William Dalrymple (historian)

A war dance is a dance involving mock combat, usually in reference to tribal warrior societies where such dances were performed as a ritual connected with endemic warfare. Martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like settings for various reasons, such as for evoking ferocity in preparation for battle or showing off skill in a more stylized manner. It could also be for celebration of valor and conquest. Many such martial arts incorporate music, especially strong percussive rhythms.^{[citation needed]}

War dances can overlap with sword dances and other forms of weapon dance, utilizing weapons or replications as part of the artistic performance.

• 
  Egyptian Tahtib
• 
  Papuan war dance from Yapen, Papua
• 
  Capoeira is a martial art traditionally performed with a dance-like flavor and to live musical accompaniment, as seen depicted here.

Examples of war dances include:

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• Aduk-Aduk – Brunei
• Albanian war dances
• Ardah – Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait^[1]
• Ayyalah – Arabian Peninsula
• Attan - Afghanistan and Pushtun Areas of Pakistan
• Baris – Bali, Indonesia
• Bende War Dance – Nigeria
• Buza – Russia
• Blood walk – Bloods of United States
• Cakalele – Maluku, Indonesia
• Capoeira, as well as some similar Afro-Caribbean arts
• Cibi – Fiji
• Crip Walk – Crips of United States^{[citation needed]}
• Dirk dance and Scottish sword dances – Scotland
• European sword dance or weapon dance of various kinds
• Haka - Māori people of New Zealand
• Hako (Rapa Nui) – Easter Island
• Hopak – Ukraine
• Hula and Kapu Kuialua – Native Hawaiians
• Indlamu – Zulu people
• Juego de maní – Cuba
• Kabasaran – Minahasan people, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
• Kailao – Wallis, adopted by Tonga
• Khattak – Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Khorumi (ხორუმი) – Georgia
• Ohafia War Dance – Eastern Nigeria
• Panther Dance – Burmese Bando with swords (dha)
• Pentozali – Crete
• Pyrrhichios – Greece
• Razfah – Oman and the United Arab Emirates
• Reggada – Morocco
• Sagayan – Philippines
• Siva Tau – Samoan war dance
• Tahtib – Egypt
• Takalo - Niue
• Yarkhushta (Յարխուշտա) – Armenia
• Yowlah – Oman and the United Arab Emirates