Folk dance classics and popular songs
When you think of folk dancing, many schools probably include it as one of the events at their sports days or athletic festivals, right?
I’m sure many of you actually danced folk dances during your school days.
Folk dance, to begin with, refers to dances set to traditional songs from various countries, and there are a lot of pieces used for folk dancing.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of folk dance songs from around the world—from standard classics to lesser-known, niche tracks.
If you’re a school teacher, a member of a PE committee, or anyone looking to choose music for a folk dance, please use this as a reference.
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Folk Dance Classics and Popular Songs (1–10)
harmonica
Here is a song called “Harmonica,” which in Israel means accordion.
It’s a dance where people hold hands and energetically step together, and they sometimes call out cheers in the middle.
Adding the calls seems like it would boost the sense of unity and make it even more exciting.
The step where you cross your left foot in front of your right is apparently called the Harmonica Step, and it’s interesting that the step’s name appears in the title.
There are many different dances depending on the country or region, so it’s fun to compare them.
Turkey in the straw
One of the best-known folk dances in Japan is the Oklahoma Mixer, and one of the tunes used when dancing it is Turkey in the Straw.
Many people may have felt a bit shy about pairing up as boy-and-girl partners for the dance.
There are several other songs used for the Oklahoma Mixer, but in Japan this tune is the most famous and firmly established.
The song Everyone Is a Hero, which the AI sang as a parody for an au commercial, uses this melody.
Doudlebská Polka
This dance is performed in male-female pairs, but partway through it splits into a men’s team and a women’s team that do different movements, making it a folk dance full of variety.
It’s a Czech dance, and I’m told that “Doudlevská” means “double” in English.
The name seems to come from the action of clapping twice.
In the section where the men’s and women’s teams circle separately, you can also sing along with the melody, which I think makes the folk dance even more enjoyable.
By all means, try dancing while singing.
Folk Dance Classics and Popular Songs (11–20)
Presca Patch Koro
“Preskavač Kolo,” perfect for folk dancing, is a song from Yugoslavia.
It is included in “Tanoshii Folk Dance Best,” released in May 2021, and “Natsukashi no Folk Dance Best,” released in May 2010.
This lively yet graceful tune is fun to dance to in a circle for everyone—from little children to grandparents.
Because it’s often featured on best-of albums for folk dance, it’s an easy track to find both audio and teaching materials for.
Oslo Waltz
The “Oslo Waltz” is a piece from the UK and Norway, named after Oslo, the capital of Norway.
Overseas, it’s a popular tune often danced at the end of parties, with various styles such as dancing in a circle or stepping while you dance.
Its gentle tempo makes it suitable even for those who’ve never tried folk dance or for students, so it’s recommended as the final number after a few dances.
Instructions for the dance are included on the DVD “School Folk Dance: Junior High and High School Edition,” produced by the Japan Folk Dance Federation (Public Interest Incorporated Association), so please refer to that as well.
Ace of Diamond
This dance originated as a Danish farmers’ dance.
Because Denmark has severe cold weather and few opportunities to exercise outdoors, indoor folk dances became popular.
The music is an old folk song called “Ritchi Ratchi.” It has been danced in Japan since before the war, and the song also has Japanese lyrics; it was included in music textbooks, so many people may be familiar with it.
As for the choreography, holding hands is common, but linking arms and turning is a refreshing twist.
Elizabeth Quadrille
Here is a piece used for a somewhat advanced folk dance where eight people face inward in a square to dance.
This dance, called the quadrille, is said to have originated in France, and it originally involved not person-to-person dancing but four pairs of people and horses forming various figures via reins.
The music is in triple meter, giving it a more elegant feel.
The choreography was created in the 1950s by the couple Marian and Ned Gault.
It’s interesting that we can clearly identify who devised the choreography.