Traditional Emirati dance at Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum Al Ain UAE

The traditional dances of the Middle East (also known as Oriental dance) span a large variety of

folk traditions In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion, popular religion, traditional religion or vernacular religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized rel ...

throughout

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

, the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

, and

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes the fo ...

. For detailed information on specific dances of the region, see the main entries as follows: *

Arab dance Arab folk dances ( ar, رقص عربي, raqs ʿarabiyy), also referred to as Oriental dance, Middle-Eastern dance and Eastern dance, are the traditional folk dances of the Arabs in Arab world. Arab dance has many different styles, including th ...

Ardah Ardah ( ar, العرضة / ALA-LC: ''al-‘arḍah'') is a type of folkloric group dance in the Arabian Peninsula. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and i ...

, Baladi,

Belly dance Belly dance (Egyptian Arabic: رقص بلدي, translated: Dance of the Country/Folk Dance, romanized: Raks/Raas Baladi) is a dance that originates in Egypt. It features movements of the hips and torso. It has evolved to take many different f ...

Dabke ''Dabke'' ( ar, دبكة also spelled ''dabka'', ''dubki'', ''dabkeh'', plural ''dabkaat'') is a Levantine Arab folk dance. Dabke combines circle dance and line dancing and is widely performed at weddings and other joyous occasions. The line f ...

, Deheyeh,

Fann at-Tanbura Fann aṭ-Ṭanbūra ( ar, فن الطنبورة) is a traditional music and dance genre in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, especially Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Musically, the '' tanbūra'' instrument plays a central role, along with several dr ...

, Khaleegy, Mizmar,

Raqs sharqi Raqs sharqi ( ar, رقص شرقي, ; literally "oriental dancing") is the classical Egyptian style of belly dance that developed during the first half of the 20th century. Based on the ancient Egyptian women solo dancing with almost nude-out ...

, Shamadan, Tahtib, Tanoura,

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

Assyrian folk dance Assyrian folk dances are sets of dances that are performed throughout the world by Assyrians, mostly on occasions such as weddings, community parties and other jubilant events. Assyrian folk dances are mainly made up of circle dances like ball ...

Khigga Khigga is a style of Assyrian folk dance in which multiple dancers hold each other's hands and form a semi-circle or a curved line. There are multiple foot patterns that dancers perform. Its thought to have been danced for thousands of years. It i ...

Kurdish dance Kurdish dances ( ku, Govend, Dîlan, Helperkê, Helperge, Şayî, script=Latn; , , , , ) are a group of traditional dances among Kurds. It is a form of a circle dance, with a single or a couple of figure dancers often added to the geometrical cent ...

: Dilan *

Persian dance Dances in Iran or Iranian dances ( Persian:رقص ایرانی) are dance styles indigenous to Iran. Genres of dance in Iran vary depending on the area, culture, and language of the local people, and can range from sophisticated reconstructions o ...

Classical Persian dance Classical Persian dance is a style of concert dance that evolved from courtroom dance. An important factor influencing Persian dance was the Qajar dynasty, which reigned from 1795 to 1925. In this period, that dance began to be called "classical Pe ...

Turkish dance Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and ...

Çiftetelli The Tsifteteli ( el, τσιφτετέλι; tr, ), is a rhythm and dance of Anatolia and the Balkans. In Turkish the word means "double stringed", taken from the violin playing style that is practiced in this kind of music. There are suggestio ...

, Halay * Jewish dance: Hora, Tza'ad Teimani, Israeli Folk Dances Western dance is being incorporated in the middle east.

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From dabke to buraa, dance is integral to Middle Eastern culture

{{Middle East *

See also

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