Dances with the fiddle
36 dances from around the world that are danced to the fiddle.
🇨🇿 Czech Republic and 5 morePolka
A lively partner dance in 2/4 time from 19th-century BohemiaFolk dance · Couple · Circle
🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreTarantella
A fast southern Italian folk dance in six-eight time, accompanied by tambourines and hand clapping.Folk dance · Solo · Couple
🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreIrish dance
Solo and group dances from Ireland, known for fast footwork and lively formationsFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇷🇴 Romania and 3 moreCălușari
A springtime men's ritual dance with acrobatics and sticks from RomaniaFolk dance · Group · Circle
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreContra dance
A social line dance for pairs, led by a caller and set to live folk tunesFolk dance · Couple · Line or chain
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreCéilidh
A social dance gathering with live music from Scotland and IrelandFolk dance · Couple · Set or square
🇷🇺 RussiaKamarinskayaкамаринская
A fast Russian folk dance with squatting steps, played to a repeating tuneFolk dance · Solo · Group
🇸🇪 Sweden and 3 morePolska
A Nordic partner dance in triple time, with many local styles and rhythmsFolk dance · Couple
🇸🇪 Sweden and 3 moreGammaldans
A set of social partner dances from the Nordic countries, popular since the late 1800s.Social dance · Couple
🇬🇧 United KingdomSeann Triubhas
A solo Highland dance performed in a kilt to bagpipe music, featuring slow brushes and quick leaps.Folk dance · Solo
🇬🇧 United KingdomBorder Morris
A winter stick dance from the English villages near WalesFolk dance · Group
🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreSean-nós dancedamhsa ar an sean nós
A casual solo Irish dance with improvised footwork and free arm movement.Folk dance · Solo
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreRed River Jig
A traditional jig and fiddle tune of the Canadian Métis people, danced with technical footwork.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreTraditional square dance
A group dance in fours, led by a caller to live fiddle tunes across North America.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇪 IrelandIrish set dancing
A square folk dance of eight people, performed to Irish tunes without a caller.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇷 IranLuri dances
Folk circle, scarf, and stick dances of the Lurish people of IranFolk dance · Circle · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaCirebonese mask danceTari Topeng Cirebon
A Javanese masked performance from West Java that uses distinct characters to show human traits.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreMedieval dance
Group circle dances and couple steps from European medieval sources.Folk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇬🇧 United KingdomRapper sword
A fast-moving English coalfield dance linked by flexible two-handled steel swordsFolk dance · Set or square · Group
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 2 moreKolomyikaколомийка
A fast Ukrainian folk dance and song form from the Carpathians, known for its humorous verses.Folk dance
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreClog dancing
A step dance using wooden-soled footwear to create rhythmic sounds with the feet.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreCeili dancecéilí
A social gathering in Gaelic tradition featuring group and couple folk dances to live music.Folk dance · Couple · Circle
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreStep dance
A family of percussive dances where intricate footwork creates the primary rhythm.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇬🇧 United KingdomStrathspey
A Scottish country dance in four-four time with distinctive dotted rhythms.Folk dance · Set or square
🇺🇸 United StatesCountry–western dance
Informal American social, line, and partner dances done to country music.Social dance · Couple · Line or chain
🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreSlip jigport luascach
A graceful Irish stepdance in 9/8 time, known for its sliding footwork.Folk dance · Solo
🇮🇪 IrelandIrish set dancing
A square formation folk dance in Ireland, danced by four couples to traditional tunes without a caller.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreBallo liscio
A smooth Italian partner dance from Romagna, played with accordion and fiddle.Social dance · Couple
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCountry dance
A social group dance from England with set patterns and partner swapping.Folk dance · Line or chain · Set or square
🇸🇪 SwedenSlängpolska
A fast Swedish partner dance featuring spinning holds and tossing steps.Folk dance · Couple
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreVirginia reel
A line dance of couples performing set figures in two rows.Folk dance · Line or chain · Set or square
🇬🇧 United KingdomMolly dance
A winter Morris tradition from East Anglia featuring cross-dressing and blackened faces, danced by unemployed farmworkerFolk dance · Set or square · Group
🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreBush dance
A social partner dance from Australia, performed to live folk tunes in community halls.Folk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇨🇦 CanadaCanadian stepdance
A percussive solo dance in Canada, danced to fiddle tunes with sharp footwork.Folk dance · Solo
🇬🇧 United KingdomCornish danceDonsyow kernewek
Traditional dances of Cornwall, including step dancing, feast day rounds, and social circle dances.Folk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇬🇧 United KingdomEarsdon Sword Dance
A Northumberland village sword dance performed by seven people in bright costume.Folk dance · Group
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Polka: Chaffee A-ii, Public domain, source
- Tarantella: Apollon Mokritsky, Public domain, source
- Irish dance: U.S. Army, Public domain, source
- Călușari: El bes, CC BY 3.0, source
- Contra dance: Sdkb, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kamarinskaya: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Céilidh: Smithsonian Institution, No restrictions, source
- Country dance: Engraving by William Hogarth, CC BY 4.0, source
- Traditional square dance: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, source
- Border Morris: PEHowland, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kolomyika: Teodor Axentowicz, Public domain, source
- Clog dancing: Tim Green, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ceili dance: Dave Conner, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cirebonese mask dance: Aris riyanto, CC BY 3.0, source
- Luri dances: Shadegan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Medieval dance: unknown master, Public domain, source
- Country–western dance: ToddCombs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Stepping: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ballo liscio: Unknown, Public domain, source
- Molly dance: Ninja of the Eagles, CC BY-SA 4.0, source