Popular Dance forms around world

India: Bollywood

The final scene of the movie Slumdog Millionaire made this Indian dance style popular in the US. But it’s just a regular day in the life of Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit-Nene. She’s seen here performing at the International Indian Film Academy Awards.

Brazil: Samba

If you can’t move your hips, then you might want to watch and learn how to samba from the pros. Thousands of participants dance to the rhythm of Carnival beats during the Mangueira samba school’s colorful parade at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro.

Cuba: Salsa

It’s the perfect time to brush up on your salsa dancing now that Cuba is becoming a hot travel destination.

Russia: Ballet

These Russian ballet dancers practice in a studio in St. Petersburg, Russia. Ballet developed as popular courtly entertainment during the Italian Renaissance and then as a world-renowned fine art in 20th-century Russia and America.

Switzerland: Traditional Folk Dance

Sometimes it’s OK to keep it traditional, as this couple does at the Ballenberg, an open-air museum in Brienz, Switzerland, that gives insight into the history of the country’s farming culture.

Argentina: Tango

Tango is a sensual partner dance that originated in Argentina. It is now performed as part of ballroom dance competitions around the world, but this couple is keeping it local on a street in Buenos Aires’ La Boca neighborhood.

Jazz Dancing

Jazz is a lively dance style that relies heavily on originality and improvisation. This style often uses bold, dramatic body movements, including body isolations and contractions. Jazz dance has its roots in African traditions kept alive by slaves brought to the U.S. Over time, this evolved into a style of street dance that soon moved into the jazz clubs of the early 20th century.

Hip-Hop Dance

hip-hop emerged from the streets of New York in the 1970s in the city's African-American and Puerto Rican communities at the same time as rap and DJing. Breakdancing—with its popping, locking, and athletic floor movements—is perhaps the earliest form of hip-hop dance. Often, "crews" of teams of dancers would hold competitions to see which group had bragging rights as the best.

Modern Dance

Modern dance is a dance style that rejects many of the strict rules of classical ballet, focusing instead on the expression of inner feelings. It emerged in Europe and the U.S. in the early 20th century as a rebellion against classical ballet, emphasizing creativity in choreography and performance.

Flamenco

Flamenco dance is an expressive dance form that mixes percussive footwork with intricate hand, arm, and body movements. It emerged from the cultures of the Iberian Peninsula in the 1700s and 1800s, though its precise origins are unclear.