International Dances From Every Corner of the Earth

Welcome back to March Mayhem celebrating a variety of dance styles on film! Next up on tap – international dances!  No matter where you are from or what language you speak, nearly every human expresses themselves though movement and dance.  There are many types of international dances – African Dance, Irish Step Dance and Bollywood Dance are just a few.   And when these dances come to America or American culture comes to them, there are new opportunities for innovative and inspired dancing.

Time to appreciate the unique touch everyone bring to the international dance melting pot – if only to better understand our own beloved swing dances, ballroom dances and jazz steps.  So let’s get started.  Here are some awesome clips of international dances from famous movies and films…

African Dance

Coming to America (1988)

African Dance Demo at Herrang Swing Dance Camp

– I had to include this because it’s an inspired demonstration of rhythms

European Folk Dances

Irish Step Dancing  from Riverdance (1996)

Scottish Jigs & Reels from Brigadoon (1956)

Anthony Quinn as Zorba the Greek (1964)

French Apache Dance with Shirley MacLaine in Can-Can (1960)

Lucille Ball Shows Us How to Hula in Dance, Girl, Dance (1941)

Asian Folk Dances

Bolloywood Dance Comes to SYTYCD