Curlie

Folk

Webster's definition of folk dance includes

A traditional dance originating among the common people of a nation or region.
The music accompanying a folk dance.
A social gathering at which folk dances are performed.

Please suggest only English language sites dealing with folk dancing in this category. If the form is cobvered by a sub-category please suggest it there. NOTE: the International sub-category is for groups that carry out a variety of national styles. An International festival bringing together national groups should be suggested here not in the International section.

Sites in other than the English language should be suggested to the appropriate World category. Sites with multiple languages may be suggested once to each of the appropriate World categories.

When writing the description, please say what a visitor would find on your site in a clear and concise statement without hype or promotional language.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Armenian

This category contains English language sites relating to folk dancing styles from Armenia. The Armenian diaspora led to a large population outside of Armenia, who retained aspects of their culture, including dance. Armenian folk dance thus also includes the dances of these groups which offer several 'dialects' due to local influences. For example Armenians from Lebanon have picked up Arabic influences such as the debka hold, Kurdish Armenians adopt crouching movements whilst those in America include more swaying and hip movement than the traditional style.

Basque

This category contains English language sites relating to folk dance from the Basque region.

Please suggest only English language sites dealing with Basque folk dancing in this category. Sites dealing with a variety of folk dance styles should be suggested to a more general category (e.g. Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Dance: Folk Dancing).

Sites in other than the English language should be suggested to the appropriate World category. Sites with multiple languages may be suggested once to each of the appropriate World categories.
Example: a site in Basque and English dealing with Basque Folk Dancing may be suggested once here and once in the appropriate sub-category of Top: World: Euskara: Kultura: Dantza: Tradizionala.

Suggestion Tips:

1. When writing your site''s title please ensure it is the same as your organization.

2. When writing the description, please say what a visitor would find on your site in a clear and concise statement without hype or promotional language.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Clogging

Clogging is a fast-paced, hand-clapping, country style of dance done with double "jingle taps" on the toe and heel of the shoe. There are different step styles in clogging. 'Buck' is derived from Cherokee Indian dancing and is a lot like 'flat-footing', meaning more on your heels and toes. 'Step' dancing originates from the Napoleanic years and showed up everywhere that Napolean had an influence. 'Canadian' step dancing is closer to tap than clogging.

Please submit sites only for clogging groups, clubs, teams, studios, or other places offering clogging instruction.

Country and Western

Sites in this area relate to couples dances and line dancing to country western music. From Merriam-Webster http://www.m-w.com/home.htm Main Entry: 1dance
Pronunciation: 'dan(t)s, 'd[a']n(t)s
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): danced; danc·ing
Etymology: Middle English dauncen, from Old French dancier
Date: 14th century
intransitive senses
1 : to engage in or perform a dance
2 : to move or seem to move up and down or about in a quick or lively manner
transitive senses
1 : to perform or take part in as a dancer
2 : to cause to dance
3 : to bring into a specified condition by dancing
- dance·able /'dan(t)-s&-b&l/ adjective
- danc·er noun

Please submit only sites dealing with Country and Western Dancing in this category. This may include couples dancing, partner dancing and (in the approriate subcategory), line dancing.
Sites selling country western related products should be listed under Shopping and/or Regional.
Sites for bands or DJs should be submitted to Arts/Music.
Sites in other than the English language should be submitted to the appropriate World categories.

Submitting to the wrong category will delay and/or prevent your site from being listed in the directory.

Submission Tips:

When writing your site''s title please ensure it is the same as your organization.
When writing your site''s description, please tell what your site offers in a clear and concise statement without hype or promotional language.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Dutch

This category contains English language sites relating to folk dancing styles from the Netherlands. It should be noted that Flemish and Dutch culture, while sharing similarities, are distinct. Flemish folk dance includes a variety of other styles (sword, May-tree, stick dances). Dutch traditional folk-dancing (or farmer's dancing) consists of the local dances overlaid with the common European heritage (i.e. polkas, waltzes, etc.). The period preserved tends to be around the 1900's and are mainly couples dances. The non-couple dances are older. Though one of the features of many Dutch dances is that they were done while wearing clogs, it should be realized that these were not universal, particularly in towns and the wealthier parts of Society. The same dance would be carried out in different styles depending on the footwear of the dancers. However the clog dances are identifiable by the style of foot placement that takes advantage of and compensates for their rigidity and percussive effects.

Please submit only English language sites dealing with Dutch folk dancing in this category. Sites dealing with a variety of folk dance styles should be suggested to a more general category (e.g. Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Dance: Folk Dancing). Sites in other than the English language should be suggested to the appropriate World category. Sites with multiple languages may be suggested once to each of the appropriate World categories.
Example: a site in Dutch and English dealing with Dutch Folk Dancing may be suggested once here and once in the appropriate sub-category of Top: World: Nederlands: Kunst: Podiumkunsten: Dans: Volksdans: Nederlands. Suggestion Tips: 1. When writing your site''s title please ensure it is the same as your organization. 2. When writing the description, please say what a visitor would find on your site in a clear and concise statement without hype or promotional language. Thank you for your cooperation.

Eastern European

Please submit only English language sites dealing with Polish folk dancing in this category. Sites dealing with a variety of folk dance styles should be submitted to a more general category (e.g. either Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Dance: Folk Dancing or one of its sub-categories such as Eastern_European or International).

Sites in other than the English language should be submitted to the appropriate World category. Sites with multiple languages may be submitted once to each of the appropriate World categories.
Example: a site in Polish and English dealing with Polish Folk Dancing may be submitted once here and once in Top: World: Polska: Kultura i Sztuka: Taniec: Ludowy.

Thank you for your cooperation.

English Country Dancing

English country dances are social dances, generally for groups of three to five couples, or for any number of couples in a longways-set or a circle. They are usually performed with either a dance-walk, or (relatively) simple steps - much of the interest deriving instead from the floor patterns and interaction between dancers. Originating in England, they spread to colonial America and mainland Europe.

If the band does not play principally for dancing, or does not come with a caller, it should be submitted to a suitable category in the Arts: Music tree, such as Arts: Music: Styles: Folk: Bands and Artists: Traditional Anglo-Celtic.

Haitian

As is typical of many Caribbean islands, folk dance in Haiti developed from African and European (French) traditions. Interestingly, Afro-Haitian dance in turn had a great influence on modern dance, through anthropologist and dancer Katherine Dunham.

This category is for Haiti folk style dance, taking place anywhere in the world. Sites about dance in Haiti, of any style, are listed under Regional/Caribbean/Haiti/Arts_and_Entertainment.

International

Anything and everything related to the folk dances of the world's peoples, including performances covering several flavors of folk dancing.

Japanese

This category contains English language sites relating to Japanese folk dancing.

Please submit only English language sites dealing with Japanese folk dancing in this category.

Sites dealing with a variety of folk dance styles should be submitted to a more general category (e.g. Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Dance: Folk Dancing).

Sites in other than the English language should be submitted to the appropriate World category.

Sites with multiple languages may be submitted once to each of the appropriate World categories.
Example: a site in Japanese and English dealing with Japanese Folk Dancing may be submitted once here and once in Top: World: Japanese: アート: パフォーミングアート: ダンス.

Submission Tips:

1. When writing your site''s title please ensure it is the same as your organization.

2. When writing the description, please say what a visitor would find on your site in a clear and concise statement without hype or promotional language.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Polka

Sites related to the polka as a dance. Polka music has its own category.

The polka is a lively "close" dance or round dance for couples, in 2/4 time.

The origin of the polka is in dispute: some say it was Bohemian (Czech), others, that it was originally Polish. In any event, there was a polka craze in Europe in the 1840s. Emigrants took the newly-invented accordion and the then-rebellious polka to America. There was a second polka mania in the 1930s and '40s, almost exactly a century after its introduction. Among some ethnic groups in North America (Germans, Polish, Czechs), the polka has never gone out of style.

Sites submitted here should be about the polka as a dance, should offer information in English, and should be of general interest.

Polka music has its own separate category.

Polynesian

This category contains English language sites relating to Polynesian traditional dancing styles. The most commonly known dance style is the Hula but there are many others (e.g. canoe dances). Polynesia covers a large area of the Pacific from New Zealand in the east to Hawaii in the west. Note that it is the Polynesian tradition of dance that is covered here so a Salsa studio in Hawaii would be suggested to the Salsa category. Islands that are within Polynesia include : Cook Islands, Easter Island, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Midway Island, New Zealand (Maori), Niue Island, Pitcairn Island, Samoa (American and Western), Tahiti, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna.

Please submit only English language sites dealing with Polynesian traditional dancing in this category. Sites dealing with a variety of folk dance styles should be suggested to a more general category (e.g. Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Dance: Folk Dancing). Sites in other than the English language should be suggested to the appropriate World category. Sites with multiple languages may be suggested once to each of the appropriate World categories. Suggestion Tips: 1. When writing your site''s title please ensure it is the same as your organization. 2. When writing the description, please say what a visitor would find on your site in a clear and concise statement without hype or promotional language. Thank you for your cooperation.

Puerto Rican

As is typical of many Caribbean islands, folk dance in Puerto Rico developed from African and European (Spanish) traditions. Forms include:

seis - Similar to contradance, seis developed in rural, European, communities. It is accompanied by the stringed cuatro playing music showing the Moorish influence on Spain.
bomba - Bomba developed in West African communities. It is accompanied by drums, with the dancers in dialog with the percussionist. Women dancers wear long, ruffled skirts in bright solid colors, supposedly in imitation/ridicule of the dresses worn by European women at their more formal dances.
plena - Little more than 100 years old, plena blends Spanish and African heritage. It is typically accompanied by tambourines without cymbals and by hand drums. Dancers wear "country" finery - women in ruffled, flowered, knee-length skirts, men in black trousers, white shirts, and panama hats.

This category is for Puerto Rican folk style dance, taking place anywhere in the world. Sites about dance in Puerto Rico, of any style, are listed under Regional/Caribbean/Puerto_Rico/Arts_and_Entertainment/Dance.

Sites about modern "salsa" dance are listed under Arts/Performing_Arts/Dance/Latin/Salsa.

Slovenian

Slovenian traditional music and dance is broadly part of the Alpine and Austro-Bavarian familly but with national characteristics and Balkan influences. Whilst this is a generalisation, a characteristic style would be that the upper part of the body is stiffly upright with little movement, the steps small and close to the ground and the knees slightly flexed. Men's movements may be more exhibitionist whilst women's more restrained.

Please suggest only English language sites dealing with Slovenian folk dancing in this category.

Sites dealing with a variety of folk dance styles should be suggested under Top: Arts: Performing Arts: Dance: Folk Dancing or one of it''s sub-categories.

Sites in Slovenian should be suggested to Top: World: Slovensko: Umetnost.

Thank you for your cooperation.