folk dance

American  

noun

1. a dance that originated among, and has been transmitted through, the common people.

2. a piece of music for such a dance.

---

folk dance British  

noun

1. any of various traditional rustic dances often originating from festivals or rituals

2. a piece of music composed for such a dance

---

verb

1. to perform a folk dance

Other Word Forms

• folk dancer noun
• folk dancing noun

Etymology

Origin of folk dance

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

At the forefront is Unitree, which went viral in January after its humanoid robots performed a Chinese folk dance live, marching rhythmically while tossing and twirling handkerchiefs.

From Los Angeles Times

Other festival-goers joined hands in a circle for a folk dance.

From Barron's

Kids scrambled up rehabbed trails, and some danced the schuhplattler, a Bavarian folk dance with lots of foot stomping and thigh and foot slapping.

From Los Angeles Times

Arm in arm, young people of different faiths perform the dabke, an Arabic folk dance, in the Italian port of Ostia, elated by a visit from Pope Leo XIV.

From Barron's

It has no single origin, but draws on folk dance traditions across Europe and Africa and was consolidated as a dance style within the US country music scene in the 20th Century.

From BBC