Folk dance classics and popular songs

Sicilian Tarantella

Sicilian Tarantella

This piece is a dance from the Italian island of Sicily.

Across Italy, there are intense dances said to be performed to drive out the poison after being bitten by the tarantula, and they are all called “tarantella,” but the music and choreography differ.

The Sicilian Tarantella in this video is quite unique: it’s danced while playing a tambourine and even includes a game of rock-paper-scissors.

After the game, the choreography where the woman rejoices when the man loses is also amusing, and unlike folk dances that simply repeat the same steps, it has a storyline.

Mexican Hat Dance

Jarabe Tapatío

The Mexican Hat Dance is a traditional Mexican dance song, originally based on the piece Jarabe Tapatío.

It’s danced by a man and a woman, with the woman fluttering a beautiful skirt from traditional Mexican attire.

The music is beautiful, lively, and quintessentially Mexican—perfect for fun events.

A gentle folk dance is nice too, but thanks to its bright tone and guitar timbre, this energetic song is also recommended for anyone looking to liven things up.

It could be fun to think about costumes as well!

wooden shoes

wooden clogs

Lithuania’s “Wooden Shoes,” as the title suggests, refers to the charming wooden shoes people in Lithuania would wear when they danced, enjoying the sound of the clogs as they moved.

While wooden shoes might be hard to come by, the tune makes you want to dance with a lively, rhythmic spring in your step.

The original melody comes from the Lithuanian folk song “Krumpakojis,” but to my ear it somewhat resembles the Japanese children’s song “Te o Tatakimashō” (“Let’s Clap Our Hands”).

It’s a melody that feels familiar and accessible to Japanese listeners.

Try searching for it together—it can serve as a helpful reference for the dance as well.

Shoemaker Dance

Shoemaker Dance

When I hear “Shoemaker Dance,” nothing immediately comes to mind, but once you listen to the music—surprise! It’s a tune everyone has probably heard at least once since childhood.

It’s very similar to the Japanese children’s song “Ito Maki no Uta” (“The Spool-Winding Song”), isn’t it? It’s actually a children’s dance song from Scandinavia.

I’ve heard that some of the choreography resembles “Ito Maki no Uta” as well.

It would feel refreshing to hear this song during a folk dance.

Since it’s a dance tune for children, one of its charms is how quickly you can learn the moves and start dancing.

Jibidi Jibida

Jibidi Jibida (France)

This is a folk dance of French origin in which participants form a circle, clap their hands, and begin with the first person.

If you are pointed at by that first person and end up dancing face-to-face, you join that line, and at the same time the head of the line reverses direction.

In this way, the line grows longer, making it a fun dance.

Until you are pointed at, you stay in the circle and keep clapping to the beat.

The title “Jibidi Jibida” has a playful ring to it, and the game-like nature of the dance makes it enjoyable even for small children.

Tango mixer

Tango Mixer (Adios Muchachos)

Here is a dance choreographed by Olga Kurbytsky from America to a tango melody.

The song is called “Adiós Muchachos,” which means “Farewell, friends” in Japanese.

Tango is said to have its roots in West African rhythms, and today there are two main styles: Argentine Tango, which developed mainly in Argentina, and Continental Tango, which developed mainly in Spain.

Dancing to the passionate strains of the tango could make folk dance feel quite passionate, too.

Troika

Troika

“Troyka” is a Russian folk song meaning “a three-horse-drawn carriage.” Its lively rhythm evokes a carriage dashing through Russia’s vast snowy landscapes with bells ringing.

In keeping with the “three-horse-drawn carriage,” it is danced in groups of three, rotating as they move.

The wistful melody is quintessentially Russian.