Traditional Emirati dance at Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum Al Ain UAE

The traditional dances of the Middle East (also known as Oriental dance) span a large variety of folk traditions throughout

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

, the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

, and

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...

. For detailed information on specific dances of the region, see the main entries as follows: * Arab dance:

Ardah Ardah ( ar, العرضة / ALA-LC: ''al-‘arḍah'') is a type of folkloric group dance in the Arabian Peninsula. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and i ...

Baladi Baladi ( ar, بلدي ' relative-adjective 'of town', 'local', 'rural', comparable to English ''folk'', with a lower-class connotation) can refer to an Egyptian musical style, the folk style of Egyptian bellydance (Raqs Baladi), or the Masmoud ...

Belly dance Belly dance (Egyptian Arabic: رقص بلدي, translated: Dance of the Country/Folk Dance, romanized: Raks/Raas Baladi) is a dance that originates in Egypt. It features movements of the hips and torso. It has evolved to take many different f ...

Dabke ''Dabke'' ( ar, دبكة also spelled ''dabka'', ''dubki'', ''dabkeh'', plural ''dabkaat'') is a Levantine Arab folk dance. Dabke combines circle dance and line dancing and is widely performed at weddings and other joyous occasions. The line f ...

, Deheyeh,

Fann at-Tanbura Fann aṭ-Ṭanbūra ( ar, فن الطنبورة) is a traditional music and dance genre in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, especially Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Musically, the '' tanbūra'' instrument plays a central role, along with several dr ...

, Khaleegy, Mizmar, Raqs sharqi, Shamadan,

Tahtib Tahtib ( arz, تحطيب, taḥṭīb) is the term for a traditional stick-fighting martial art originally named ''fan a'nazaha wa-tahtib'' ("the art of being straight and honest through the use of stick"). The original martial version of tahtib ...

, Tanoura,

Yowlah The yowlah ( ar, اليولة, ''al-yawlah'', or العيالة, ''al-ʿayyalah'' or ''al-ʿiyyalah''), is a weapon dance of the United Arab Emirates, traditionally performed during weddings, celebrations, and other events. The dance is accompa ...

Assyrian folk dance Assyrian folk dances are sets of dances that are performed throughout the world by Assyrians, mostly on occasions such as weddings, community parties and other jubilant events. Assyrian folk dances are mainly made up of circle dances like ball ...

Khigga Khigga is a style of Assyrian folk dance in which multiple dancers hold each other's hands and form a semi-circle or a curved line. There are multiple foot patterns that dancers perform. Its thought to have been danced for thousands of years. It i ...

Kurdish dance Kurdish dances ( ku, Govend, Dîlan, Helperkê, Helperge, Şayî, script=Latn; , , , , ) are a group of traditional dances among Kurds. It is a form of a circle dance, with a single or a couple of figure dancers often added to the geometrical cent ...

: Dilan *

Persian dance Dances in Iran or Iranian dances (Persian:رقص ایرانی) are dance styles indigenous to Iran. Genres of dance in Iran vary depending on the area, culture, and language of the local people, and can range from sophisticated reconstructions of ...

Classical Persian dance Classical Persian dance is a style of concert dance that evolved from courtroom dance. An important factor influencing Persian dance was the Qajar dynasty, which reigned from 1795 to 1925. In this period, that dance began to be called "classical Pe ...

Turkish dance Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

Çiftetelli The Tsifteteli ( el, τσιφτετέλι; tr, ), is a rhythm and dance of Anatolia and the Balkans. In Turkish the word means "double stringed", taken from the violin playing style that is practiced in this kind of music. There are suggestio ...

Halay Halay is the national dance of Turkey and a regional category of folk dance styles in central, southern, eastern, and southeastern regions of the country. It is mainly performed by Turks, Arabs, and Kurds in Turkey. Halay and similar dances are ...

Jewish dance Jewish dance is dance associated with Jews and Judaism. Dance has long been used by Jews as a medium for the expression of joy and other communal emotions. Dancing is a favorite pastime and plays a role in religious observance. Dances associated ...

: Hora, Tza'ad Teimani,

Israeli Folk Dances Israeli folk dance ( he, ריקודי עם, ''rikudei 'am'', lit. "Folk dances") is a form of dance usually performed to songs in Hebrew, or to other songs which have been popular in Israel, with dances choreographed for specific songs. Israeli d ...

Western dance is being incorporated in the middle east.

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From dabke to buraa, dance is integral to Middle Eastern culture

{{Middle East *

See also

References

External links