A folk dance is a

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

that reflects the life of the people of a certain country or region. Not all ethnic dances are folk dances. For example, ritual dances or dances of ritual origin are not considered to be folk dances. Ritual dances are usually called "religious dances" because of their purpose. The terms "ethnic" and "traditional" are used when it is required to emphasize the cultural roots of the dance. In this sense, nearly all folk dances are ethnic ones. If some dances, such as

polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

, cross ethnic boundaries and even cross the boundary between "folk" and "ballroom dance", ethnic differences are often considerable enough to mention.

Background

Folk dances share some or all of the following attributes: *Dances are usually held at folk dance gatherings or social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music. *Dances not generally designed for public performance or the stage, though they may later be arranged and set for stage performances. *Execution dominated by an inherited tradition from various international cultures rather than innovation (though folk traditions change over time). *New dancers often learn informally by observing others or receiving help from others. More controversially, some people define folk dancing as dancing for which there is no governing body or dancing for which there are no

competitive Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indi ...

or professional institutions. The term "folk dance" is sometimes applied to dances of historical importance in European culture and history; typically originating before the 20th century. For other cultures the terms "ethnic dance" or "traditional dance" are sometimes used, although the latter terms may encompass ceremonial dances. There are a number of modern dances, such as hip hop dance, that evolve spontaneously, but the term "folk dance" is generally not applied to them, and the terms "street dance" or "vernacular dance" are used instead. The term "folk dance" is reserved for dances which are to a significant degree bound by tradition and originated in the times when the distinction existed between the dances of "common folk" and the dances of the modern ballroom dances originated from folk ones.

Europe

Varieties of European folk dances include: * Austrian folk dance *

Ball de bastons ''Ball de bastons'' (, ''stick dance'') is the name of a ritual weapon dance spread throughout Europe and the rest of the Iberian area (''cossiers'' in Majorca, Portuguese ''pauliteiros'', Aragonese ''palotiau'', Basque ''ezpatadantza'' and Sp ...

Ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

Barn dance A barn dance is any kind of dance involving traditional or folk music with Folk dance, traditional dancing, occasionally held in a barn, but, these days, much more likely to be in any suitable building. The term “barn dance” is usually ...

Bulgarian dances Bulgarian folk dances are intimately related to the music of Bulgaria. This distinctive feature of Balkan folk music is the asymmetrical meter, built up around various combinations of 'quick' and 'slow' beats. The music, in Western musical nota ...

** Pravo horo ** Paidushko horo ** Gankino horo ** Daychovo horo *

Circle dance Circle dance, or chain dance, is a style of social dance done in a circle, semicircle or a curved line to musical accompaniment, such as rhythm instruments and singing, and is a type of dance where anyone can join in without the need of Partne ...

* Dutch crossing * English country dance *

Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...

Flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...

* Freilekhs * Georgian dance *

Greek dances Greek dance (''choros''; ) is an old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed ...

* Hora * International folk dance *

Irish dance Irish dance refers to the traditional dance forms that originate in Ireland, including both solo and group dance forms, for social, competitive, and performance purposes. Irish dance has evolved over centuries and is believed to have its roots i ...

** Ceili dance *

Italian folk dance Italian folk dance has been an integral part of Italian culture for centuries. Dance has been a continuous thread in Italian life from Dante through the Renaissance, the advent of the tarantella in southern Italy, and the modern revivals of fol ...

Tarantella Tarantella () is a group of various Southern Italy, southern Italian Italian folk dance, folk dances originating in the regions of Calabria, Campania, Sicilia, and Apulia. It is characterized by a fast Beat (music), upbeat tempo, usually in Ti ...

** Calabrian Tarantella ** Pizzica ** Monferrina ** Ballu tundu * Jenkka * Jota * Kolo *

Ländler The Ländler () is a European folk dance in time. Along with the waltz and allemande, the ländler was sometimes referred to by the generic term German Dance in publications during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Despite its associa ...

* Maypole dance *

Morris dance Morris dancing is a form of English folklore, English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers in costume, usually wearing bell pads on their shins, their shoes or both. A ban ...

** Welsh Morris dance *

Polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

* Polish folk dances **

Polonaise The polonaise (, ; , ) is a dance originating in Poland, and one of the five Polish folk dances#National Dances, Polish national dances in Triple metre, time. The original Polish-language name of the dance is ''chodzony'' (), denoting a walki ...

** Oberek **

Krakowiak The Krakowiak or Cracovienne is a fast, syncopated Polish folk dance in duple time from the region of Kraków and Lesser Poland. The folk outfit worn for the dance has become the national costume of Poland, most notably, the rogatywka peaked hat ...

** Mazurka ** Kujawiak * Russian folk dance * Turkish dance * Ukrainian dance * Verbuňk *Nordic polska dance *

Schuhplattler The Schuhplattler is a traditional style of folk dance popular in the Eastern Alps, specifically originating in Upper Bavaria, Tyrol, and Salzburg (state), Salzburg. In this dance, the performers stomp, clap, and strike the soles of their shoes ( ...

Square dance A square dance is a dance for four couples, or eight dancers in total, arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Square dances are part of a broad spectrum of dances known by various names: country dan ...

Sword dance Weapon dances incorporating swords or similar weapons are recorded throughout world history. There are various traditions of Solo dance, solo and mock-battle (Pyrrhic dance, Pyrrhic) sword dances in Africa, Asia and Europe. Some traditions use ...

* Weapon dance * Zwiefacher

s include long sword dances and rapper dancing. Some

choreographed Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer creates choreographies thr ...

dances such as contra dance, Scottish highland dance,

Scottish country dance Scottish country dance (SCD) is the distinctively Scottish form of country dance, itself a form of social dance involving groups of couples of dancers tracing progressive patterns. A dance consists of a sequence of figures. These dances are ...

, and modern western square dance, are called folk dances, though this is not true in the strictest sense.

Country dance A country dance is any of a very large number of social dances of a type that originated in England in the British Isles; it is the repeated execution of a predefined sequence of figures, carefully designed to fit a fixed length of music, perfo ...

overlaps with contemporary folk dance and ballroom dance. Most country dances and ballroom dances originated from folk dances, with gradual refinement over the years. People familiar with folk dancing can often determine what country a dance is from even if they have not seen that particular dance before. Some countries' dances have features that are unique to that country, although neighboring countries sometimes have similar features. For example, the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

and

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

n schuhplattling dance consists of slapping the body and shoes in a fixed pattern, a feature that few other countries' dances have. Folk dances sometimes evolved long before current political boundaries, so that certain dances are shared by several countries. For example, some Serbian, Bulgarian, and

Croatian dances Croatian dance traditionally refers to a category of folk-dances, the most common being the . Croatian dance varies by region, and can be found in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. The traditional ...

share the same or similar dances, and sometimes even use the same name and music for those dances. International folk dance groups exist in cities and college campuses in many countries, in which dancers learn folk dances from many cultures for recreation. Balfolk events are

social dance Social dances are dances that have social functions and context. Social dances are intended for participation rather than Concert dance, performance. They are often danced merely to socialise and for entertainment, though they may have Ceremoni ...

events with live music in Western and Central Europe, originating in the folk revival of the 1970s and becoming more popular since about 2000, where popular European partner dances from the end of the 19th century such as the

schottische The schottische is a partnered country dance that apparently originated in Bohemia. It was popular in Victorian-era ballrooms as a part of the Bohemian folk-dance craze and left its traces in folk music of countries such as Argentina (Spanish ...

, mazurka and

waltz The waltz ( , meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom dance, ballroom and folk dance, in triple (3/4 time, time), performed primarily in closed position. Along with the ländler and allemande, the waltz was sometimes referred to by the ...

are danced, with additionally other European folk dances, mainly from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, but also from

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

and other countries.

Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia

* Ardah * Armenian dance * Assyrian folk dance *

Azerbaijani dances Azerbaijani dances () are traditional dances developed and performed in the Republic of Azerbaijan. These dances are known for their quick tempo and the dancers' traditional clothing. Examples of dances in Azerbaijan * Abayi (Azerbaijan ...

* Bihu, an

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

ese dance celebrating the arrival of spring, traditionally the beginning of the Assamese New Year * Attan - The national dance of Afghanistan. Also a popular folk dance of Pashtuns tribes of Pakistan including the unique styles of Quetta and Waziristan in

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

. * Belly Dance * Bhangra, a Punjabi harvest dance in Pakistan and India, and a music style that has become popular worldwide. * Chitrali Dance -

Chitral Chitral () is a city situated on the Kunar River, Chitral River in northern area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It serves as the capital of the Lower Chitral District, and was previously the capital of Chitral District, and before ...

, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. * Circassian dance *

* Dabke, a folk dance of the

Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...

* Domkach, folk dance of

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

and

Jharkhand Jharkhand (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in East India, eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north ...

, India * Garba Circular Devotional dance from Gujarat danced the world over * Israeli folk dance * Kalbelia is one of the most sensuous dance forms of

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

, performed by the kalbelia tribe * Khattak Dance - Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. * Khigga, a common folk dance among

Assyrian people Assyrians (, ) are an ethnic group Indigenous peoples, indigenous to Mesopotamia, a geographical region in West Asia. Modern Assyrians Assyrian continuity, share descent directly from the ancient Assyrians, one of the key civilizations of Mesop ...

* Kurdish dance *

Luri dances Luri dances include a range of folk dances popular among different groups of Iran's Lurs. They usually include common Iranian dances; Collective dances and quadrille, the circular arrangement (circle dance), and the colorful clothing. History Du ...

* Lewa (folk dance) - Baluch folk dance in Pakistan. * Mazanderani dances * Middle Eastern Dance * Chaap (traditional Baloch folk dance in Pakistan) various dances such as tamang selo and many others * Thabal chongba * Kyushtdepdi - The national dance of

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

Yowlah The yowlah (, ''al-yawlah'', or العيالة, ''al-ʿayyalah'' or ''al-ʿiyyalah''), is a weapon dance of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, traditionally performed during weddings, celebrations, and other events. The dance is accompanied by ...

India

East and Southeast Asia

China

* Yangge

Cambodia

* Romvong * Rom kbach * Robam Neary Chea Chuor * Peacock Dance * Chhayam *Cambodian Coconut Dance *Cambodian Fish Dance * Trot dance

Indonesia

* Saman

Japan

* Bon dance * Buyō, typical dance of the Japanese

geisha {{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha {{nihongo, Geisha{{efn, {{IPAc-en, lang, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ., ʃ, ə, {{IPA, ja, ɡei.ɕa, ɡeː-, lang{{cite book, script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典, publisher=NHK Publishing, editor= ...

s or dance artists * Rimse (

Ainu people The Ainu are an Indigenous peoples, indigenous ethnic group who reside in northern Japan and southeastern Russia, including Hokkaido and the Tōhoku region of Honshu, as well as the land surrounding the Sea of Okhotsk, such as Sakhalin, the Ku ...

) *

Kachāshī , sometimes Romanization of Japanese, romanized as katcharsee, is a form of festive Okinawan music, Okinawan folk dance. In Okinawa, it is often a feature of celebrations such as weddings and victory festivities after tegumi wrestling matches and ...

(

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

)

Korea

* Nongak

Malaysia

* Zapin

Nepal

* Tamang Selo dance * Jhaure dance * Lakhey nach dance * Newari dance * Manjushree dance * Kaura dance * Majhi nach dance * Raute dance * Chhokara dance * Khyali dance * Maruni dance * Deuda dance * Chaulo dance * Dhan Nach dance * Madikhole dance * Phagu (dance) * Sorathi * Sakela (Chandi) * Singaru * Tarbare * Bajrayogini dance * Charitra dance * Jat-jatin * Charya dance *

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

dance

Philippines

* Balse Marikina * Benjan * Binasuan * Cariñosa * Habañera Botoleña * Itik-itik * Kalesa * Kuntao Silat Amil Bangsa * Kuntaw * Kuratsa * La Jota Moncadena * Lerion * Magkasuyo *

Maglalatik The ''Maglalatik'' (also known as ''Manlalatik'' or ''Magbabao'') is a folk dance from the Philippines performed by male dancers. Coconut shell halves are secured onto the dancers' hands and on vests upon which are hung four or six more cocon ...

* Pagdiwata * Pandanggo *

Pangalay Pangalay (also known as Daling-Daling or Mengalai in Sabah) is the traditional " fingernail" dance of the Tausūg people of the Sulu Archipelago and eastern coast Bajau of Sabah. The dance has a similarity to classical Balinese and Thai ...

* Paraguanen * Pista * Sagayan * Sayaw sa Bangko *

Singkil Singkil is a Maranao people, Maranao royal dance from the Philippines. The dance features a prince and a princess weaving in and out of crisscrossed bamboo poles clapped in syncopated rhythm. While the man manipulates a sword and shield, th ...

* Subli * Tiklos *

Tinikling Tinikling (traditionally written tiniclín) is a traditional Philippine folk dance which originated prior to Spanish colonialism in the area. The dance involves at least two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and a ...

Taiwan

Bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

dance (

Amis people The Amis (; ), also known as the Pangcah (which means 'people' and 'kinsmen'), are an indigenous Austronesian ethnic group native to Taiwan. They speak the Amis language (; ), an Austronesian language, and are one of the sixteen officially ...

)

South America

Argentina

Chacarera The Chacarera is a dance and music that originated in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. It is a genre of folk music that, for many Argentina, Argentines, serves as a rural counterpart to the cosmopolitan imagery of the tango (ballroom), Tango. A da ...

*Bailecito * Zamba * Gato * Cueca * Chamamé * Malambo

Brazil

Samba Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...

Peru

* Marinera

Venezuela

* Gaita Zuliana * Joropo

Africa

Angola

* Kizomba

Cameroon

* Ambasse bey * Assiko * Bikutsi

Ghana

* Adowa *

Agbadza Agbadza is an Ewe people, Ewe music and dance that evolved from the times of war into a very popular recreational dance. It came from a very old war dance called Atrikpui and usually performed by the Ewe people of the Volta Region of Ghana, part ...

Agbekor Agbekor (agbekɔ) is a type of music and a style of dance by the West African peoples of Ewe and Fon. It is an ancient dance once known as Atamga, Ga meaning 'great', Atam meaning 'oath'. It is now performed by the people of Dzogadze, a farming c ...

(Atamga) * Kpanlogo * Bobobo * Alkayida

Niger

* Bitti Harey

North America

United States

* Clogging * Contra dance form * Country–western dance *

Modern dance Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert dance, concert or theatrical dance which includes dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th ...

* Modern Western square dance * Traditional square dance * Zydeco (dance)

Mexico

* Baile Folklorico (

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

) *Contradance *Square Dance

Dominican Republic

* Merengue * Bachata

Oceania

Hula Hula () is a Hawaiian dance form expressing chant (''oli'') or song (Mele (Hawaiian language), ''mele''). It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli ...

(

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

) *

Haka Haka (, ; singular ''haka'', in both Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English) are a variety of ceremonial dances in Māori culture. A performance art, hakas are often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the f ...

(

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

)

Notable people

Olivia Hussey Olivia Hussey (; 17 April 1951 – 27 December 2024) was a British actress. Her awards included a Golden Globe Award and a David di Donatello Award. The daughter of Argentine tango singer Osvaldo Ribó, Hussey was born in Buenos Aires but spen ...

* Cheng Xiao * The Mayyas * Zhang Ziyi

Gallery

File:Csángó körtánc.ogv, Körtánc - Hungarian (csango) folk dance. File:Independence Day Parade - Flickr - Kerri-Jo (242).jpg, Kyushtdepdi. File:Assyriankhigga.jpg,

Assyrians Assyrians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to Mesopotamia, a geographical region in West Asia. Modern Assyrians share descent directly from the ancient Assyrians, one of the key civilizations of Mesopotamia. While they are distinct from ot ...

dancing khigga. File:Mtiuluri.jpg, Mtiuluri. File:Bastoners terrassa 13.jpg, A

stick dance from

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

. File:Cyprus The Dance with glasses OM107.JPG,

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

folk dance with glasses in

Paphos Paphos, also spelled as Pafos, is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: #Old Paphos, Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and #New Paphos, New Paphos. It i ...

. File:Tanec folk ensemble Macedonia 3.jpg, Macedonian female folk dance, Tresenica, performed by

Tanec Tanec () is a folklore musical ensemble from Skopje, North Macedonia. It is considered as an ambassador of the Ethnic Macedonians, Macedonian folklore tradition worldwide. History The Tanec ensemble was founded by the Government of the Social ...

. File:"A Goral Wedding" at Dom Ludowy Theatre - bride and groom dancing.jpg, Podhale

Gorals The Gorals (; Goral ethnolect: ''Górole''; ; Cieszyn Silesian dialect, Cieszyn Silesian: ''Gorole''), also anglicized as the Highlanders, are an ethnographic group with historical ties to the Vlachs. The Goral people are primarily found in thei ...

dancing. File:Russian dancer at the Imagine Cup.jpg, Traditional Russian squat dancing.

References

Sources

External links

Folk Dance HawaiiDancilla

Folklore People CommunityFolk DanceFolklore FestivalsFolklore Festivals

Society for International Folk Dancing''French Folk Dances, Volume 1 to 3'', by Karsten Evers and Ulrike Frydrych, Hildesheim and Eiterfeld, 1982, 1983 and 1987. Dance descriptions (in German), sheet music and audios.
{{Authority control Social dance