What is International Folk Dance?

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"There are just about as many definitions of international folk dance as there are participants!" quips the California Folk Dance Federation. And it's true! These are the informal dances that breathe life into festivals, weddings, and parties in all parts of the world. Most are easy to learn, and fun to dance with groups of friends large or small. Here are a few of our favorites.

• Ma Navu. An Israeli dance to gentle and lyrical setting of the Biblical text Isaiah 52:7, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, and who bring good tidings. Written and choreographed in 1956 by Jossi and Raaya Spivak.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30cb08-Ii1Q 

•  Chilili. A dance to music from Bolivia, heard in this clip to music on indigenous instruments.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqviK9pU4eg

• Gras Kalo Kolo.  The title means Black Horse. This Roma style dance was choreographed by Roberto Bagnoli to the song Ding Deng Dong played by the band Kal. Roma/Serbia  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ouMkFkYQ5w

•  Bavno Oro. Macedonian circle dance   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvNMluxewLk

•  Cobankat.  A gentle song of the shepherdess  from the Tosk people of Albania. The lyrics extol the freedoms to be found in rural mountain pasturelands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s_BcZ_4CLA

• Lerikos.  For this modern Greek dance, we use an up-beat number recorded by Rena Dalia in about 1955 under the title Eva Sto’ Amaxi  ("Get in the car, babe"). https://youtu.be/cq4TvhMf1Yg

• Jerusalema. The wild, new folk dance sensation that swept the globe, igniting internet competition among groups of every sort imaginable. The 2019 tune was created by South African vocalist Nomcebo Zikode.  https://youtu.be/-Y5DgpNlRm0

• Wolfshäger Hexenbrut Dance.  Recently choreographed by a German dance troupe as part of a fun community celebration of the Walpurgis holiday (April 30). The tune is Schuttle Deinen Speck ("Shake Your Bacon"). https://youtu.be/BjUV-byB8ls