2in length or x 2in wide or 3 in x 2 in

DANCE FORMS ACROSS THE WORLD

Canada

RED RIVER JIG:

The Red River Jig is a traditional dance and accompanying fiddle tune, culturally
relevant to both the Canadian Métis and the First Nations.[1] The dance’s performers and fiddlers
currently and historically includes individuals identifying as First Nations, French Canadian, or Scottish
Canadians, as well as others involved in the expansive 19th century fur trade. [1] The origins of the dance
can be traced to traditional dances of the First Nations, French, English, Scots, and Orcadian peoples,
from whom the Métis Nation descended.[1] The name is also in reference to the Red River of the North,
which forms the border between North Dakota and Minnesota (USA) and flows north through Winnipeg,
Manitoba, Canada before emptying into Hudson's Bay.

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 contain elements from numerous
traditional dances and were first documented in 16th-century England, [1] but they were also quite
common in France and throughout Europe. Early square dances, particularly English country
dances and French quadrilles, traveled to North America with the European settlers and developed
significantly there.

USA
The Omaha Dance- The grass dance or Omaha dance is a style of modern Native American men's pow
wow dancing originating in the warrior societies on the Northern Great Plains.

 Sun Dance is a ceremony practiced by some Native Americans and Indigenous peoples in Canada,

primarily those of the Plains cultures. It usually involves the community gathering together to pray for
healing. Individuals make personal sacrifices on behalf of the community.
The Ghost Dance (Caddo: Nanissáanah,[1] also called the Ghost Dance of 1890) was a ceremony
incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. According to the teachings of the Northern
Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), proper practice of the dance would reunite the
living with spirits of the dead, bring the spirits to fight on their behalf, end American westward
expansion, and bring peace, prosperity, and unity to Native American peoples throughout the region. [2]

Mexico

Baile folklórico, literally "folkloric dance" in Spanish, also known as ballet folklórico, is a collective term
for traditional cultural dances that emphasize local folk culture with ballet characteristics – pointed toes,
exaggerated movements, highly choreographed. Baile folklórico differs from danzas and
regional bailes. "Folk dances", that is, "dances that you will find in the villages, not on stage" were
researched and disseminated by Alura Angeles de Flores. Each region in Mexico, the Southwestern
United States and Central American countries is known for a handful of locally characteristic dances.
The dance of the Parachicos is the “Great Feast” in January each year in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas.
For several weeks, these dances take to the streets each day to honor a number of Catholic saints,
especially Saint Sebastian. The dancers wear carved wooden masks, with a headdress made of ixtle,
a serape, embroidered shawl and multicolored ribbons, carrying maracas.
GREENLAND

Greenland Mask Dance:

Mask dance is a tradition dating back
approx. 4,000 years and which has been used in Greenland
over the years to provide entertainment on long and cold
winter nights. When Greenland was colonised, mask dance
was forbidden by Christianity. But the tradition was
maintained in secret in the far north and in western
Greenland.
Greenland Drum Dance:
Like mask dance, drum dance has enjoyed social,
religious and cultural significance. Drum dance is performed with a frame
drum (qilaat) – the dancer beats the frame of the drum, dances and sings.
The songs are passed on from generation to generation. Some songs are
myths and stories about animals and people. Drum dance may also contain
elements of dressing up. In some cases, drum dancers may change their
appearance, as in mask dance, by putting a stick in their mouth lengthways,
so that their cheeks are distended and their voice changes.

Drum dance was used in its time for many different purposes; during spiritual
cerimoneies.
Caribbean

Merengue is the most popular dance in the Dominican Republic. It also came

to United States  last century, but its origins date back to the nineteenth and
are unclear. So much so that there are several legends about it.

Brazil

Samba is a Brazilian music genre and dance style notable for its fast footwork
and flowing hip swings which, when coupled with the beats of a steel drum,
seems to leave spectators in a trance. Its origins lie in the west coast of
Africa, coming to Brazil through slavery. It is the music genre and dance most
closely linked to Rio de Janeiro.

Jongo – sometimes known as caxambu – was brought over to Brazil through

slavery and is thought to have originated from Angola. The dance is
sometimes referred to as an ancient form of samba and a performance of
jongo does prove that the step work is often very similar. Lively and spirited,
the dance is performed to a harmonious group of people singing and playing
simple instruments. It is sometimes associated with Umbanda, a religion with
roots in Africa.

ARGENTINA
TANGO - Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la
Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay.

BOLIVIA
TobasThis dance dates back to pre-colonial times when the Inca ruled over vast areas of the continent.
Legend has it they ventured into the semi-arid Chaco region of eastern Bolivia and stumbled across a tribe of
natives known as Tobas

Chiile

The national dance of Chile is called the Cueca. This dance has rich historical roots in both African
and Native American cultures. Even though Chileans have been dancing the Cueca for years, it wasn’t
declared the official dance of Chile until September 1979. The Cueca is a parody of the courtship of a
chicken and rooster. The dancers wave handkerchiefs above their heads during the dance. These
handkerchiefs can symbolize the feathers of the bird or the rooster’s comb.

ICELAND
V I K I V A K I i s a n o l d r i n g d a n c e t h a t ha s be e n c e l e b r a t e d t h r o ug h o u t
t h e N o r d i c R e g i o n f r o m t h e M i d d l e A ge s un t i l t o d a y a nd h a s b e e n a
crucial part of Icelandic society since its earliest times

UK

Welsh dancing is an integral part of both the local and national eisteddfod tradition in Wales. Welsh
dancing has become an integral part of the eisteddfodau and dancing tradition. [1][full citation needed] Notable
dancing groups include Natgarw Dancers hailing from the Pontypridd area and Talog dancers from
Carmarthen. Both groups have enjoyed significant success in National Eisteddfod competitions.
Nantgarw dancers have also had significant success in international competitions such as
the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales, Lorient Folk Festival in France and Mallorca World
Folk Festival in Spain.

IRELAND

Irish stepdance is a style of performance dance with its roots in traditional Irish dance. It is generally
characterized by a stiff upper body and fast and precise movements of the feet. It can be performed
solo or in groups.

Norway
halling, vigorous Norwegian folk dance for couples. The name derives from
Hallingdal, a valley in southern Norway. Two or three males may dance in
rivalry, performing difficult leaps, kicks, and other acrobatic stunts to
demonstrate vigour and virility.

SPAIN
Flamenco is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed
within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia.  Flamenco is closely associated to the gitanos of
the Romani ethnicity who have contributed significantly to its origination and professionalization. Its
style is uniquely Andalusian and flamenco artists have historically included Spaniards of both gitano
and non-gitano heritage.

FRANCE

Breton dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Brittany, the Celtic region of France.
The dance has experienced a reappropriation in the late 1950s, with the development of the Celtic
Circles (cultural groups) and Fest Noz (night festival).

Germany

Zwiefacher:This dance is for the most part famous in Bavaria. The translation
oddly enough has nothing to do with the dance itself. Zwiefacher means twice
or double the times. You might want to assume it has something to do with
the melody or the rhythm of the dance, but actually it doesn’t at all
considering the dance alternates between a 3/4 and 2/4 meter. Some
speculate that the name has something to do with the fact that the dance is
between two dancers dancing closely together, which was a rare affair at the
time.

POLAND
Mazur is regarded as one of the five Polish national dances. Like the Polonaise, it was first danced by
peasants in different regional versions. Eventually adopted by Polish noblemen, it had become a
national dance. Mazur also became very popular in European courts under the French name of
Mazurka. The rhythm of Mazur is well known from Mazurkas created by the famous Polish composer,
Frederic Chopin.

ITALY

Ballet dance developed during the Italian Renaissance, before evolving in France and Russia into a
concert dance meant for public performance. This is in the form of a ballet, in which the dance is
choreographed with classical music.

UKRAINE

Ballet dance developed during the Italian Renaissance, before evolving in France and Russia into a
concert dance meant for public performance. This is in the form of a ballet, in which the dance is
choreographed with classical music.

SWEDEN

In Sweden the polska is a turning dance in  /  time, usually for couples, who

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grasp each other firmly and pivot around and around with a smooth, carefully
coordinated step. 

Greece
he Kalamatianós (Greek: Καλαματιανός) is one of the best known dances of Greece. It is a
popular Greek folkdance throughout Greece, Cyprus and internationally and is often performed at many
social gatherings worldwide. As is the case with most Greek folk dances, it is danced in chain with a
counterclockwise rotation, the dancers holding hands.

RUSSIA

The khorovod or horovod (Russian: хорово́д, IPA: [xərɐˈvot], Ukrainian: хоровод, romanized: khorovod 
or коло, kolo, Belarusian: карагод [karaˈɣot], Bulgarian: хоро, Polish: korowód) is an East Slavic and
pagan art form and one of the oldest dances of Russia with its more than 1,000 years history. [1] It is a
combination of a circle dance and chorus singing, similar to the choreia of ancient Greece. The dance
was also known in Rus' as karagod, tanok and krug.

Barynya is a fast Russian folk dance and music. The origins of the Barynya dance developed in the
Eurasian region of the Central Russian Upland.[1] The word barynya (Russian: Барыня, landlady) was
used in Old Russian or Rus' lands as a form of addressing to a woman of higher class, literally when
translated means “landlady”, a feminine form for the word "barin", landlord. The Barynya dance is an
alternation of chastushkas and frenetic dancing. Originally the dancing was without special
choreography. The main characteristics of the Barynya dance are traditional elements of Russian folk
dance like Russian squatting, rotations, jumps and sprited stomping. The main instruments of Baryna
are Balalaika and Garmon.[2]

The squat dance (Russian: прися́дка, prisyádka) is an eastern Slavic folk dance. East Slavic culture
arose from Slavic, Uralic peoples and was influenced by eastern and western cultures from Asia and
Europe, mainly from Scandinavia and Baltic regions, as well as from nomadic Eurasian steppe cultures.
[1]
 The squat dance originated in regions where Eastern Slavic people lived (and later
where Russian, Belarus and Ukrainian states appeared in Europe, formerly Kievan Rus').[2] Besides
East Slavic-speaking countries, squat dancing is also used to some degree
in Indian and Hmong dances.[3][4]

CHINA
Lion dance (traditional Chinese: 舞獅; simplified Chinese: 舞狮; pinyin: wǔshī) is a form of
traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's
movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed
during the Chinese New Year and other Chinese traditional, cultural and religious festivals. It may also
be performed at important occasions such as business opening events, special celebrations or wedding
ceremonies, or may be used to honour special guests by the Chinese communities.

Dragon dance (simplified Chinese: 舞龙; traditional Chinese: 舞龍; pinyin: wǔ lóng) is a form of

traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance, it is most often seen in
festive celebrations. The dance is performed by a team of experienced dancers who manipulate a long
flexible giant puppet of a dragon using poles positioned at regular intervals along the length of the
dragon. The dance team simulates the imagined movements of this river spirit in a sinuous, undulating
manner.

INDIA

Bharatanatyam- Bharatanatyam is a dance of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Bharatanatyam often is used to
express Hindu religious stories and devotions. The dance movements are characterized by bent legs, while feet
keep rhythm. Hands may be used in a series of mudras, or symbolic hand gestures, to tell a story.
Kathakali- Kathakali took shape in Kerala in southern India in the seventeenth century under the patronage of the
prince of Karnataka, who wrote plays for performance drawn from the epic Ramayana in Malayalam. The faces
of actors are painted according to the type of character they represent – green for heroes, kings, and divinities,
red and black for the evil and fierce, etc. .
Dandiya- Raas or Dandiya Raas is the socio-religious folk dance originating from Indian state of Gujarat and
popularly performed in the festival of Navaratri the dance is performed in the Marwar region of Rajasthan too.
Navratri is said to be a depiction of nine-day battle between Goddess Durga and the demon king Mahishasura, in
which the Goddess emerged victorious. The festival is thus celebrated with an idea of the triumph of good over
evil.
SOUTH KOREA

Awa Odori- Tokushima's Awa Odori is the most famous of many dance festivals held across Japan during
the Obon season in mid-August. Awa is the former name for Tokushima Prefecture while Odori means dance.
Although the dance steps are simple, ren distinguish themselves with difficult variations and colourful uniforms.
Women wear cotton robes called yukata, while men wear happi.

JAPAN

Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-
stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the
elaborate kumadori make-up worn by some of its performers.

UAE

Al Ayyala- Perhaps the best -known traditional performance in the United Arab Emirates, Al-Ayyala is an
expressive traditional cultural performance by men and boys who hold thin bamboo canes and move in unison to
a steady drummed rhythm. Al-Ayyala involves dancing troupes, poetry, chants and drummers and is performed
at weddings, on national holidays and other celebrations, as well as welcome ceremonies for visiting heads of
state.

SAUDI ARABIA

Ardah (Arabic: ‫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 is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry. [1]

Yemen

Al-Bar’ah is a Bedouin musical tradition from the Dhofar mountains in southern Oman. It takes the form
of a warlike dance performed to drums and the chanting of poetry in a local tribal dialect. Al-Bar’ah is
performed in a half circle formed by ten to thirty men and women.

Libya
Hagallah is a famous dance that includes a single woman, her performing visage and
requires her head covered, it is used to perform at matrimonial ceremonies. 

Nigeria

The Ohafia War Dance (Igbo: ikpirikpi ogu) is a popular war dance performed in several parts

of Eastern Nigeria.[1] The dance which has its roots from Ohafia is performed by a group of muscular
men in commemoration of their strength in fighting and winning wars in the past. [2]

Sudan

The Kambala dance is one of the famous dancing styles in Sudan. It is practiced
by the Nuba people from the Southern Kordufan Province. The basic principle of
this dancing style is imitating the movements of cows on a field. It is strictly
forbidden to eat from the newly harvested crop unless the Kabala dance is
performed. As a result, Kabala takes place during the harvesting season along
with the similar Koninr dance which is performed during this period once in a
year.

ETHIOPIA
Eskista (Amharic: እስክስታ) is a traditional Ethiopian cultural dance from the Amhara ethnic
group[1] performed by men, women, and children. It's known for its unique emphasis on intense shoulder
movement which it shares with the shim-shim dance of the Tigrinya people in neighboring Eritrea

KENYA
The MAASAI are a proud and dynamic ethnic group whose members mainly live in
Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Maasai jumping dance  (“ADUMU”) marks an
important transition to adulthood. 
AUSTRALLIA

Bush dance is a style of dance from Australia, particularly where the music is provided by a bush
band. The dances are mainly based on the traditional folk dances of the UK, Ireland and central
Europe.

NEW ZELAND

Haka (/ˈhɑːkə/;[1] plural haka, in both Māori and English) are a variety of ceremonial performance

art in Māori culture.[2] It is often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of
the feet with rhythmically shouted or chanted accompaniment. Haka are performed to welcome
distinguished guests, or to acknowledge great achievements, occasions, or funerals. Haka have
been traditionally performed by both men and women[3] and for a variety of social functions within
Māori culture.[4][5]

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The Baining People are famous for this dangerous, and rather painful looking, fire
dance during which young men wear elaborate animal masks and dance through
flames in a night time ritual that is performed to celebrate births and the passing of
family members, as well as to initiate young men into adulthood.

PHILIPINES
Tinikling is one of the most famous dances in the Philippines. The movements of this
Filipino folk dance imitate the movements of the tikling bird as it walks around through tall
grass and between tree branches. People use bamboo poles to perform this Filipino
traditional dance. Tinikling is composed of three basic steps which include singles, doubles,
and hops

INDONESIA
Pendet his dance form is performed by women particularly as a prologue
performance to any other dance form. It is traditional to the Balinese culture. It can be
performed by anyone as it is merely an act of imitation. The dance is a traditional
offering made at the centre of temples (called jeroan pura) with flower petals which are
thrown into the air during the performance. It is a sacred ceremony to purify temples or
theatre performances. Pendet can also be performed as a greetings act or to welcome
an audience to enjoy dance performances. It particularly belongs to the Wali category
also used by others as part of a tradition. it is a very beautiful opening act which attracts
a lot of people.