Folk Dances Around the World

Do you ever get a wiggle in your toes when you hear a happy song. That’s me. I am the giggle that bubbles up when the music starts. I am the clap in your hands and the stomp in your feet. Before there were big houses or busy streets, a very, very long time ago, people would gather together under the big, bright sun. They would move their bodies to show they were thankful for yummy food and warm sunshine. I am that special happy dance that everyone in the family knows how to do together. You can call me Folk Dance.

I have been dancing with people for thousands and thousands of years, even before your great-great-grandma was a little girl. In some of the first pictures ever made, on the walls of dark caves, you can see people holding hands and dancing with me. I love to travel all over the world. In Mexico, I wear bright, beautiful clothes that spin like a pretty rainbow. In Ireland, I make feet tap-tap-tap so fast it sounds like a little drum playing a song. In Japan, I use pretty, colorful fans to tell a story without any words. I am a special way for families to share their stories and feelings from long ago. Grandmas and grandpas teach me to moms and dads, and they teach me to you.

Do you know the best part about me. I am for everyone. You do not need a big stage or a fancy costume to dance with me. All you need is a happy heart and your wonderful dancing feet. When you learn one of my dances, you are learning about a special place far away and the people who live there. You are sharing a game that is hundreds and hundreds of years old. I help you feel close to your family's story, and I can help you make new friends too. So come on. Let’s clap our hands, stomp our feet, and have a happy dance together.