More than a wholly random calendar celebration along the lines of National Grilled Cheese Day or Houseplant Appreciation Day, International Dance Day is actually a commemoration introduced by UNESCO’s International Dance Council in 1982. The aim? To recognize dance as the illusive art form that it is, one with far fewer legal, educational, financial and historical acknowledgments than more static, readily preserved forms of art.
And to commemorate the truly international nature of the day, a few of our favorite cultural dance clips:
Great, quick lesson on Cuba’s traditional dance (and musical style) featuring clips and historical background.
Highlighting the unexpected parallels in traditional dance forms from East and West.
From Senegalese dance school The Dance Hall, a terrific 6-minute compendium of 28 dances spanning the continent.
Tweet or share your own favorite clips from around the dance world!
