Ritual and sacred dances
Danced as worship, offering, healing or rite of passage.
🇧🇷 BrazilCapoeira
A Brazilian martial art that blends dance, acrobatics, and music in a circle gameWar or martial dance · Circle · Solo
🇳🇿 New ZealandHaka
A ceremonial group dance from New Zealand featuring vigorous movement and chanted words.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaBharatanatyamபரதநாட்டியம்
A South Indian classical dance from Tamil Nadu, performed solo in temples and on stages.Classical dance · Solo
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago and 5 moreMocko jumbie
Tall stilt dancers in masks, leading Carnival parades across the CaribbeanFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaDhunuchi nritya
A dance with incense burners during Durga Puja in BengalFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇺🇸 United States and 1 morePowwow
A gathering of Indigenous communities with dance, song, and ceremonyFolk dance · Circle · Group
🇧🇷 BrazilMaracatu
A parade of drums, song and royal court figures from Pernambuco, BrazilFolk dance · Procession · Group
🇪🇨 EcuadorSanjuanito
A circle dance and music from Ecuador’s Andean highlands, often for Inti RaymiFolk dance · Circle · Group
🇮🇱 IsraelHakafotהַקָּפוֹת
A joyful circling procession with Torah scrolls in synagogue on Simchat Torah and SukkotRitual dance · Procession · Circle
🇧🇧 BarbadosBarbados Land-ship
A parade and dance tradition in Barbados, mimicking naval maneuvers on landFolk dance · Group · Procession
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGarba
A circle dance from Gujarat performed around a clay pot during the Navratri festival.Folk dance · Circle
🇻🇪 VenezuelaDancing devils of Corpus ChristiDiablos danzantes de Corpus Christi
Masked dancers in red parade and perform on Corpus Christi in Venezuelan townsRitual dance · Procession · Group
🇳🇵 Nepal and 3 moreDeusi-Bhailoदेउसी-भैलो
A house-to-house singing and dancing tradition during Tihar in NepalFolk dance · Group · Procession
🇧🇪 Belgium and 5 moreProcessional giant
Huge costumed figures carried and danced in European street processionsFolk dance · Solo · Procession
🇦🇺 AustraliaWangga
A ceremonial song and dance tradition of northern Aboriginal Australian communitiesRitual dance · Group
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreEgungunEgúngún
A Yoruba ancestor masquerade where robed dancers embody the spirits of the dead.Ritual dance · Group · Procession
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreLion dance舞獅
A costumed dance that mimics a lion to bring luck and drive away evilFolk dance · Group · Procession
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreKathak
A North Indian classical dance of rhythm and storytelling, shaped by temple roots and Mughal courts.Classical dance · Solo
🇮🇳 IndiaKuchipudi
A classical dance-drama from Andhra Pradesh, rooted in Hindu temple traditionClassical dance · Group · Solo
🇨🇴 Colombia and 1 moreCumbia
A circle dance from Colombia’s Caribbean coast, led by couples with candles and musicians in the centerFolk dance · Couple · Circle
🇮🇳 IndiaKoodiyattamകൂടിയാട്ടം
A Sanskrit theatre tradition performed in Kerala's temple theatresClassical dance · Group · Solo
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreManipuri danceJagoi Raas, Raas Jagoi
A classical dance-drama from Manipur, telling stories of Krishna and RadhaClassical dance · Group · Solo
🇺🇸 United StatesHula
A Hawaiian dance that interprets song or chant through movement and gestureFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇸🇿 Eswatini and 1 moreUmhlanga
An annual gathering where young women carry reeds and dance before royaltyRitual dance · Procession · Group
🇷🇴 Romania and 3 moreCălușari
A springtime men's ritual dance with acrobatics and sticks from RomaniaFolk dance · Group · Circle
🇧🇹 Bhutan and 2 moreCham danceའཆམ་
A masked Buddhist ritual dance performed at festivals in Tibet, Bhutan, and MongoliaRitual dance · Group
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreGanggangsullae강강술래
A Korean circle dance sung and danced by women under the full moonFolk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇯🇵 JapanKagura神楽
A Shinto ritual dance where performers channel deities through slow circling and energetic leaping.Ritual dance · Group · Procession
🇧🇴 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
🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreCircle dance
A group dance in a circle or curved line, joined by hand and led around the floorFolk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇮🇩 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
🇰🇪 Kenya and 1 moreAdumu
A vertical leaping dance performed by Maasai warriors in a circle to show strength and agility.Folk dance · Circle
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaArdahالعرضة
A group sword or cane dance in two lines, performed by men in Saudi ArabiaFolk dance · Line or chain · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaPendetᬧᭂᬦ᭄ᬤᭂᬢ᭄
A Balinese dance where girls offer flowers to greet guests and spiritsFolk dance · Group
🇨🇱 Chile and 3 moreCueca
A partner dance with handkerchiefs, tracing circles in Chile, Bolivia, and PeruFolk dance · Couple · Solo
🇮🇳 IndiaGhoomarघूमर
A circle dance of twirling women, performed at weddings and festivals in RajasthanFolk dance · Circle · Group
🇦🇺 AustraliaCorroboree
A gathering of Aboriginal Australians with dance, music, and body decorationFolk dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaSattriya
A classical dance-drama from Assam, rooted in Vaishnava monastery traditionClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇧🇹 BhutanDrametse Ngacham
A masked drum dance performed by monks in Drametse, eastern BhutanRitual dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaTheyyamതെയ്യം
A North Malabar ritual dance where performers become deities through song and elaborate makeup.Ritual dance · Solo
🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 2 moreAttanاتڼ
A fast-paced circle dance of the Pashtun people, performed at celebrations and gatheringsFolk dance · Circle · Group
🇰🇷 South Korea and 2 morePungmul풍물
A Korean folk performance with drumming, dance, and song, rooted in farming lifeFolk dance · Group · Solo
🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreSufi whirling
A meditative spinning dance practiced by Sufi dervishes during worship ceremoniesRitual dance · Solo · Group
🇨🇳 China and 6 morePeacock dance
A folk dance imitating the peacock, found across South and Southeast AsiaFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaVeeragase
A vigorous ritual dance of Karnataka performed by Veerashaiva men to enact the legend of Veerabhadra.Ritual dance · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaDollu Kunitha
A vigorous drum dance performed in Karnataka, led by a circle of drummersFolk dance · Group · Circle
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Haka: Merrett, Joseph Jenner, 1816-1854., Public domain, source
- Bharatanatyam: Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ganggangsullae: originally by photoren, CC BY 2.0, source
- Drametse Ngacham: Sabine Blankevoort, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Farandole: Hans Thoma, Public domain, source
- Theyyam: Shagil Kannur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cumbia: Joseacuario, CC0, source
- Kecak: Rollan Budi, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Tandava: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Hula: Ron Ardis, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Maracatu: Prefeitura de Olinda, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mocko jumbie: COD Newsroom, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dancing devils of Corpus Christi: Wilfredor, CC0, source
- Processional giant: Jesús Serna, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Powwow: Smithsonian Institution, No restrictions, source
- Sanjuanito: G.Garitan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Barbados Land-ship: Ronaldwalcott, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hakafot: Meir624, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dhunuchi nritya: Amitbsws, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Deusi-Bhailo: Enepal Khabar Official, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Capoeira: Augustus Earle, Public domain, source
- Călușari: El bes, CC BY 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
- Lion dance: Alfresco24, CC BY 3.0, source
- Cueca: Manuel Antonio Caro, Public domain, source
- Talchum: originally by photoren, CC BY 2.0, source
- Koodiyattam: Sreekanthv at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ardah: Abodi009, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sattriya: User: Sattriyadance, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pendet: Hendri Suhandi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Diablada: Elemaki, CC BY 3.0, source
- Peacock dance: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cham dance: Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pungmul: Vero Villa, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Umhlanga: Amada44, Public domain, source
- Sufi whirling: myself, Public domain, source
- Dollu Kunitha: Navaneeth Krishnan S, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ghoomar: Aali Jain, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kathak: Shinjinikulkarni, CC BY 4.0, source
- Garba: anurag agnihotri, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kagura: Elstner Hilton, Public domain, source
- Veeragase: Pavanaja, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Egungun: Ìṣẹ̀ṣeAssembly, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Adumu: K15photos, CC BY-SA 4.0, source