It encompasses social dances (folk dances) performed in traditional (regional) costumes to (often live) traditional music.
Dance forms: Couple dances, circle dances, line dances, or quadrille dances.
Couples sometimes switch partners.
Well-known steps include the waltz, polka, mazurka, and specific steps such as the horlepiep.
Costumes and music: Dancers wear authentic regional costumes.
The music is traditional, sometimes with modern adaptations or new choreographies for stage performances.
"Living" aspect: The heritage is dynamic.
In addition to old, inherited dances, new dances in the same style are created.
This ensures that the tradition remains alive and adapts to the future.
These dances originate from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were formerly frequently danced at parties, weddings, and village gatherings (especially in the eastern Netherlands and along the coast).
Today, they are performed by folkloric dance groups, often in the context of performances, festivals, and heritage preservation.
The Levende Folklore Foundation is responsible for their preservation and promotion.
It was officially listed on the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Netherlands to safeguard the tradition for the future.
Examples of dances include Driekusman, Hoksebarger, Horlepiep, and Skotse Trije.
In short: a lively, social, and colorful tradition that keeps Dutch folk life moving!
