Amazing Dances From Around The World

1. This Indonesian dance was originally performed in order to communicate with ancestral spirits, but has since then been interwoven with the Indian epic known as the Ramayana. .....

Tango

2. Tango is an Argentinean dance known to be one of the most difficult to master. Nevertheless, it never fails to amaze each time is performed. .....

Capoiera

3. A Brazilian half dance, half martial arts; Capoiera can be described as astounding, astonishing and fascinating, among others adjectives. .....

Celestial Dance

4. This Cambodian dance enacts the sagas that have been in the country for thousands of years. It was even carved into some parts of the Angkor Wat. .....

Aerial Dance

5. Aerial Dance is an interesting form of expression that involves getting attached to the ceiling, thus letting performers explore space in three-dimensions. .....

Ballet

6. Known for its beauty and grance; Ballet is a dance which originated during the Italian Renaissance courts in the 15th century. Later on, it developed into a concert dance. .....

Belly Dance

7. This dance is also known as Raqs Sharqi and is traditionally a solo dance done by women. This Middle Eastern dance was taught within families and performed during celebrations. .....

Break Dance

8. Also known as B-boying ; This athletic and extremely visual solo dance form originated among African American and Puerto Rican youths in New York City during the early 1970s. .....

Flamenco

9. Flamenco is an expressive dance which was originally developed from the songs of Andalucia in Spain, wherein it expressed both the blessings as well as hardships of daily life. .....

Bharata Natyam

10. Bharata Natyam was developed over centuries in the temples in Southern India. It was handed down as a living tradition from one generation to the next under the Devadasi system, wherein women were dedicated in serving the deity as dancers and musicians. .....

Tap Dance

11. Tap Dance s name comes from the tapping sound that s made when small metal plates on a dancer s shoes make contact with a hard floor. It was first seen in the US during the late 19th century. .....

Waltz

12. This is danced to slow, melodic music and it requires the dancers to execute fluid and delicate movement. .....

Salsa

13. Salsa is a dance form with origins from the Cuban Son and Afro-Cuban dance. This partner dance is quite sensual in its form since it s known for having flirtatious movements. .....

Polka

14. The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. .....

Swing

15. Swing dance is most commonly known as a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s-1950s. This is the blanket term for dances such as the Boogie Woogie, Jitterbug and Lindy Hop, among others. .....

Fandango

16. One of the primary dances in Portugal, it involves the dancers tapping their feet and quickly changing their positions. .....

Cancan

17. This is a high-energy as well as physically demanding music hall dance usually performed by female dancers in chorus line while wearing costumes that have long skirts, petticoats and black stocking. Its primary features are skirt lifting and manipulation, high kicking and suggestive body movement. .....

Kabuki

18. Kabuki is a classical Japanese dance-drama that is known for the stylization of its performance and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. .....

Lion Dance

19. This is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture wherein the performers mimic how a lion moves while wearing a lion costume. .....

Irish Stepdance

20. Casually known as riverdance thanks to the popularity of an interval act in 1994 called Riverdance; this dance can be done solo or by a group and is characterized by stiffened upper bodies while performing quick and intricate footwork. .....

Tinikling

21. This pre-Spanish dance from the Philippines involves two people tapping, beating and sliding bamboo poles on the ground as well as against one another in coordination while stepping over and in between the poles. .....

Cossack Dance

22. Also known as Gopak, it is considered to be the official dance of the Ukraine and is composed of visually and technically amazing acrobatic feats. These include jumps and spins, and are usually the highlight of the performance. .....

Shaolin Monk Dance

23. With a tradition that s more than 1,500 years old, these have combined their knowledge, discipline and their martial art in order to make this dance form their very own. .....

Kathak

24. Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances which originated from India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathakars or storytellers. .....

Bollywood Dance

25. This dance combines both Indian dance and music with big Hollywood movie-style set. You can expect the dresses to not just be bright but colorful too. .....

The Huli Vesha of Karnataka

26. Translating to mean, Lion Mask in English, Huli Vesha is a traditional dance form native to the Tulu Nadu area in Karnataka. Performed during the famed festival of nine nights, Navratri, it is a dance form in appeasement of the Goddess Sharada whose preferred animal happens to be a tiger. The youthful faces of dancers are painted with the colours of tiger stripes, the makeup is only removed on the last day of Navratri. The act consists of traditi .....

The Quadrille of France

27. A dance reminiscent of the golden era of late 18th .....

The Choliya of Uttarakhand

28. In the hills of Uttarakhand, the rhythms and dance reflect the rich martial traditions of the land as well as their mixed and yet prosperous heritage. Chholiya is one such dance that demonstrates the bravado of the warriors, who are the main performers of this dance form. Traditionally, it is performed at Kumaoni weddings and can trace its roots back to the belief that bad spirits follow a happy occasion and must be warded off. The beat of the Ch .....

The Barong of Indonesia

29. We could not resist including this unique form of dance from Indonesia, Barong just like Kathakali in India is another story telling dance that demonstrates the fight between the good and evil. Barong is believed to be a lion like creature in the mythology of Indonesian culture specifically Bali region. The leader of the good, Barong, battles against the enemy Rangda who is considered as the demon queen and mother of spirit guarders. The dance in .....

The Nati of Himachal Pradesh

30. Nati a traditional dance form of Himachal Pradesh is largely performed during celebrations. The dance reflects the rich natural beauty of this serene place. The dance involved slow moves but a sequence is maintained throughout the dance. Dancers join their hands and move in a clockwise direction in large circles with the music. In all, there are thirteen types of dancing styles in Nati itself. Nati was initially performed by men dancers wearing f .....

The Raqs Sharki of Egypt

31. From the gentle tunes of the Nati Dance in Himachal Pradesh, let us now travel to Egypt to witness the dance of Raqs Sharki or Egyptian Belly dance. Much before it was given the westernized name .....

The Ghoomar of Rajasthan

32. The colors of Rajasthan are enough to evoke a feeling of pride and happiness even in the most dull and dreary hearts. From the allure of Raqs Sharki, the rhythm slows down its pace to match the catchy tunes of the Ghoomar,a dance native to Rajasthan, has evolved as a social dance that encompasses women of all ages. The enthralling appeal of the Ghoomar lies in its specific and intricate footwork and waist movements that lend an amazing grace to t .....

The Adumu dance from Africa

33. Swaying gracefully to the slow tunes from a flute is one way to express yourself through dance, but the Africans have moves that could get any two left footed man up on his feet and hop to their local dance known as the Adumu. The Adumu is a Maasai dance performed during the coming of age ceremony for warriors who are called .....

The Yoruba dance from Nigeria

34. We started with the belief that dance is a part of everyday life, that where there is rhythm there is dance too and none illustrates it better than the tribes of Nigeria where dance and signing is as important as food for sustenance. Even before the babies are born, the rhythm and movements are ingrained in their DNA patterns, the mother and father alike celebrate every moment of existence with song and dance. The Yoruba Dance in particular is da .....