Folk dancing

Folk dancing is the traditional form of social dancing of a nation or ethnic group. Throughout history, almost every culture has developed its own folk dances. These dances have been passed down from generation to generation. People have composed dance songs, a type of folk music, to accompany many of the dances.

Most folk dances originated as a form of celebration or religious worship or as a method of controlling mysterious forces. The form and movements of many of these dances were based on community-held beliefs. For example, a number of early folk dances were performed in a circle because people believed this shape had magical powers. In some early cultures, circular motion was thought to bring good luck or drive away evil.

Early peoples had dances to celebrate such events as birth, marriage, and even death. In some societies, young people conducted courtship through dances. The Landler of Austria and the fandango of Spain are pantomime dances based on gestures of courtship.

Other folk dances were originally performed to cure disease, to obtain such favors as plentiful crops, or to celebrate success in battle. The tarantella of Italy originated as a method of curing the bite of the tarantula. The Scots once celebrated victories in battle by dancing the sword dance.

The meanings of most folk dances change with the passage of time. Sometimes dances that originally had religious or ritual purposes came to be danced chiefly for recreation. Today, the square dance is perhaps the most popular folk dance in the United States. The square dance is usually danced by four couples in a square formation. The dancers swing about, bow, change partners, and perform other lively movements as directed by a caller. Popular European folk dances include the Irish jig, the flamenco of Spain, and the polka of Bohemia, a region in what is now the Czech Republic. Among black African and American Indian groups, traditional dances remain a vital part of religious ceremonies, as well as a form of entertainment.