ritual dance

/ˌrɪtʃ(əw)əl dæns/

Other forms: ritual dances

Definitions of ritual dance

1. noun

   a dance that is part of a religious ritual
   synonyms: ceremonial dance, ritual dancing

   types:

   apache devil dance

   a ritual dance of the Apache

   dance of death, danse macabre

   a medieval dance in which a skeleton representing death leads a procession of others to the grave

   ghost dance

   a religious dance of Native Americans looking for communication with the dead

   pyrrhic

   an ancient Greek dance imitating the motions of warfare

   rain dance

   a ritual dance intended to bring rain

   snake dance

   a ceremonial dance (as by the Hopi) in which snakes are handled or invoked

   sun dance

   a ceremonial dance performed by Amerindians at the summer solstice

   war dance

   a ceremonial dance performed before a battle or after a victory

   corn dance

   a rain dance of Amerindians

   Hawaiian dancing, hula, hula-hula

   a Polynesian rain dance performed by a woman

   type of:

   dance, dancing, saltation, terpsichore

   taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music