Folk, National, and Traditional Dance Resources
This page describes resources to get you started on researching folk, national, and traditional dances.
Background Information
International Encyclopedia of Dance by Call Number: Douglass Performing Arts Library Reference GV1585.I586 1998ISBN: 019509462XThis Encyclopedia provides overview information on various dance topics, including overviews of individual countries.
Though it focuses on theatrical dance styles, each entry for a country includes a section on "Traditional Dance."
The Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance by Call Number: Available ONLINEISBN: 1442257482Publication Date: 2016-08-08While there are books about folk dances from individual countries or regions, there isn't a single comprehensive book on folk dances across the globe. This illustrated compendium offers an overview of the evolution and social and religious significance of folk dance.
The Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance focuses on the uniqueness of kinetic performance and its contribution to the study and appreciation of rhythmic expression around the globe. The entries in this volume include material on technical terms, character roles, and specific dances. The entries also summarize the historical and ethnic milieu of each style and execution, highlighting, among other elements, such features as: -origins -purpose -rituals and traditions -props -dress -holidays -themes
Browse and Search for Books
Browsing for Books
There are several areas of our book collection that may be helpful for your project. Before or after searching for individual topics, you may want to browse the books in these sections:
GV 1743 - National dances. Folk dances and dancing (General)
GV1796 - Other dances, alphabetical by dance name
ML3400 -3465 - Literature on dance music
ML3544 - 3776 - Folk, national, and ethnic music
These musical scores may have information about dances in these traditions
M1627-1853 Folk, national and ethnic music
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M1900-1985 Songs of specific groups or on specific topics
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M1990-1998 Secular vocal music for children (often includes dances)
Searching for Books
Some books that will be helpful for your project may not come up immediately in searches. You may want to make a list of individual dance forms identified in the encyclopedias above or from Wikipedia.
Also think about broadening and narrowing your geographic focus, as some book titles may not include the specific region that you search for. For the example of Swedish folk dances, you might think about searching for broader geographic areas (Europe, Scandinavia, Nordic countries) or for smaller ethnic groups, like the Sami, along with dance.
QuickSearch
Music and Dance
The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music by Call Number: Available ONLINEISBN: 0824060350Publication Date: 1997-08-01Because dance is such a common part of most musical traditions, each entry on a country or ethnic group in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music contains information about dance in that musical culture.
The encyclopedia can be hard to navigate. I recommend searching by country or ethnic group (or if you know the name of a specific genre within that culture), and scrolling through article to see if there is a section on dance.
Smithsonian Global SoundsCall Number: Available ONLINEProduced by the Smithsonian Institute's Folkway Records, this database provides access to many of Folkway's recordings over the years.
Many recordings of folk, traditional, and world musics are accompanied by liner notes about the genre of music, which may contain descriptions of the dances that accompany them. Most of these recordings are from mid-century and the information on these liner notes may be dated, but can be a good starting point for identifying genres and terminology, along with hearing the music for dance.
Find the liner notes on the tab that says "Related Documents"
Recordings and Liner Notes in Media Collections
Liner notes on folk music of many traditions are available with recordings available in the Douglass Library Media Collections.
Search keywords identified from the encyclopedias above in QuickSearch and limit your results to audio recordings or videos.
Videos of Folk and Traditional Dance
Dance in VideoCall Number: Available ONLINEDance in Video is a collection of over 1200 dance productions, documentaries, interviews, and instructional videos, including some videos on dance traditions of various cultures.
The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and DanceCall Number: Available ONLINEThe JVC Video Anthology was a project to introduce audiences to music and dance from around the world through 30 volumes of videos, most from anthropological fieldwork.
The anthology is organized by geography, usually identified by country, over 500 performances from 100 countries.- Dance Heritage Video ArchiveCall Number: Available ONLINEThe Dance Heritage Video Archive collection from USC preserves culturally significant recordings that document global and U.S. dance traditions, creative work by outstanding choreographers and performers, and performances that helped to advance the art form.
Suggested Websites
- Society of Folk Dance Historians EncyclopediaThe encyclopedia includes information on folk dances from mostly European and Central Asian countries, with most information reprinted from various folk dance publications.