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Middle Eastern dance, sometimes calledoriental dance, comprises a variety of dancing styles historically associated withethnic groups in the Middle East. It may include influences from other parts of the world, such asWestern dance, and may also be present in regions that have overlapping or shared ethnic or cultural demographics with theMiddle East (namelyNorth Africa, which is part of theArab world) while not being Middle Easternper se.[1] The Middle East is generally understood as a region that comprises the majority ofWest Asia, albeit includingEgypt and excluding theCaucasus.
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Middle EasternArab dance encompasses historical dancing styles amongArabs in theArabian Peninsula and theLevant, as well asIraq andEgypt. It includes the following:ardah,baladi,belly dancing,dabke,deheyeh,fann at-tanbura,hosa,khaleegy,mizmar,raqs sharqi,shamadan,tahtib,tanoura, andyowlah.
TheArmenians are an ethnic group who, while indigenous to theArmenian highlands, have historically inhabited and culturally impacted parts of modern-dayTurkey,Lebanon, andIran, among other countries. Consequently,Armenian dance has been present in the Middle East for centuries, including:berd,kochari,shalakho,tamzara, andyarkhushta.
See:Greek Cypriot dance andTurkish Cypriot dance.
Persian dance:classical Persian dance.
Turkish dance:Çiftetelli,halay.
Jewish dance:Hora,Tza'ad Teimani,Israeli folk dance
