Baoan nationalities in Qinghai and Gansu, there are often experts who can sing and dance well. Dancers stand in two rows and dance with the songs slowly and lightly, passing by. In the performance, hands are clenched, left hand is inserted into waist, right hand is tilted and thumb is turned up and down, or squat down, or get up, or turn around and shake your head and dance. At the climax, the head swings greatly from side to side, and the self-satisfaction is full. Its movements also have certain norms and specific names, such as "the geese fall on the flat sand", "the kite turns over" and "the phoenix nods". According to the melody and performance characteristics, Hui banquet songs in Changji area of Xinjiang have names such as the beginning of eight characters, falling lotus, green Ying Ge and so on. The beginning of eight characters is a form of male duet. Because it is the opening program of singing "banquet songs" in festive activities, dancers enter the venue with "eight-character steps", so it has the name of this dance. In dancing, two people often pass by. When they met, they shook their heads, moved their shoulders, winked at each other and made many funny and humorous actions to enliven the atmosphere. "Falling Lotus", also known as "Falling Lotus", is said to be influenced by the Han folk art "Falling Lotus". Dancers perform with their bare hands, hold colored handkerchiefs, or hold "tiles" (two bamboo boards) in both hands, usually dancing in groups of two or four. In the last lyric of each performance, the actor crouches slowly on the opposite side, his hands hanging from his chest, over his head to both sides, and his hands shaking down like lotus drops. The local "banquet songs" are usually equipped with flute, banhu, Hu Si and tile.
With the change of society and people's ideas, Hui folk dance has been developing continuously, and it has had a certain influence on "banquet songs". On the stage, there are dances and small dance dramas such as Banquet Song, Brother Ma Wu and Sister Dou Gu.