Dance-dramas
Stories told through dance, with character, costume and music.
🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreBallet
A highly technical stage dance with its own steps and styles, shaped in France and RussiaClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇹🇭 ThailandThai danceนาฏศิลป์
Classical and folk dances shaped by many cultures across Thailand’s regionsClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇯🇵 JapanKabuki歌舞伎
A stylised Japanese theatre form using dance, drama and elaborate makeup.Classical dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaRamlilaरामलीला
A folk drama of the Ramayana, staged outdoors during Navaratri and DussehraFolk dance · Group · Procession
🇮🇳 IndiaKathakali
A classical dance-drama of Kerala with vivid costumes and expressive storytellingClassical dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaOdissiଓଡ଼ିଶୀ
A classical dance-drama from the temples of Odisha, shaped by devotion and storytellingClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaKuchipudi
A classical dance-drama from Andhra Pradesh, rooted in Hindu temple traditionClassical dance · Group · Solo
🇮🇳 IndiaKoodiyattamകൂടിയാട്ടം
A Sanskrit theatre tradition performed in Kerala's temple theatresClassical dance · Group · Solo
🇮🇳 IndiaChhau
A martial and folk dance with masks, performed in eastern India during spring festivalsFolk dance · Group
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreManipuri danceJagoi Raas, Raas Jagoi
A classical dance-drama from Manipur, telling stories of Krishna and RadhaClassical dance · Group · Solo
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreButoh舞踏 (Butō)
A Japanese dance theatre form known for slow, controlled movement and white body makeup.Dance-drama · Solo · Group
🇧🇹 Bhutan and 2 moreCham danceའཆམ་
A masked Buddhist ritual dance performed at festivals in Tibet, Bhutan, and MongoliaRitual dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaYakshaganaಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ
A coastal Karnataka dance-drama performed from dusk to dawn with elaborate costumes and live music.Classical dance · Group
🇧🇴 Bolivia and 2 moreDiablada
A masked devil dance from the Andes, led by Saint Michael at CarnivalFolk dance · Procession · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaTandava
A vigorous dance of Shiva, seen in Indian classical and ritual traditionsClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaLegongᬮᬾᬕᭀᬂ
A Balinese dance with intricate finger, foot and facial movementsFolk dance · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaKecakᬓᬾᬘᬓ᭄
A massed chant and dance-drama from Bali, performed in a circle at duskFolk dance · Circle · Group
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreTalchum탈춤
A Korean mask dance-drama mixing satire, ritual and storyFolk dance · Group · Circle
🇹🇭 ThailandKhonโขน
A masked dance drama from Thailand, performed to the Ramakien epic.Dance-drama · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaLavaniलावणी
A fast-paced song and dance form from Maharashtra performed to the dholki drum.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaSattriya
A classical dance-drama from Assam, rooted in Vaishnava monastery traditionClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇯🇵 JapanNihon-buyō日本舞踊
A classical Japanese stage dance refined from kabuki and older traditions.Classical dance · Solo · Group
🇪🇸 SpainSoleá
A solemn flamenco song and dance in 12-beat rhythm from AndalusiaFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaGotipuaଗୋଟିପୁଅ
A group dance by boys dressed as women, honouring Krishna in OdishaFolk dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaOttan Thullal
A solo recited-and-danced satire from Kerala, performed with drum and cymbalsFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaKrishnanattam
A temple dance-drama telling Krishna’s story in eight plays at Guruvayur, KeralaDance-drama · Group
🇨🇳 ChinaYangge秧歌
A lively folk dance in lines or circles, often with ribbons, drums, and fansFolk dance · Line or chain · Circle
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBarong danceᬩᬅᬭᬑᬂ
A Balinese dance-drama of Barong and Rangda, showing the struggle of good and evilFolk dance · Group · Procession
🇮🇳 IndiaYak dance
A Himalayan masked pantomime honoring the yak during the Losar festivalFolk dance
🇯🇵 JapanNoh能
A masked dance-drama of Japan, performed since the fourteenth century.Classical dance · Group
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 1 moreMak yongTarian Mak Yong
A traditional Kelantanese dance-drama with ritual roots and a royal lead.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBalinese dancetarian Bali / igélan Bali
A dynamic and angular dance tradition from the Indonesian island of Bali.Ritual dance · Group · Solo
🇹🇭 Thailand and 1 moreMenoraมโนราห์
A traditional Thai dance-drama from the south, featuring acrobatics and ornate costumes.Dance-drama · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaTopeng danceTari Topeng
A masked Indonesian dance-drama telling ancient stories through movement and gamelan musicDance-drama · Solo · Group
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreReogꦫꦺꦪꦺꦴꦒ꧀
A Javanese dance drama featuring a massive lion mask carried by the teeth of a strongman.Folk dance · Group
🇲🇾 MalaysiaDondang Sayang
A slow Malay dance drama of love poetry, accompanied by violin and drums.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaWayang wongꦮꦪꦁꦮꦺꦴꦁ (wayang wong)
A Javanese and Balinese dance drama enacting the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics with stylised court movements.Classical dance · Group
🇳🇿 New ZealandKa Mate
A Māori haka composed by Te Rauparaha to celebrate survival from enemies.Ritual dance · Group
🇫🇷 FranceBallet de cour
A 16th and 17th century French court dance form blending spectacle, politics, and geometry.Court dance · Group
🇯🇵 JapanKumi Odori組踊 (Okinawan: Kumi wudui)
A narrative court dance from Okinawa, blending East Asian styles for diplomatic entertainment.Dance-drama · Group
🇲🇬 MadagascarHiragasyhira gasy
A day-long show of song, dance and poetic speech by Merina troupes, often a contestFolk dance · Group · Circle
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Balinese dance: Crisco 1492, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kathakali: Paul Varuni, CC BY 2.0, source
- Khon: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Topeng dance: Sudanto Ponco Sularso, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kecak: Rollan Budi, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ottan Thullal: bobinson, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ballet de cour: Attributed to Hieronymous Francken I, Public domain, source
- Reog: Dedesudiana265, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Krishnanattam: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0, source
- Menora: AjarnRichard, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Yakshagana: Krishnamoorthy Sudhakar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tandava: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Lavani: Dakutaa at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Thai dance: Berlin Phonogramm-Archiv, Public domain, source
- Ramlila: Ankit Gupta, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Wayang wong: Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Manipuri dance: https://www.flickr.com/photos/matsukin/, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kuchipudi: Augustus Binu / facebook, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Talchum: originally by photoren, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chhau: Skasish, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Odissi: Melolagnia28192, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Legong: P. (Paul) Spies (Fotograaf/photographer)., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Koodiyattam: Sreekanthv at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sattriya: User: Sattriyadance, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Diablada: Elemaki, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ballet: scillystuff, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cham dance: Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0, source
- Barong dance: Zsolt67 at Hungarian Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Soleá: büys, CC BY 2.0, source
- Yangge: 01Raina, Public domain, source
- Gotipua: Rangan Datta Wiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Butoh: Carlos de las Piedras, CC BY 2.0, source
- Nihon-buyō: Rdsmith4, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Kabuki: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Noh: Yoshiyuki Ito, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ka Mate: Alasdair Massie, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Hiragasy: Hopeandlink, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kumi Odori: Bunkakaikan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source