Dances with the violin
64 dances from around the world that are danced to the violin.
🇦🇷 Argentina and 1 moreArgentine tango
A partner dance from Buenos Aires suburbs, defined by the bandoneon and an intimate embrace.Social dance · Couple
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreMazurka
A lively Polish folk dance in triple time, known for its shifting accentsFolk dance · Couple · Group
🇪🇸 Spain and 5 morePasodoble
A dramatic Spanish partner dance set to march-like music, echoing the bullfightFolk dance · Couple · Group
🇨🇺 Cuba and 2 moreCha-cha-cha
A Cuban partner dance with a shuffling triple step, danced to a steady four-four beat.Social dance · Couple
🇭🇺 Hungary and 5 moreCsárdás
A Hungarian folk dance that begins slowly and ends in a fast spin.Folk dance · Couple · Group
🇺🇦 UkraineHopakГопак
A lively Ukrainian folk dance known for jumps and acrobatic movesFolk dance · Solo · Couple
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreOberek
A fast Polish folk dance in triple metre, defined by spinning and jumps.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇹 Italy and 3 moreClassical ballet
A formal stage dance using turnout, pointe work and precise, flowing movementClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇫🇷 France and 3 moreBranle
A French chain dance of linked couples moving side to side, popular from the 1500s.Folk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇭🇺 HungaryVerbunkos
A Hungarian recruiting dance with slow and fast sections played by Romani musicians.Folk dance · Group
🇦🇷 Argentina and 1 moreChacarera
A partner dance with foot stomping and handkerchiefs from rural ArgentinaFolk dance · Couple · Group
🇨🇺 Cuba and 1 moreDanzón
A slow, formal partner dance from Cuba, danced in set patterns with elegant pauses.Social dance · Couple · Group
🇮🇳 IndiaSattriya
A classical dance-drama from Assam, rooted in Vaishnava monastery traditionClassical dance · Solo · Group
🇻🇪 Venezuela and 1 moreJoropo
A fast-paced partner dance of the plains, featuring vigorous footwork and string instruments.Folk dance · Couple
🇲🇽 MexicoJarabe Tapatío
A courtship dance from Jalisco, now Mexico’s national danceFolk dance · Couple · Group
🇵🇪 Peru and 3 moreHuayno
A lively Andean partner dance with stamping steps and bright melodiesFolk dance · Couple · Group
🇹🇷 Turkey and 4 moreHalay
A group dance in lines or circles, led by music or singing at weddings and celebrationsFolk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇮🇳 IndiaGotipuaଗୋଟିପୁଅ
A group dance by boys dressed as women, honouring Krishna in OdishaFolk dance · Group
🇾🇪 Yemen and 4 moreZapinزافين
A Malay partner dance with Arab roots, performed to the strum of a lute and the beat of drums.Folk dance · Couple
🇨🇺 Cuba and 5 moreContradanzacontradanza criolla
A Cuban partner dance with African rhythms that influenced jazz and tangoFolk dance · Couple
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 2 moreJogetTarian Joget
A couple's folk dance from Malacca with Portuguese roots and quick duple beats.Folk dance · Couple · Group
🇦🇷 ArgentinaMilonga
A lively partner dance from Argentina with fast, rhythmic stepsSocial dance · Couple
🇲🇽 MexicoDanza de los Viejitos
A comic folk dance from Michoacán, performed by men in old men's masks and hatsFolk dance · Group
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreRhumba
A slow ballroom dance developed in the US from Cuban rhythms and big band music.Ballroom or Latin dance · Couple
🇦🇷 Argentina and 2 moreChamamé
A partnered folk dance from Argentina blending Guaraní and European roots.Folk dance · Couple
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 2 moreKolomyikaколомийка
A fast Ukrainian folk dance and song form from the Carpathian region.Folk dance · Group
🇨🇺 Cuba and 1 morePachanga
A lively Cuban partner dance with a bouncing knee action and strong downbeat.Social dance · Couple
🇵🇪 PeruDanza de tijerasSupaypa wasin tusuq
A ritual challenge dance from the Peruvian Andes where dancers compete with acrobatic steps and clapping scissors.Folk dance · Group
🇫🇮 Finland and 5 moreLetkajenkka
A Finnish novelty line dance featuring a distinctive hopping rhythm and left-foot lead.Folk dance · Line or chain
🇲🇾 MalaysiaDondang Sayang
A slow Malay dance drama of love poetry, accompanied by violin and drums.Folk dance · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaGandrungꦒꦤ꧀ꦝꦿꦸꦁ
A courtship dance from eastern Java where dancers invite audience members to join them.Folk dance · Solo · Couple
🇫🇮 FinlandFinnish tangosuomalainen tango
A slow partner dance from Finland, danced in close hold with a distinctive rhythmic pulse.Social dance · Couple
🇷🇴 Romania and 2 moreSârbă
A fast Romanian folk dance in triple time, danced in circles or lines.Folk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇪🇸 SpainZapateado
A Spanish foot-tapping dance in six-eight time, known for its rhythmic precision.Folk dance
🇲🇬 MadagascarHiragasyhira gasy
A day-long show of song, dance and poetic speech by Merina troupes, often a contestFolk dance · Group · Circle
🇲🇽 MexicoHuapango
A Mexican couple dance on a wooden platform, accompanied by violins and strummed guitars.Folk dance · Couple
🇹🇷 Turkey and 1 moreTsifteteliτσιφτετέλι
An Anatolian and Balkan belly dance with a distinctive double-stringed rhythmFolk dance
🇲🇾 MalaysiaUlek mayangꦲꦸꦊꦏ꧀ꦩꦪꦁ
A Terengganu healing dance where a shaman faces seven sea princessesClassical dance · Group
🇮🇩 IndonesiaRonggengꦫꦺꦴꦁꦒꦺꦁ
A traditional Javanese couple dance featuring poetic exchanges and live musicFolk dance · Couple
🇮🇳 IndiaDeknniDekhnnî
A graceful Goan dance blending Indian classical steps with Western music and oil lamps.Classical dance
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreBangsawanبڠساون
A traditional Malay musical theatre that blends drama, song, and stage danceDance-drama · Group
🇧🇾 BelarusBelarusian folk danceБеларускі народны танец
A lively group dance tradition from Belarus with circle formations and theatrical roots.Folk dance · Circle · Group
🇳🇴 NorwayBygdedans
Traditional Norwegian folk dances preserved in rural farming communities.Folk dance · Group
🇧🇾 Belarus and 2 moreMetelitsaметелица
A spinning East-Slavic folk dance that mimics the whirl of a snowstorm.Folk dance · Circle · Group
🇬🇷 GreecePentozaliΠεντοζάλης
A vigorous Cretan war dance with high leaps and improvised acrobaticsFolk dance · Circle · Line or chain
🇮🇹 ItalyBallo
A fifteenth-century Italian court dance known for shifting speeds and meters.Court dance
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 moreBallo liscio
A smooth Italian partner dance from Romagna, played with accordion and fiddle.Social dance · Couple
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreKushan dance
A Rajbongshi folk drama form based on the Ramayan, performed with bamboo instruments.Folk dance · Group
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Argentine tango: Manticora87, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Zapin: Airiz, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Pasodoble: EpiKzo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mazurka: Huster, Public domain, source
- Huayno: Zorka Ostojic Espinoza, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pachanga: Joel Riedesel, CC BY 2.0, source
- Oberek: Józef Chełmoński, Public domain, source
- Hopak: Невідомий художник, Public domain, source
- Joropo: Luigino Bracci, CC BY 2.0, source
- Huapango: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Danza de tijeras: Art DiNo, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Milonga: Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, CC BY 2.0, source
- Contradanza: Étienne Carjat, Public domain, source
- Finnish tango: Eric Sundström, CC BY 4.0, source
- Chacarera: Pflatau, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Danza de los Viejitos: Jessicatena, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sattriya: User: Sattriyadance, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jarabe Tapatío: Salvador alc, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Halay: Post of Moldova, Public domain, source
- Classical ballet: Edgar Degas, Public domain, source
- Gotipua: Rangan Datta Wiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Csárdás: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Cha-cha-cha: Ailura, CC BY-SA 3.0 at, source
- Branle: Claudine Bouzonnet-Stella, Public domain, source
- Verbunkos: József Bikkessy Heinbucher, Public domain, source
- Danzón: Angélica Martínez, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chamamé: Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación Argentina, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Rhumba: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hiragasy: Hopeandlink, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kolomyika: Teodor Axentowicz, Public domain, source
- Gandrung: Candra Firmansyah, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ronggeng: Original sculpture unknown, CC BY 1.0, source
- Ulek mayang: Alf Ouan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Deknni: Joegoauk Goa, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Belarusian folk dance: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Metelitsa: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Ballo liscio: Unknown, Public domain, source