Folk dance

Malambo, Argentine folk dance

Traditional Valencian dances

A folk dance is a dance developed by people that reflect the life of the people of a certain
country or region.[1] 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.

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 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:

Ball de bastons

Barn dance

Bulgarian dances
Pravo horo

Paidushko horo

Gankino horo

Daychovo horo

Clogging

English country dance

Fandango

Flamenco
Freilekhs

Georgian folk dances

Greek dances

Hora

International folk dance

Irish dance
Ceili dance

Italian folk dance

Tarantella

Calabrian Tarantella

Pizzica

Monferrina

Ballu tundu

Jota

Maypole dance

Morris dance
Welsh Morris dance

Polka

Polish folk dances

Polonez

Oberek

Krakowiak

Mazurka

Kujawiak

Russian folk dances

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 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

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.

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

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

Lewa (folk dance) - Baluch folk dance in Pakistan.

various dances such as tamang selo and uucountable others

Thabal chongba

Kyushtdepdi - The national dance of Turkmenistan[2]

East and Southeast Asia

China
…
Yangge

Cambodia
…
Romvong

Indonesia …
 Balinese temple dancer performing Sekar Jepun
dance in Bali, Indonesia

Japan
…
Bon dance

Buyō, typical dance of the Japanese geishas or dance artists

Rimse (Ainu people)

Kachāshī (Okinawa)

Korea
…
Nongak

Malaysia
…
Zapin[3]

Nepal
…
Tamang selo

chhokara dance

Khyali dance
 Maruni dance

Deuda dance

Chaulo dance

DhanNach

Madikhole dance

Phagu dance

Sorathi dance

Sakela(Chandi) dance

Singaru dance

Tarbare Dance

Bajrayogini dance

Charitra dance

JatJatin dance

Charya Dance

Hanuman dance

Philippines
…
Cariñosa

Tinikling

Tiklos

Singkil

Maglalatik

Binasuan

Pandanggo

Pista

Kuratsa

Magkasuyo

Sayaw sa Bangko
 Itik-itik

kuratsa

La Jota Moncadena

Balse Marikina

Paraguanen

Kuntao Silat Amil Bangsa

Benjan

Lerion

Kalesa

Taiwan
…
Bamboo dance (Amis people)

Latin America

Baile Folklorico (Mexico and Central America)

Oceania

Hula (Hawaii)

Haka (New Zealand)

Gallery

Play media

Körtánc - Hungarian (csango) folk dance

Kyushtdepdi

Assyrians dancing khigga.

Mtiuluri

A Ball de bastons stick dance from Catalonia

 Cyprus folk dance with glasses in Paphos

Macedonian female folk dance, Tresenica, performed by Tanec

Podhale Gorals dancing

Traditional Russian squat dancing

See also

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

m. "Definition of FOLK DANCE" . www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2020-01-27.

n. V@DIM. "Golden age" . www.turkmenistan.gov.tm.

p. "Tarian Zapin – Yayasan Warisan Johor" . Archived from the original on 2018-09-16.
Retrieved 2017-05-25.

External links

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