Hot Folk & Traditional How-Tos

How To: Perform the Indian Bharatanatyam dance "Namaskar" move
A Bharatanatyam dancer starts and ends every session of dancing with Namaskaram (obeisance). The dancer pays respect to God (Nataraja), teacher (Guru) and audience. She touches Mother Earth and asks her permission to stamp on her during the dance. Learn this introductory move to Indian traditional dancing with this Bharatanatyam how to video.

How To: Dance the Quadrille
The term quadrille came to exist in the 17th Century, within military parades, where 4 horsemen and their horses performed special square shaped formations or figures.

How To: Do a mid-nineteenth-century Five Step Waltz dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this mid-nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a Five Step Waltz dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a mid-nineteenth century Five Step Waltz, also known as Cinq Temps, Valse en Cinq Temps, or Waltze à Cinque Temps dance.

How To: Perform a Burmese dance
Burmese dance is an ancient cultural dance style that uses simple movements and gestures to tell a story. Learn more about this dance from Burma in this free dance lesson video series from a professional Burmese dancer.

How To: Perform the 1930s dance steps
If you admire the many dances of the 1930s, jitterbug, jive, and swing, then you're going to love this tutorial. In this video from choreographer Nina Ortega, you'll learn the 1930s dance steps to all three of those dances. Each one is unique and different, but can easily be done by some of the most non-experienced dancers. So check it out, take your time, and have fun!

How To: Do a Renaissance pavane or pavan dance
In this video you can watch two people dance the classical pavane. The pavane was a common dance from the 16th Century, popular all over europe. This video is more of a demonstration of the slow, classical dance, however, and less an instructional how to.

How To: Perform dance steps for the waltz
The waltz is a very pretty and fluid dance that requires dance partners to be very close. It's one that can be difficult for some, but for others, is easy to learn with no problems. In this tutorial, you'll find out how to perform dance steps for the waltz with the help of Nina Ortega. It's easy to follow and is performed in a three-four music rythm, so good luck, practice, and enjoy!

How To: Do a late nineteenth-century butterfly dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this late nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a butterfly dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a late nineteenth century butterfly dance.

How To: Perform Teermanam Adavu in Indian Bharatanatyam dance
Bharatanatyam dance is the ancient, traditional dance of India. This two part how to video demonstrates the two steps of "Teermanam adavu" in Bharatanatyam dance. "Teermanam" means to conclude or an ending or final state. Thus the steps in these "adavus" (foot work) are used to end a dance sequence or "jathis."

How To: Perform the basic galliard step
This video given by the Library of Congress gives you a great demonstration on the galliard step. This classical Renaissance dance was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England. However this video does not give you step by step instructions on how to learn this dance, but a first rate demonstration of the galliard dance.

How To: Do a Renaissance Branle Charlotte dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this Renaissance dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing Branle Charlotte dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a Branle Charlotte dance.

How To: Do a late nineteenth-century dance bow and curtsy
The Library of Congress video archives brings this late nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, doing a bow and curtsy for dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a late nineteenth century dance salutation or bow and curtsy.

How To: Dance a Baroque pas de bourée, coupé glissé,& ouverte
The Library of Congress video archives brings this Baroque dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing pas de bourée, coupé glissé, and coupé ouvert dances. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do Baroque pas de bourée, coupé glissé, and coupé ouverte dances.

How To: Do a Renaissance cinq pas de la gaillarde dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this Renaissance dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a cinq pas de la gaillarde dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a Renaissance Cinq pas de la gaillarde, or basic galliard step dance.

How To: Dance the Washington Post Two Step
The two-step is a step found in many folk dances, and in various other dances. The Washington Post Two Step is a 19th Century name originating in the USA. It is similar to the traditional two-step dance but slowed down and a bit jumpier. This video is only a demonstration, and unfortunately it does not give step by step instructions.

How To: Do a Renaissance washerwomen's branle dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this Renaissance dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a branle des lavandieres dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a Branle des Lavandieres, or Washerwomen's Branle dance.

How To: Perform "Ardhamandala" in Indian Bharatanatyam dance
Bharatanatyam dance is an ancient, traditional dance from India. "Ardhamandala" is the most important and frequently used leg posture in Bharatanatyam. Learn how to perform this essential dance move with this Indian dance tutorial.

How To: Dance the Indian Bollywood Dhamaal jumps turn move
Watch this video to learn a great Bhangra dance move. Do the Dhammaal jumps turn move.

How To: Dance the Indian Bollywood body wave move
Watch this video to learn how to do a Bhangra dance move, the body wave. Learn Indian dancing!

How To: Dance the Indian Bollywood dotted circle move
Watch this video to learn how to do a Bhangra dance move, the dotted circle.

How To: Dance late nineteenth-century waltz variations
The Library of Congress video archives brings this late nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing waltz variations. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a late nineteenth century Waltz variation dances.

How To: Dance the basic steps of Irish dance
In this how to video learn the basics steps of Irish dancing. Learn this traditional dance with this step by step tutorial.

How To: Do basic Irish dance moves
Watch this video for a look at the basics of Irish Dancing.

How To: Perform "Natta Adavu" in Indian Bharatanatyam dance
"Natta" means to stretch and so this adavu (foot work) involves some stretching to form beautiful patterns. The "Natta Adavu" involves heel contacts of the feet. Thus word “Nattu” in Tamil is also referred to “perching of heels”. So get ready for some stretching and synchronization of hands and legs with this Bharatanatyam dance how to video. This is a nine part video tutorial for this 13 step traditional Indian dance move.

How To: Do a nineteenth-century Loomis' Glide Mazurka dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this late nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a Loomis' Glide Mazurka dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a late nineteenth century Loomis' Glide Mazurka dance.

How To: Dance the Soukous
In this 5 part tutorial video, you will learn how to dance the Soukous. Soukous is a vernacular dance which is one of many roots of swing dance. Originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, this form of dance has been modernized, much like today's swing is a descendant of the cakewalk and Texas Tommy.

How To: Dance the Sarabande from "La Bourgogne"
This is a great demonstration of a Baroque era dance. This dance originated from Central America in the 16th Century, and worked its way to Europe. However, the dance transformed into a slower, European style dance as it was brought overseas. This video is for the man's part of the dance. This demonstration unfortunately does not give step by step instructions on how to learn the dance.

How To: Dance the Courante from "La Bourgogne"
If you'd like to learn a French dance from the Baroque era (man's part only) this video gives a great demonstration. This dance from the 17th Century is a calm, free-flowing courante.

How To: How To Dance The Pizzica
Learn in 4 simple steps how to do The Pizzica, a traditional Southern Italian dance.

How To: Galliard
This video gives you a demonstration of the galliard dance. The gilliard is an improvised dance, and in this video you can see different variations of it put together into one dance. This video is not a how-to, yet a demonstration, and that is the reason for the low WonderGrade. However, this video does give a great example on how to dance the galliard.

How To: Learn the basics of Irish dance
In this video, we learn the basics of Irish dance. First, you need to tie your shoes onto you tightly, then make a cross and go underneath your foot with the strings. You will see a lot of pointing with the toes when you are dancing, and you should never be able to see in between the legs. Your arms should be right by your side and not flared out. When you lift, bring the other right in front of it immediately. Another popular movement is to do a skip with a hop and a jump in between. After y...

How To: Hambone dance
Learn to hambone with doo-heif Productions then try for yourself! This involves knee slapping rhythmically.

How To: Dance an Italian Renaissance seguito ordinario dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this Renaissance dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional Italian moves, dancing a seguito ordinario, trabuchetto grave, seguito spezatto and destice dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a seguito ordinario, trabuchetto grave, seguito spezatto and destice Ita...

How To: Do a nineteenth-century quadrille step combinations
The Library of Congress video archives brings this early nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a Quadrille combination step dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do an early nineteenth century Quadrille step combination for figures forward and back as well as cross over.

How To: Do a late nineteenth-Century Waltz Minuet dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this late nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a Waltz Minuet dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a late nineteenth century Waltz Minuet dance.

How To: Perform "TattiMetti Adavu" in Bharatanatyam dance
"Tatti" means to tap (like in "Tatta adavu," foot taps) and "Metti" means a heel contact with the floor. For "Metti" one must first be on the toes (either a jump on the toes or just striking a toe) and then flatten the feet while the toes are already firm on the ground. This six part how to video teaches the six steps to this traditional Indian dance move, the "Tattimetti Adavu."

How To: Do beginning Irish Step dancing
In this instructional video dance lesson, our expert dance instructor Alicia Lagan will demonstrate the beginner's reel in Irish Step dancing. These dance steps are the basis of Irish step dancing.

How To: Do a cinq pas de la gaillarde basic galliard dance
The Library of Congress video archives brings this Renaissance dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a cinq pas de la gaillarde dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do a Renaissance Cinq pas de la gaillarde, or basic galliard step dance.

How To: Do a Renaissance Branle Simple dance
Have you ever watched a Medieval based movie, and the setting was at a festival where people were dancing in a circle, well this is that dance. This Branle Simple (Simple Swing) video is more a demonstration of the dance, and does not teach you how to do it step by step.

How To: Do an early nineteenth century slow French Waltz
The Library of Congress video archives brings this early nineteenth century dance lesson demonstration. Follow along with the performers as they show off their traditional moves, dancing a slow French waltz dance. It might take a bit of dance practice, but grab your partner, put on some music, and follow the steps. Watch this video traditional dance tutorial and learn how to do an early nineteenth century slow French waltz.