A war dance is a dance involving mock combat, usually in reference to tribal warrior societies where such dances were performed as a ritual connected with endemic warfare. Martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like settings for various reasons, such as for evoking ferocity in preparation for battle or showing off skill in a more stylized manner. It could also be for celebration of valor and conquest. Many such martial arts incorporate music, especially strong percussive rhythms.
War dances can overlap with sword dances and other forms of weapon dance, utilizing weapons or replications as part of the artistic performance.
War dances
Examples of war dances include:
Aduk-Aduk – Brunei Albanian war dances Ardah – Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait Ayyalah – Arabian Peninsula Attan - Afghanistan and Pushtun Areas of Pakistan Baris – Bali, Indonesia Bende War Dance – Nigeria Buza – Russia Blood walk – Bloods of United States Cakalele – Maluku, Indonesia Capoeira, as well as some similar Afro-Caribbean arts Cibi – Fiji Crip Walk – Crips of United States Dirk dance and Scottish sword dances – Scotland Dier Dance- upper East, Bolgatanga-Ghana European sword dance or weapon dance of various kinds Haka - Māori people of New Zealand Hako (Rapa Nui) – Easter Island Hopak – Ukraine Odzemek - Slovakia and Moravian Wallachia Hula and Kapu Kuialua – Native Hawaiians Indlamu – Zulu people Juego de maní – Cuba Kabasaran – Minahasan people, North Sulawesi, Indonesia Kailao – Wallis, adopted by Tonga Khattak – Afghanistan and Pakistan Khorumi (ხორუმი) – Georgia Ohafia War Dance – Eastern Nigeria Panther Dance – Burmese Bando with swords (dha) Pentozali – Crete Pyrrhichios – Greece Razfah – Oman and the United Arab Emirates Reggada – Morocco Sagayan – Philippines Siva Tau – Samoan war dance Tahtib – Egypt Takalo - Niue Yarkhushta (Յարխուշտա) – Armenia Yowlah – Oman and the United Arab Emirates
See also
References