About Tribal Dance

There are a variety of opinions about what tribal dance is. The definition largely depends on where you live and what you know about the world and the many different cultures. Tribal dance is a term that describes many forms of dance; it is more of a description of the people who perform the dances.

Tribal dance was first classified as any dance that was performed by tribes in a variety of places all over the world. Today, tribes only exist in a few places, such as Africa and India. The dances were done as an offering to gods, as a way to ask for rain or plentiful harvest. Tribes used dance as a way to tell stories and entertain, but mostly dance was used for rituals and sacred ceremonies. As the world has changed, the term tribal in dance has become a way to describe a primitive form of dance.

Belly dance has grown in popularity over the last few years. Traditional tribal drums, such as the dumbek are used to create the music; this is where the term tribal meets with belly dance. Traditional belly dance uses drum, but the look and intent are very different. Tribal belly dance has a more primitive and primal feel to it. The costumes are very different, while the basics are the same. Tribal belly dance incorporates natural elements, such as shells.

Tribal dance is largely described as an ethnic dance native to the region where it is performed; Hawaiian dancers are a wonderful example of tribal dancing.