War dance

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "War dance" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

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.