Folk dance

Dance that reflects the life of the people of a certain region

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File:17 Years of Sekar Jepun 2014-11-01 18.jpg

Balinese dance, Indonesian folk dance

File:The Chakaymanta Dance School (7).jpg

Malambo, Argentine folk dance

File:Dansa tradicional valenciana - Museu Valencià d'Etnologia.jpg

Traditional Valencian dances

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Look up folk dance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 2 Europe
* 3 Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia
* 3.1 India
* 4 East and Southeast Asia
* 4.1 China
* 4.2 Cambodia
* 4.3 Indonesia
* 4.4 Japan
* 4.5 Korea
* 4.6 Malaysia
* 4.7 Nepal
* 4.8 Philippines
* 4.9 Taiwan
* 5 South America
* 5.1 Argentina
* 5.2 Venezuela
* 6 West Africa
* 6.1 Cameroon
* 6.2 Ghana
* 7 North America
* 7.1 Mexico
* 8 Oceania
* 9 Gallery
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

## Background[edit | edit source]

File:Traditional dancers and performance during the Pulljay festivities in Tarabuco.ogv

Traditional dancers and performance during the Pulljay festivities in Tarabuco

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 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[edit | edit source]

File:Rapper Sword Dancers - Sheffield Steel.jpg

Rapper Sword Dancers - Sheffield Steel

File:Folk Dancing at Jack in the Green.jpg

Folk Dancing at Jack in the Green May Day festival in Hastings, UK.

File:Turkey folk dance.jpg

Turkey folk dance

File:Armenian dancers. HlushenkovFolkFest in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. Photo 71.jpg

Armenian dancers. HlushenkovFolkFest in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine.

Varieties of European folk dances include:

* Ball de bastons
* Barn dance
* Bulgarian dances
* Pravo horo
* Paidushko horo
* Gankino horo
* Daychovo horo
* Circle dance
* Clogging
* Dutch crossing
* English country dance
* Fandango
* Flamenco
* Freilekhs
* Georgian dance
* Greek dances
* Hora
* International folk dance
* Irish dance
* Ceili dance
* Italian folk dance
* Tarantella
* Calabrian Tarantella
* Pizzica
* Monferrina
* Ballu tundu
* Jenkka
* Jota
* Maypole dance
* Morris dance
* Welsh Morris dance
* Polka
* Polish folk dances
* Polonaise
* Oberek
* Krakowiak
* Mazurka
* Kujawiak
* Russian folk dance
* Turkish dance
* Ukrainian dance
* Verbuňk
* Nordic polska dance
* Square dance
* Sword dance
* Weapon dance
* Kolo

Sword dances include long sword dances and rapper dancing. Some choreographed dances such as contra dance, Scottish highland dance, Scottish country dance, and modern western square dance, are called folk dances, though this is not true in the strictest sense. Country dance 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 and Austrian 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 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 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, polka, mazurka and waltz are danced, with additionally other European folk dances, mainly from France, but also from Sweden, Spain and other countries.

## Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia[edit | edit source]

File:Punjab Folk Dance.jpg

Punjabi Folk Dance in Pakistan and India

* Ardah
* Armenian dance
* Assyrian folk dance
* Azerbaijani dances
* Bihu, an Assamese 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.
* Bhangra, a Punjabi harvest dance in Pakistan and India and music style that has become popular worldwide.
* Chitrali Dance \- Chitral, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.
* Circle dance
* Dabke, a folk dance of the Levant
* Domkach, folk dance of Bihar and Jharkhand, 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, performed by the kalbelia tribe
* Khattak Dance \- Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.
* Khigga, a common folk dance among Assyrian people
* Kurdish dance
* Luri dances
* Lewa (folk dance) \- Baluch folk dance in Pakistan.
* Chaap (traditional Baloch folk dance in Pakistan)

various dances such as tamang selo and many others

* Thabal chongba
* Kyushtdepdi - The national dance of Turkmenistan[1]

### India[edit | edit source]

* Bhagavata Mel
* Bhangra
* Chholiya
* Chhau dance
* Fugdi
* Garba
* Gaudiya Nritya
* Gidda
* Kalbelia
* Kambara
* Lavani
* Rajasthani
* Sattriya
* Tippani
* Yakshagana

## East and Southeast Asia[edit | edit source]

### China[edit | edit source]

Further information: Dance_in_China § Traditional_dance

* Yangge

### Cambodia[edit | edit source]

Further information: Dance_in_Cambodia § Folk_dance

File:2016 Phnom Penh, Tradycyjny Kambodżański Pokaz Tańca (079).jpg

Cambodian Peacock dance

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

### Indonesia[edit | edit source]

File:2011-06-05 TTF 46.jpg

Javanese dancer performing Srimpi dance in Java, Indonesia

Main article: Dance in Indonesia

### Japan[edit | edit source]

Further information: Dance in Japan

* Bon dance
* Buyō, typical dance of the Japanese geishas or dance artists
* Rimse (Ainu people)
* Kachāshī (Okinawa)

### Korea[edit | edit source]

Further information: Korean_dance § Folk_dance

* Nongak

### Malaysia[edit | edit source]

Further information: Dance_in_Malaysia § Malay_Folk_Dances

* Zapin[2]

### Nepal[edit | edit source]

Further information: Dance in Nepal

* Tamang Selo dance
* Chhokara
* Khyali
* Maruni
* Deuda
* Chaulo
* Dhan Nach
* Madikhole
* Phagu (dance)
* Sorathi
* Sakela (Chandi)
* Singaru
* Tarbare
* Bajrayogini dance
* Charitra
* Jat-jatin
* Charya
* Hanuman dance

### Philippines[edit | edit source]

Further information: Philippine dance

File:Folklore of the popular heritage of the State of the Philippines 16.jpg

Singkil, traditional folk dance of the Maranao people of the Philippines depicting parts of the epic poem, Darangen.

File:Tinikling.jpg

Members from the Philippine Cultural Dancers group perform tinikling during the 2007 Asian Pacific Heritage Month celebration at the Kadena Air Base, Japan

* Balse Marikina
* Benjan
* Binasuan
* Cariñosa
* Itik-itik
* Kalesa
* Kuntao Silat Amil Bangsa
* Kuntaw
* Kuratsa
* La Jota Moncadena
* Lerion
* Magkasuyo
* Maglalatik
* Pagdiwata
* Pandanggo
* Pangalay
* Paraguanen
* Pista
* Sagayan
* Sayaw sa Bangko
* Singkil
* Subli
* Tiklos
* Tinikling

### Taiwan[edit | edit source]

* Bamboo dance (Amis people)

## South America[edit | edit source]

### Argentina[edit | edit source]

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

### Venezuela[edit | edit source]

* Gaita Zuliana

## West Africa[edit | edit source]

### Cameroon[edit | edit source]

* Assiko

### Ghana[edit | edit source]

* Kpanlogo
* Bobobo

## North America[edit | edit source]

### Mexico[edit | edit source]

* Baile Folklorico (Mexico and Central America)
* Contradance
* Square Dance

## Oceania[edit | edit source]

* Hula (Hawaii)
* Haka (New Zealand)

## Gallery[edit | edit source]

* Csángó körtánc.ogv

Körtánc - Hungarian (csango) folk dance

* Independence Day Parade - Flickr - Kerri-Jo (242).jpg

Kyushtdepdi

* Assyriankhigga.jpg

Assyrians dancing khigga.

* Mtiuluri.jpg

Mtiuluri

* Bastoners terrassa 13.jpg

A Ball de bastons stick dance from Catalonia

* Cyprus The Dance with glasses OM107.JPG

Cyprus folk dance with glasses in Paphos

* Tanec folk ensemble Macedonia 3.jpg

Macedonian female folk dance, Tresenica, performed by Tanec

* "A Goral Wedding" at Dom Ludowy Theatre - bride and groom dancing.jpg

Podhale Gorals dancing

* Russian dancer at the Imagine Cup.jpg

Traditional Russian squat dancing

## See also[edit | edit source]

* List of ethnic, regional, and folk dances sorted by origin
* International folk dance
* Dance basic topics, a list of general dance topics
* Balfolk, contemporary folk dance practised across Europe
* Elizabeth Burchinal, authority on American folk dance

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ V@DIM. "Golden age". www.turkmenistan.gov.tm.
2. ^ "Tarian Zapin – Yayasan Warisan Johor". Archived from the original on 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2017-05-25.

## External links[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Folk dance.

* Folk Dance Hawaii
* Folk dancing at Curlie
* Dancilla (in German)
* Folklore People Community
* Folk Dance
* Folklore Festivals
* Folklore Festivals
* Society for International Folk Dancing

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Dance

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* List-Class article List of dances

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Street dance

Hip-hop|

* Breakdancing
* Toprock
* Downrock
* Freezes
* Power moves
* Boogaloo
* Cabbage Patch
* Cat Daddy
* Crip Walk
* Dab
* Dougie
* Electric boogaloo
* Gangsta Walking
* Jerkin'
* Harlem shake
* Krumping
* Locking
* Robot
* Popping
* Running man
* Turfing
* Uprock
* Wu-tang

House dance|

* Footwork
* Hustle
* Jacking
* Vogue

Rave dance|

* Electro dance
* Hakken
* Hard dance
* Industrial
* Jumpstyle
* Liquid and digits
* Melbourne shuffle
* Para Para
* Rebolation
* Wu-tang
* X-Outing

Jazz dance|

* Cakewalk
* Charleston
* Lindy Hop
* Swing
* Tap dance

Other|

* Air guitar
* Azonto
* Budots
* Dancehall
* Flexing
* Folk dance
* Clogging
* Headbanging
* Grinding
* Moshing
* Pantsula
* Pogo
* Salsa
* Gwoka
* Tango
* Waacking

* v
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Circle dance

Types|

* Adana
* An Dro
* Assyrian
* khigga
* Ballu tundu
* Berd
* Cachua
* Dabke
* Dances of Universal Peace
* Faroese
* Ganggangsullae
* Ghost dance
* Hora
* Karikázó
* Khorovod
* Kolo
* Körtánc
* Mayim Mayim
* Kurdish dance
* Letkajenkka
* Syrtos
* Tamzara
* Tarantella
* Thabal chongba
* Tresenica

File:Sfakia-dance.jpg

Related|

* Barmaley Fountain
* Circumambulation
* Ecstatic dance
* Folk dance
* Participation dance
* Ring a Ring o' Roses
* Sacred dance
* Bernhard Wosien

List-Class article List of dances
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