Weapon dance

Weapon Dance

Weapon dance involves the use of weapons or stylized representations of weapons in dance to simulate or reenact combat or combat techniques. It is commonly found in folk rituals worldwide and has ancient origins.

Examples

• Europe: Sword and spear dances have existed among Germanic tribes, while sword dances are prevalent in Spain, Portugal, and the Balkans.
• Asia: Baris, an Indonesian dance, depicts the feelings of a young warrior before battle, while Shaolin martial arts incorporate weapon exercises as a form of performance.
• Middle East and Asia Minor: Bedouin dances, such as razfah, use weapons and are popular in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
• Africa: Zulu Indlamu, a war dance, features traditional attire and drums. Ethiopian weapon dances include the shire, a saber dance, and the Beroronsi Hama Haban, a dagger dance.
• Americas: Native American war dances, such as the Comanche Sun Dance, were performed prior to battle and invoked invulnerability. The moresca, a dance depicting a battle between Christians and Moors, exists in Mexico and other former Spanish colonies.

Weapon Dance as Art

Weapon dance has been incorporated into professional staged venues, such as ballet, where it provides opportunities for choreographed fight sequences. Stage combat, which employs choreographed combat enactments, also overlaps with weapon dance. For instance, kabuki theater in Japan features ritualized violence, including sword-fighting.

Additional Points

• Weapon dance can serve ceremonial purposes, such as exorcising evil spirits.
• Sticks and other objects can be used as weapons in weapon dances.
• Some weapon dances have evolved from pre-existing combat practices.
• The use of weapons in recent "revolutionary" dance works reflects the introduction of weaponry into traditional art forms, regardless of their political message.